Not long after he allowed me to speak to Elliot, the door to my underground prison opened once more. As he entered, my eyes immediately went to the syringe in his right hand. I backed up, yanking furiously on my chains.
“No!”
“Don’t you want to go home?” he asked, his slimy demeanor sending a shiver down my spine.
I nodded. Of course I wanted to go home. I did not want to be drugged again. Maybe I could disarm him and stab that needle into his neck… he must be keeping the keys for my restraints on him.
“Then you’ll be a good girl, won’t you, Athena?”
No.
“Yes.”
“Turn around,” he ordered. “Face the wall. Nice and close. That’s it.”
His hand landed on my shoulder. Spinning around, I lunged for the needle. He skipped back, out of my reach.
“Oh dear, dear, Athena. Such spunk. Such fire. Such futility.”
A jolt of fear sent a tingling sensation roaring through my body. I shouldn’t have done that. Why had I when I’d been on the cusp of going home? At least that was what he’d said. For all I knew, he could be planning to drug me, then rape and kill me.
I didn’t buy it, though. Not once on the four occasions I’d been in his presence had I seen his lifeless eyes sleazily travel over my body. He’d shown no sexual interest in me whatsoever. And, for the duration of my incarceration, he hadn’t hurt me. Not physically anyway. Tearing me from my family and keeping me against my will amounted to mental torture, but he’d fed me, provided water, left me with my clothes.
Chained me to a pipe. Forced me to pee in a bucket. Yeah, Athena, don’t feel sorry for this slimeball.
I stuck out my arm. “Fine. Stick me with the damn needle. I just want to go home.”
Gripping my wrist, he jabbed me in the upper arm. As I felt my legs go, he caught me. The last thing I remembered was a whisper beside my ear. “And you will, little one. And you will.”
“Athena.”
I batted a hand in front of me, swatting away the mist of water soaking my face. Was it raining?
“Athena.”
The voice, stronger this time, broke through a haze of cotton wool that had taken up residence in my brain, making clear thinking an impossibility. I squinted, then squeezed my eyes closed.
“Wake up. You’re home.”
Am I dreaming?
“Feel sick.”
“That’s the drugs. They’ll wear off.”
I forced my eyelids to open to find my captor hovering over me, still wearing his mask. In his hand was a spray bottle. He must have squirted it at me to wake me up.
“Get out of the car, Athena. You’re a half mile from home. Get out, and don’t look back.”
He leaned over me, his chest brushing my face, and opened the back door. I cowered, pressing my spine into the backseat of the car he’d transported me in.
“You’re free. Go. Now. Before I change my mind.”
I scrambled out of the car, my head spinning from the speed I’d gone from lying down to standing up. Coupled with the drugs he’d pumped into my system, I struggled to stay upright. I weaved down the road like a drunk and ensured I remained facing forward. The sound of a car easing away reached me, slowly becoming fainter and fainter until I couldn’t hear it any longer. Only then did I dare to peek over my shoulder.
He’d gone.
I broke into a stumbling run.
It took me thirty minutes to reach my parents’ house. I kept having to stop and steady myself, as well as take deep breaths to hold down the nausea that threatened to explode into my throat. Whatever he’d given me this time felt far worse than the first time. When had that been? Yesterday? Two days ago? A week maybe? I had no clue how much time had passed.
I banged on the door. My legs gave way, and I crumpled to the ground, still banging.
“Mom!” I screamed. “Mom, please.”
The door opened, and I was in someone’s arms. Elliot. I held on to him for dear life.
“God, Athena,” he muttered, his voice husky and raw. “Mom, call an ambulance!”
“No. No ambulance. I’m not hurt.”
The next few minutes were a blur. Mom holding me, kissing my hair, my cheeks, my hands. Dad, squeezing me so tightly I thought I might crack a rib. Elliot, tears running down his face. A bunch of cops hovering off to one side, their discomfort at the family reunion obvious.
And Ryker.
My man, waiting in the background with a fierce, almost scary expression on his face. Tears welled up, spilled over, and then I found myself in his arms. He kissed me gently on the lips, then murmured against my ear how much he loved me. How he’d never let me out of his sight again.
I drew back, gazing up at this man I adored—my life, my heart, my reason for being—and gave him a rueful grin. “I guess we’ve been busted, huh?”
His lips curved upward. He used his thumbs to dry tears from my cheeks. “You could say that.”
I touched a split in his lip, already knowing without needing confirmation that Elliot had been the culprit. “Does it hurt?”
He shook his head.
“Is Elliot okay?”
Ryker grimaced. “He will be.”
“Miss Bancroft?”
I turned to find a middle-aged man gazing at me, his expression full of concern.
“I’m Detective Peterson. Would you like me to call for medical assistance?”
I shook my head. “I don’t need a doctor.”
“Then do you feel up to making a statement?”
“No, she fucking doesn’t,” Ryker growled, protectively putting his body in front of mine.
The detective colored up, but he stood his ground. “I’m sorry, Mr. Stone, but we need to speak to her.” He turned his attention to me. “Just a short statement for now. We’ll come back tomorrow to speak with you in more detail. We will need to take a few samples, bag your clothes. There will likely be trace evidence, clues as to the identity of your abductor.”
“No,” Ryker bit out.
I put my hand on his arm. “It’s okay.”
Mom held my hand, and Ryker braced himself on the other side of me as I told the detectives what I knew—which wasn’t much. They took nail scrapes and Mom helped me change into a robe while the cops bagged my garments. An hour later, Dad saw the detectives out.
“I think we should call the doctor,” Mom said, worry causing lines to appear on her face that I was certain hadn’t been there before. “Just to be on the safe side.”
I shook my head. “I’m fine, Mom. The drugs he gave me have worn off. He didn’t hurt me. I don’t need to see a doctor.”
Ryker stood and held out his hand. “How about a bath instead?” he said gently.
I could have cried. I got to my feet and slipped my hand inside his. “Sounds like heaven.”
Elliot blocked our path. “Where are you going?” he snapped, his eyes dark as they rested on Ryker.
“I’m bathing her,” Ryker responded.
“Over my dead body.”
“Elliot!” Dad shouted, pulling him away. “Leave them be. You’re embarrassing yourself.”
Ryker didn’t hang around to continue the argument. He took off upstairs, carrying me as if I weighed no more than a feather. He kicked the door to my bedroom closed, shutting out the rest of the world, and set me on the floor. His eyes glistened, and his face crumpled.
“I thought I’d lost you,” he murmured, his gaze roving over my face. “I couldn’t… I wouldn’t… Christ, Athena.”
His mouth took mine in a searing kiss that brought fresh tears to my eyes. I clung to him, drawing on his strength to bolster my depleted stores. I snuggled closer, almost climbing inside his skin.
“Let me run you that bath.” He released me and strode into the bathroom.
I caught sight of myself in the full-length mirror beside my closet. My hair resembled a bird’s nest, I had a smudge of dirt up one cheek, and a scrape on the back of my hand. All
in all, not bad for having been kidnapped and kept in the equivalent of a dungeon.
I knew the shock would kick in eventually, that I’d probably need some form of counseling to process the trauma I’d been through. But right now, I felt so damned grateful to be back at home, surrounded by the people I adored, and being cared for by the man I loved.
My fiancé.
My ring.
I scrabbled beneath my robe, and when my hand closed around the diamond, I almost wept with relief. If my kidnapper had seen that, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind he’d have stolen it. I had no idea of its monetary value, but it would be considerable. The sentimental value, however, was irreplaceable.
Reaching around the back of my neck, I removed the chain, freed the ring, and went to put it on my finger.
“Hold up right there, Athena Bancroft.”
I lifted my head to find Ryker standing in the doorway, his shoulder propped against the jamb. He crossed the room and gently took the ring from me, drawing my left hand toward him. With his gaze fixed on mine, he got down on one knee, then slipped the ring on my finger. He kissed the stone, turned over my hand, and pressed his mouth to my palm.
“I love you.”
My breath hitched, and tears pooled in my eyes. I blinked furiously. “I love you.”
He got to his feet. “Come on.”
Holding my hand to steady me, he helped me into the bath. I sighed as the hot water soothed my aching muscles, and I closed my eyes, resting my head on the folded-up towel Ryker had placed at one end of the tub.
“What day is it?”
“New Year’s Day.”
I opened my eyes. “I’ve only been gone one day?” I frowned. “It feels like so much longer.”
He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “To me, too.”
Squeezing a dollop of bodywash onto a cloth, he tenderly cleansed my skin of every grain of dirt, every smudge, even easing me forward to scrub my back.
“God, that feels good,” I groaned.
“Did he hurt you?” Ryker suddenly bit out.
I found his gaze, a dangerous glint shining in the depths of his striking blue eyes and a determined set to his jaw. I knew what he meant.
“No. He didn’t touch me. Not like that.”
His eyes squeezed shut, and he blew out a slow breath. He must have been imagining all sorts of horrors, and while I hadn’t exactly been having a ball, I shuddered every time I thought about how much worse it could have been.
“He won’t get away with this.”
I cupped his jaw, the familiar sensation of stubble beneath my fingertips bringing me immense comfort.
“He knew me, Ryker. He wasn’t a stranger.”
His eyes widened, shock crossing his face. “How do you know?”
“He kept going on and on about Elliot. How Elliot owed him. Whoever this guy is, he feels he’s been wronged, and taking me was a means to an end. His way of exacting retribution.”
“Fuck.”
His eyes glazed over as he processed the information.
I scratched my fingertips over his cheek, bringing him back to me. “I know neither you nor Elliot will let this go, but please, for me, can we forget about it, for a little while at least?”
He nodded, leaning over the rim of the tub to kiss me.
The water cooled. Ryker helped me out of the tub. My body ached from the cold, damp room, the hard, concrete floor and, no doubt, being roughly bundled into the back of a car while unconscious. He dried every inch of my skin, then wrapped me in a warm, fluffy robe and tucked me into bed.
“Stay with me until I fall asleep?”
He climbed up beside me and tucked my head into the crook of his arm. “I’m not going anywhere.”
28
Ryker
Athena’s breathing slowly evened out. I stared at her for a few minutes, still processing the fact she’d been returned to me relatively unscathed. She appeared, at first sight, to be dealing with her traumatic experience a little too well. When the shock kicked in, she’d need love, understanding, and support to help her come to terms with how easily her life could have been snuffed out.
My chest constricted at the mere thought of losing her. Compelled by an undeniable urge to connect with her, I pressed my lips to her forehead and let them linger, memorizing the feel of her skin beneath my own.
I carefully removed my arm, making sure the movement didn’t wake her, then stood. She didn’t even murmur. Pausing by the doorway, I blew her a kiss.
“Love you, Thea.”
I trudged downstairs, locating everyone in the kitchen. I locked gazes with Judy. “She’s asleep.”
“I’ll go sit with her for a while.” She crossed the room and patted my shoulder. “I’m so glad it’s you. You’ve always been like a son to me, Ryker. And soon, I’ll be able to call you that for real.”
A glimmer of a smile touched my lips. “I couldn’t wish for better in-laws.”
I waited for her to leave, then turned my attention to Elliot. “Shall we?” I asked.
Without waiting for an affirmative response, I left the kitchen and headed back to the living room. While I had sympathy with Elliot’s position, I refused to continue feeling guilty for falling in love. Both Athena and I had done our damndest to stay away from each other, but in the end, fate had other plans for us, and our mutual love had been impossible to deny.
Elliot closed the door but remained standing with his arms folded across his chest and a muscle ticking in his cheek.
“Is she coping?” he asked.
“Surprisingly well,” I replied. “Too well.”
He nodded. “When reality hits, she’s going to need support.”
“Indeed she is,” I said. “Support from all of us. You, me, Judy, Karl.” I touched my split lip. “You had your shot, Elliot, and I accept you were entitled to it, but from now on, you need to find a way to come to terms with Athena and me being together. I’m going nowhere.”
He chose a chair the farthest from me and stiffly sat. “How long, Ryker?”
“This time, a few weeks.”
His eyebrows shot up. “This time?”
I figured he deserved the whole story, so I let him have it. “Athena and I slept together seven years ago. Remember the night we all went out celebrating after we realized the successful path ROGUES was on? She came to me. I should have denied her. I didn’t.”
I squeezed my eyes closed as familiar shame swept through me every time I thought about the cruel things I’d said to her the following morning. That I wouldn’t be sharing with Elliot. Yet still she loved me. I didn’t deserve her.
“Jesus,” Elliot muttered. “The code on her phone? That was why? It wasn’t anything to do with ROGUES, was it?”
“No.” I drew a deep breath through my nose. “The next morning, I told her nothing could happen. That we could never be. I knew how you’d feel about it, and I couldn’t risk our friendship. You meant too much to me. And for seven years, I kept that promise.”
“Yet you couldn’t manage eight,” Elliot said bitterly.
I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. “You ever wonder why I went through phases of fucking everything with a pulse, and then bouts of complete celibacy? I tried, Elliot. I tried so fucking hard to forget her. So many strategies. Ignoring her, behaving abominably, cruelly even. Flaunting other women in front of her so she’d hate me. None of it worked. And you know why? Because your sister and I are meant to be. There is no other woman for me. If you make me choose, Elliot, I’ll pick her every goddamn time. I don’t want to lose you, but if you force my hand, then so be it.”
He stared at me for a solid minute. I waited. I’d said my piece. Now it was his turn.
“You know what the worst part is?”
“No.”
“You lied to me. She lied to me.”
Couldn’t deny that.
“Yes, we did. And neither of us were particularly comfortable about that.”
>
“But not so uncomfortable that it stopped you.”
I scrubbed a hand over my forehead. “What do you want me to say that I haven’t already? Sorry? Yes, I’m sorry. You’re my best friend. I love the fucking bones of you. But I love her, too, Elliot. I’m so in love with her it hurts. Right here.” I curled my fist and pressed it to my chest. “I could have lost her. We all could have lost her.” My voice broke.
Silence stretched between us, setting an uncomfortable atmosphere but one I refused to shy away from. I kept my gaze trained on his, my eyes pleading but ultimately unapologetic. After an age, Elliot let out a long, heavy sigh and got to his feet. He took a seat beside me.
“If you harm one hair on her head, or put a single crack in her heart, I’ll fucking kill you.”
And, without waiting for a response, he pulled me into a rough hug. Relief coursed through me. I’d have chosen Athena—I hadn’t lied about that—but losing Elliot from my life would have been torturous.
“I’ll never hurt her,” I said. “I’ll spend the rest of my life making her happy, I swear.”
“Damn straight you will.” He broke a smile, genuine and bright. “I fucking love you, man, but don’t ever lie to me again.”
“Don’t go all soppy on me,” I said, my lips twitching at the corners. “Otherwise I’ll have no choice but to tell Brie you’ve turned into a pussy.”
“Do that and you’ll have a busted nose to go with that fat lip and bruised cheek.”
I chuckled, so happy I almost felt giddy with it. Athena was safe, Elliot had forgiven me for my subterfuge, we’d gotten the Addison’s deal. Life didn’t get much better than this.
“I’m gonna find him, Ryker.”
I broke from my reverie as I remembered something. “Athena told me he knew her, knew you.”
Elliot’s eyebrows shot upward. “What?”
“Whoever this guy is, Elliot, he chose Athena specifically to get at you. My guess is that it’s steeped in a business deal gone wrong somewhere. Find the deal, and we find the man.”
Entranced (The ROGUES Billionaire Series Book 1) Page 21
