Chapter 34
Ryker
It’s been two days since I locked Grace in the forgotten room down in the basement, and I’ve felt like shit every single second since. The whole scenario gnaws at me constantly, clawing at my chest every time I so much as think of her sitting in that cold room. My mind keeps telling me I shouldn’t feel sorry for her. She’s a traitor, a fucking Venus trap that was set up to destroy me—and I stupid enough to fall for it.
But that dumb organ inside my chest insists otherwise. I’ve never felt pain like this before. My chest tightened and my heart subject to a thousand stabs every time I see her face before me. That fear, that utter horror… and the hope that seems to fade a little more every time I come down there to feed her or offer her a bathroom break.
It’s become harder every single time, and now that I’m standing in front of the door to the basement again, I know I can no longer do this. No matter what she may have been up to, I can’t stand the thought of her being down there in that cold, dark room. I’ve tried to make it more bearable for her, or as close to bearable as it gets. I brought her an extra blanket, more cushions to ease the discomfort, and even her e-reader after examining it to make sure it wasn’t capable of anything besides displaying books. There’s no reception down there anyway, so it’s harmless enough. At least she had something to pass the time in her windowless cell. My distrust in her was too big to let her back into the garden, so I took that from her, too.
My fingers tighten around the handle as I force myself to face reality. I can’t trust her. I have to remember that, even when I face her pitiful expression. Every sign points to her as the mole that’s been leaking information and screwing up my operations. If she’s been working with her brothers, if she’s been spying on me this whole time, I’d be the biggest fool imaginable. And it would explain everything—their delayed concern, their lack of eye contact when they showed up, how they barely acknowledged her at all. It would explain so much.
I take a deep breath, open the door, and start descending the stairs one by one. My pulse speeds up with every step, and by the time I reach the door to Grace’s cell, my heart is basically sitting in my throat.
I take a deep breath and unlock the door to step inside, the dim light filtering in, casting shadows along the bare walls. Grace is curled up on the cushions, her Kindle resting on her lap, shielding her eyes from the sudden brightness. She looks up, and all I see is the exhaustion in her face, her spirit obviously worn thin from two days in this cold, empty room.
“Tell me the truth, and I’ll let you out,” I say, crossing my arms to steady myself. My voice comes out sharper than intended, and my chest tightens, just like it always does when I’m faced with her misery.
“You’re the mole that’s been spying on my operation, aren’t you?” I ask. “You and your brothers are working together to bring me down because they don’t want to pay their debt. Just admit it, and I promise you, I’ll go easy on you.”
“Go easy on me?” She asks, and the hint of a frown graces her beautiful features. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’ll let you out of here, for starters,” I say.
Her face falls, sadness filling her eyes, and she slowly shakes her head. “But I already told you the truth. I’m no mole, and I don’t know what the—my brothers are up to. Why won’t you believe me?”
The look in her eyes nearly kills me. I came down here prepared to confront her, to demand the truth, but the sadness and hurt on her face cut through me like a knife. Damn it. I shouldn’t be the one to feel this guilty, but here it is, getting to me all the same.
“Then why won’t you tell me what you were doing in my office?” I demand, needing something to explain it all.
Her gaze drops, her voice barely more than a whisper. “I told you, I was just bored. I had nothing specific in mind. I was just curious, and I thought I’d have a look, when I saw the door was open. I’d never been in there before.”
I scoff. “Because I told you to stay out.”
She nods, and I see a tear slip down her cheek. She quickly brushes it away, but it leaves a streak against her skin.
“Trust me, Ryker, if I’d known this would happen, I’d never have gone in there,” she says, looking up at me with an expression so raw it makes my chest tighten even more.
Is this all an act? Why won’t she talk to me? I know she’s hiding something, but I want to believe her so badly.
“Please, let me back upstairs,” she pleads, her voice soft and pleading. “You can lock me up in the bedroom. But this… this is pure hell. I’m going mad down here.”
Her eyes drop to the e-reader in her lap, and she adds: “But thank you for this. I would have lost it without.”
“It was the least I could do,” I hear myself say, and the look on her face tells me she’s just as surprised as I am to hear myself speak like this. The least I could do? I wasn’t just being mean to her, I was trying to keep myself safe by putting her down here.
I glance at my watch, the ticking seconds reminding me that I’m running out of time. I had planned to check on Grace quickly, confirm she was okay, and head out for the on-site meeting with the landowner. I thought that maybe after seeing her, I’d be able to postpone the decision about what to do with her until I returned, until I had time to think straight.
But now, standing here, seeing her in this state, I realize that it’s not that simple. She’s either an incredibly talented actress, or she’s telling the truth, and I’m just too paranoid to see it.
I look down at her, sitting on those worn, dusty cushions, her face pale and weary. Her cheeks are streaked with the remnants of tears, and she can barely meet my gaze. She looks vulnerable, her spirit visibly drained. And I did this to her.
“Get up,” I tell her.
She tilts her head to the side, casting me a quizzical look. “You’re letting me out?”
“No,” I say, but then shake my head. “I mean, yes. Because you’re coming with me.”
“Where?” she asks, arduously climbing to her feet.
I swallow hard, my hand still gripping the door frame as I look at her, feeling my resolve waver. But I can’t leave her here like this, and I don’t trust her upstairs. She has to come with me.
I need her close. This is the only way to remain in control. I need to monitor her at all times, and see every move she makes. I need to be sure. But I don’t need to break her.