Page 34 of Vicious Deception
I watch him silently. Everything in me is screaming that I shouldn’t trust him, but what if he’s telling the truth? We have to trysomething.
“I understand you have no reason to believe me.” He moves toward the door. If he stays in here for too long, it’ll look suspicious. “Time will prove my intentions. For now, just stay ready.”
When he leaves, I lower myself onto the bed and place my head in my hands. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that we’re going to die. Of course I’ve been trying to find a way out, but I haven’t been able to.
But now? This could change everything.
Chapter twelve
Wren
“I’mcomingwithyou.”
Finn sighs when he realizes I’m not going to let him past me without a fight. I’m leaning against the front door, arms crossed, with my shoes already on.
“You can’t,” he tells me.
“Yes, I can,” I say confidently.
“No,” Finn snaps. “I’m not letting you get hurt again. You got kidnapped under my watch once, Wren, and I’ll be damned if I let it happen again.”
“But—”
“No.”
“What if this is the last time I’ll ever get to see him? What if we can’t get them out in time, and Ludo kills them all? What if things go wrong again?Please,Finn. Please don’t take this away from me.”
Pain flickers across his expression, and I wonder if he’s thinking ofher—the woman he didn’t get a last moment with. He must be, because he sighs again, but this time he nods.
“Fine. But you doexactlywhat I tell you to, you understand me? If I think you’re in danger, I’m getting you the hell out of there.”
“Got it.” I open the door and step outside.
It’s dark, and this far from the city, we have a decent view of the stars. Never in my life have I seen so many of them in the sky at once. It’s breathtaking.
In Finn’s car, Nine Inch Nails plays from the radio as he speeds down the road. It feels weird to leave the farmhouse for the first time in almost two weeks, but my heart is light with hope. I finally get to see Elliot.
Maybe I should be more worried, but I’m not. I trust Elliot’s judgment. He’s doubting himself because he thinks it’s his fault that they were captured. I understand where he’s coming from, but it’s not like he lost his ability to think logically or something. He’s always been so careful when it comes to our safety—that will never change.
It takes forever to reach the motel. The parking lot is basically empty except for a dark SUV parked near the room we’re supposed to be meeting in. Once Finn has parked, we sit in silence for a minute. He scans the parking lot, probably waiting for someone to jump out of the shadows and take me, but nothing happens.
“Stay here,” he says without glancing at me. “I don’t want you getting out of the car without cover.”
I nod. I’m already stressing him out enough. The least I can do is listen to what he says.
Finn gets out and rounds the vehicle. His gaze constantly moves over the motel and the lot, but still, there’s nothing. So far, it seems like this really isn’t a trap.
When Finn opens my door, I slip out quickly. My heart is beating faster than it ever has, and I have to consciously remind myself not to bolt for the motel room. We still don’t know what exactly is waiting for us inside.
Finn places a protective hand on my back, looking around the property one more time before we move toward the building. At some point, he pulled out his car keys, and he places them in my palm.
“Stay out of sight,” he whispers as we approach the room. The curtain is drawn, so we can’t see inside. “And get the hell out of here at the first sign of danger.”
With my heart in my throat, I step out of view. Finn slowly turns the knob and opens the door, gun in hand. In the next second, he’s aiming his weapon and peering into the room.
I desperately want to lean in so I can see, but I watch Finn’s face instead. It’s hardened with concentration, but as he takes in the room, it softens to one of worry.
“You look awful, Elliot.”