Page 55 of Vicious Deception
Since she supposedly got back from her honeymoon, Aubrey has posted a few photos of herself around Ludo’s mansion. They’re photos she took during their engagement for this specific purpose. It seems to be working, considering everyone keeps congratulating her in the comments.
“I’m ready to come face to face with this bastard,” Meredith says, her expression darkening. “He’s taken enough away from us. I’ll be damned if I let him hurt my son.”
It takes everything in me to keep my smile from wavering. I haven’t told her about what Elliot said—that Ludo alreadyhashurt Oliver. At this point, it’d just make her worry more, and I’m depending on her confidence that we’ll make it out of this okay.
Clasping my hand in hers, Aubrey squeezes gently. “You’ll get your happily ever after, Wren. I know you will.”
I’ve never seen a love so deep.That’s what she said about me and the guys. We’re meant to be. Thingscan’tend here.
I squeeze her hand back and nod. With a glance at Meredith to steal some of her confidence, I square my shoulders. “We will.”
Chapter seventeen
Oliver
I’msittingwithmyback pressed to the wall when my door flies open.
Last night, they took Elliot again, and when he came back, he sobbed for what felt like hours. There was a small, naive part of me that wanted to try sneaking in through his window, but I couldn’t work up the courage.
After I woke this morning, I tapped on the wall, and Elliot tapped back twice. I’m not sure what it means—an apology, maybe? That something is going to happen?
Now, my door opens, and panic rips through me as two men step into the room.
“No.” I scramble to my feet, backing into a corner. “No, not again,please.”
In the hallway, two more men pass by. They’re holding onto Elliot, who locks eyes with me for a split second before he’s pulled away.
I can’t do this. I can’t do it again.
I try to fight, but subsisting on one meal a day and more panic attacks than I can count doesn’t lead to a place of strength. They overpower me in under a minute and handcuff my hands behind my back.
As they shove me into the hallway, I peer ahead, but Elliot is already out of sight. The air feels thinner, and my lungs burn as I’m forced downstairs. But this time, they don’t take me to the basement.
I’m not sure if that’s a good sign or a bad one.
Axel is waiting at the base of the stairs in the foyer. Just as I am, Elliot is handcuffed, and so is Rhett.
Rhett.He looks unharmed, but a deep frown is etched onto his features. Benny is standing next to him, and Andrew is hovering close by.
“Mr. Axel,” Benny says, but Axel holds up his hand.
“Not now.”
“Where are you taking them?” one of the men holding me asks, and Elliot tenses almost imperceptibly.
“That’s above your pay grade.” Opening the front door, Axel ushers Benny and Andrew outside. “Put them in the van.”
Some of the men hesitate, giving Axel suspicious glances.
“Now,” Axel snaps. “Unless you want me to tell Ludo that you disobeyed a direct order.”
That gets the men moving. My throat feels like it’s closing in on itself as they shove me out the door. Where are they taking us? What’s Ludo’s plan?
Outside, they throw us in the back of a white van. On Axel’s orders, Andrew climbs in with us before shutting the doors. Axel gets behind the wheel up front, and Benny settles into the passenger seat.
I give Elliot a panicked look, but he doesn’t return it. Rhett is watching Axel and Benny quietly, his muscles taut.
“Seatbelt, little man,” Axel says as he starts the engine.