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Chapter one
Elliot
Note: This book contains darker themes. Please flip back and read the Before You Read section if you haven’t already.
Thetasteoffailureis bitter on my tongue as I pace around my room. Mycage.
It’s been over twelve hours since Holloway’s men locked us up. Night has come and gone, but I haven’t slept.
How can I?
In every possible way, we’ve failed.I’vefailed.
Not only were we unsuccessful at exacting revenge on Ludo, but we lost each other, too. Now we’re trapped. Trapped, stuck, and helpless, caught up in the web that Holloway so cleverly weaved together. We don’t even have a clue of how long we’ll be alive for.
My only solace is that it doesn’t seem like Holloway was able to capture Wren. As far as I can tell, his team didn’t even make it back after they left last night. I’m hoping Wren and Finn got away unscathed and that they’re already deep in hiding.
As for me and the guys . . .
How can I get us out of here?
My mind wanders to Oliver. His soft sobs drifted through the walls last night, and each one was like a stab to the heart. I’m worried about Rhett, but I’m worried about Oliver more. He doesn’t have access to his meds, and considering our situation, this will be so much worse than when he stopped taking them last time.
Lightly, I knock on the wall that separates me from Oliver. We can’t talk—Ludo and his men have made that very clear—but we seem to be able to manage this.
After a few seconds, Oliver knocks back.
Is this what we’ve been reduced to? I can’t even tell him I love him?
Overnight, the disbelief I felt has morphed into a burning rage. At Holloway, yes, but more so at myself. I’m the one who let this happen. I got so caught up in fooling Ludo that I didn’t realize he fooled me.
It was a naive mistake, and it’s cost us everything.
I hear footsteps in the hallway. A couple seconds later, my door opens, and Ludo steps in. Axel is right behind him with his dark hair pulled up into its usual bun.
Ludo’s gaze travels over my body, leaving icy dread in its wake. “Well, you look like shit.”
I don’t respond. Don’t even blink.
With a heavy sigh, Ludo steps forward. His hands are in his pockets, and he’s watching me lazily.
I’m not a threat to him. Not anymore.
“I just want to know,” he says after a minute. “Was it worth it?”
“You know the answer to that.”
Ludo’s lips curve upward in a smug smirk. “I want to hear you say it.”
I press my lips together. He’ll have to force the words out of me.
But Ludo just sighs. His annoyance is there, hidden beneath a layer of indifference that I know is completely fake. If there’s one thing I know about Redback, it’s that he’s a prideful bastard. Our betrayal cut him deep.
“Why don’t you cut the act and tell me where my hard drive is,” Ludo bites out.
“Aubrey didn’t tell us who she sold it to.”
I don’t elaborate. Can’t. We have to stick with the story I told yesterday—that we helped Aubrey steal the hard drive and get off the property. Nothing more. It’s not even that far off from the truth.
