CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Ronan
“In the end, he got what he wanted.”
My nerves buzz endlessly, not because I’m scared for my life. No, I could give zero damns about that. I’m scared for Ember's life.
To know we had six hours left doesn’t ease my nerves because I know those hours have flown by in this fucking maze. I’ve been walking slower for her, resting at the middle to give her legs a break, and fucking her. Yeah that part was my idea but fuck, time’s running out.
She tries her hardest to keep up with me but I know she’s sore and maybe in some type of pain from my brutal fucking.
“Here, get on my back.” I crouch down enough for her to jump.
She hesitates but her hand brushes my shoulder before her legs wrap around my waist. A tingle rushes underneath my skin but I dismiss it for now. Her breathing is shallow and loud in my ear and something tightens in my gut.
Each hedge’s leaves and jagged branches scratch against my arms as I pass through. She remains silent behind me but I can feel her heart pounding against my back. I know she’s scared but I'm here and I won’t let anything happen to her. Over my dead body.
“Try not to cry too much back there.” I try to lighten the mood because I’d rather have her attitude than this.
She huffs and it’s better than the silence that was settling between us. I continue to listen to her heart and dig through all my fucking witty remarks to try to calm it.
We come to a split and I instantly pick the right. I remember these fucking hedges like the back of my hand. It’s always right. That's the illusion of them. People think too long and pick based on panic, not with logic.
I adjust my grip on the back of her knees. “You know, they probably paid good money for that corpse, these props and sounds. I mean look at this shrubbery.”
“That wasn’t fake, Ronan and you know that.” She whispers. Her breath against my neck tickles me but I continue forward.
“You’re still breathing. That’s what counts, Little Devil. The dead guy back there can’t say the same.” My tone is dry as images of my mother's corpse flashes in my mind.
She stiffens at my words and I feel every tremor wrack through her body into mine.
“Look at it this way, we’re still walking, alive. If they wanted us dead, we’d be dead, right?” She nods on my shoulder. “And carrying your heavy ass would definitely get us caught.”
“You told me to get up here.” A small laugh leaves her lips and a smile spreads across mine. She’s nowhere near heavy but I knew it’d make her laugh, relinquish her spark.
The sky seems to darken more and the only thing allowing me to see is the red lamps spaced out between hedges. I look up towards the sky, the moon is situated right above us. It’s a dark orange, a perfect Halloween moon.
We keep walking for what feels like forever and her grip on my shoulders starts to become uncomfortable.
“You trust me, right?” I ask and push her higher up my back.
She nods and a low laugh leaves me.
“Good, now stop gripping my shoulders like something is going to grab you off of me.”
Her laugh is more genuine this time as she relaxes her fingers. A smirk spreads across my lips and with each step my obsession for her deepens. Her trust for me is undeniable and the fact that she accepts me, knowing all I've done, causes a flutter in my heart I thought was dead long ago.
Fuck, I’m turning into a sappy fucker.
I groan and see a break of light ahead. My steps become faster and more relentless against the dirt. Each step closer is like a fucking wedge thrown off my shoulder. Her hands retighten on my shoulders with relief and she lets out a long breath.
“We’ve made it. We’ve made it!” She shouts and bounces on my back.
“And like I said, we’re alive.” I murmur with a twisted smirk on my face.
“Holy shit. It feels like forever since I’ve seen town.” She takes in the details, her head swiveling from one shoulder to the other.
“Alright, calm down. We aren’t exactly free yet. Find your phone in that box.” I sit her down softly and we both dig through the box until our hands land on our prized possessions.
To know that my mission was successful fills my ego even more. I’ve left with one of the best prizes a man could ask for. My precious little devil.
“You’re going to my house for the night. It’s right up the road.” I say as I slide my phone into my back pocket. She spins around in her spot—her eyes widening.
“Your house? No, I want to go home.” She cocks her hip to the side and shakes her head.
Now that I’ve got her there’s no letting go, not ever.
“No.” I muse. “You’re mine, Little Devil, so you’ll be sleeping at my house from here on out.”
She goes to say something else but I pull her to walk beside me, dragging her along regardless of her screaming. She buckles in my hold but I keep her pinned to my side as we walk down the gravel driveway and out of the gates.
“Ronan, this is kidnapping.” She yells.
I ignore her and turn down the opposite road from her house. We walk maybe five minutes before reaching my home. The driveway is just as long as the one to Hallows Inn.
I can already see the top of my house. Its black stone jagged and pushing against the clouds above.
“Holy shit.” I look down at her and her eyes widen the closer we get. “This is your house?”
I look up at the peeling paint on the black shutters and old windows.
“Yeah.” I shrug. “I mean it fits me, right?” I laugh and push us both up the wide steps. My arm tightens around her shoulders and she winces.
The door groans as I push it open. I never lock it, many are too scared to even step foot on my land.
This is the house in every neighbourhood people are scared of because of ghosts.
A load of shit if you asked me. The warm air inside wafts out as we walk in.
I push the door shut with my foot and let her go with a small shove.
The black marble countertops glint in the dim yellow light from my lamp I left on and old ass random portraits hang on the walls, staring soullessly into us.
I take off my shoes and plop down on one of the sofas.
I place my mask onto the coffee table and breathe out a sigh of exhaustion. Fuck, it feels good to be home.
“You’re the first to enter alive, Little Devil. Make yourself at home as this will be your home now.” I murmur and lay my head back against the vintage wool.
Her eyes meet mine with frustration, exhaustion, and curiosity before roaming our house again. “Ronan, this is your home?”
I look at her as if she’s grown two heads. “Yes, just sit down and relax. Aren’t you tired?”
What the fuck kind of questions are these? Did she think I was a homeless douche?
I stand up and as lightly as I can, grab her hand in mine. I led her down the hall, passing the spiraling black staircase. Her eyes never leave the walls we pass or the rooms we spare. She continues to gape like a fish out of water.
I push open the door to my room and pull her inside with me. I don’t know if it's shock from leaving the maze or if she’s truly lost her mind but she remains frozen in place. She looks at the long dark curtains, to the dark wood flooring, and stops on the bed, big enough to swallow her whole.
“Are you ok, Little Devil?” I murmur and lean into her view. Her eyes glisten and snap to mine with genuine earnestness.
“Yes, I’m just surprised. I did not expect this, I guess.” She sits down on my bed and lowers herself to lay down.
I let her lay down however she’d like. Maybe some sleep and she’ll be back to normal tomorrow? Dead bodies can affect people more than they affect me.
“Well goodnight.” She whispers and snuggles into my blankets and pillows.
The sight of her in my bed makes my cock twitch. I will never get enough of her. Her sweet little cunt will always be mine.
“Good night, Little Devil, and don’t mistake your survival for mercy.
I didn’t carry you out of that maze as a good deed, nor did I bring you here to be nice.
I carried you out because you’re mine to keep alive, mine to break, if I want.
” Fear shines in her irises and I pat her head, leaving her to sleep as I shower.
Manipulation was a gift given to people.
One I use to get exactly what I want. I let her think that the choice was hers by secretly embedding whispers of me in her skin, leaving her lost without my guidance.
Sometimes you have to be nice to get what you want, sometimes you have to be mean, harsh, or feared.
I’m all those things and now Ember is mine.
My Little Devil.
I won the game.
Book made for edfloresauthor@