11. 11 – Zella #2
“Hey, now,” Ryder says, without moving his eyes. “No need for that. Is there, sweetheart? Tell me – did Moore put that restraint on your ankle?”
My hesitation is answer enough, and Ryder and I watch each other silently, assessing the other.
Finally, I break the silence. “I don’t understand what you’re doing here,” I whisper. “Do you want the statues? There’s nothing else worth taking.”
It’s clearly not me, given the surprise on their faces when I popped up with my wok.
Ryder grins. “We were just having a little look around. But we seem to have found something much more interesting than a few statues.”
He straightens. “Anyway, I think we’ve got what we need. Enzo. Time to shoot, brother.”
Both Enzo and I freeze. “What?” we both ask at the same time.
Craning my head, I see Ryder shrug. “Like I said, we just wanted a little look, and we got one. So now we’re leaving.”
“Ryder,” Enzo growls. There’s a moment of silence as Ryder moves out of view, and Enzo’s weight moves off me. Shoving myself upright, I push my hair back and turn to them.
They’re already heading towards the elevator, without a backward look.
Crossing my arms, I call out, a hint of smugness in my voice. “There’s a code on that door.”
“Is there?” Ryder calls back airily. I watch with growing agitation as they fiddle around with the key code, and the doors slide open.
My mouth dries. They’re… leaving.
Just like that?
The doors begin to close. Enzo’s eyes burn into mine.
“Wait!” I cry out. I dart towards the door, banging my hip against the counter on my way. “Please!”
The doors close as the chain jerks my ankle, pulling me to a stop.
No.
That could have been my only chance.
I’m still staring at the closed doors when the little bell rings. And just like that, they’re sliding open again.
Ryder steps out, arms crossed, and eyes raised. Enzo follows behind him, a silent, threatening shadow as they both come to a stop in front of me.
Ryder grins. “Knew you’d miss us. Time to start talking, princess.”
I narrow my eyes at them, mildly irritated at their little game. But mostly… I’m just relieved they came back.
And that’s the only explanation I have for what falls out of my mouth.
“Take me with you.”
Ryder opens his mouth, but Enzo interrupts him. He steps forward, his hands curling into fists. “Your name.”
He doesn’t look like he’s messing around this time.
I swallow. “Zella.”
“Hmmm.” Ryder says consideringly while Enzo stares me down. “Interesting choice.”
“What does that mean?” I ask, moving my eyes to him.
He gestures nonchalantly towards my head. “The hair, of course. Rapunzel? In the tower?”
When I stare at him, uncomprehending, he frowns. “Exactly how long have you been in here?”
I take a breath. “Always. My whole life. I’m twenty-three.”
Well, soon, but close enough. It’s not like I know the exact date.
They both stare at me, mouths slightly agape, and I shift on my feet. “What?” I ask, a little defensively.
“A real-life fucking princess,” Ryder mutters. “I’ll be damned.”
Before I can delve into that little tidbit, he moves on, wandering around the apartment as he calls back to me. “You said you wanted us to take you with us. Is that what you want, or do you want to be free? Two options, princess. Pick.”
“I—,” I stop. He’s right. Those are two very different things.
Enzo is still close, still watching me. His presence feels all consuming, his eyes a brand. Like the world around us could be on fire, and he still wouldn’t take his eyes from me.
“Choose carefully, little prey,” he murmurs, without looking away.
It’s a little disconcerting. And that’s the only reason I give myself as I press my hands to my cheeks and head to the kitchen for a glass of water. He watches me silently as I drink, his eyes tracking the way my throat flexes. I hold up the glass. “You want some?”
I meant a new glass, but I gulp as his hand wraps around my hold, lips pressing over the exact same place as mine as he steals the last of my water.
Ryder breaks the weird standoff, appearing on the other side of the counter. “So?” he asks cheerfully. “Which is it, princess?”
I wet my lips. “I wouldn’t know where to start on my own. So, I guess I’m asking… to stay with you.”
He laughs, but there’s a definite edge to it that I can’t work out. “You always ask to stay with random strangers?”
I shrug, a little embarrassed. “No. But you’re the first people I’ve ever met.”
“Apart from Ethan Moore.” I jump at the sound of Enzo’s voice. “He keeps you here.”
Carefully, I nod. I don’t want to get Ethan in trouble. I just want to leave. And now it might actually be possible, my heart is pounding inside my chest, so loud in my eardrums I wonder if they might be able to hear it.
“That doesn’t matter. He thinks it’s for the right reasons. But I need to get out of here.”
“It matters,” Ryder mutters. His eyes slide to the shackle. “Right reasons, huh?”
I glance down, chewing at my lip. “We had a disagreement.”
It feels like more has happened today than in my entire life. My windows, Ethan, the iron around my ankle… and now this.
A frisson skitters down my spine, but I steel myself to look them both in the eyes. “So can we leave now?”
Please. Before I lose my nerve.
It’s Enzo who steps towards me. Standing my ground, I stay still as he moves closer, until his breath is warm against my lips as he looks down at me, our bodies almost brushing.
“You’re giving yourself over to strangers,” he says, almost wonderingly. “Just like that.”
Doubt creeps into the back of my mind, but I swallow it down.
A chance. This is a chance . I might never get another one.
And as I said to Ethan… a life in a cage is no life at all.
Holding his eyes, I dip my head into a nod. “You won’t chop me into little pieces or anything, right?”
My voice jumps at the end, and his face remains expressionless. “A little late to be worrying about that, don’t you think?”
My audible swallow feels a little like surrender. “I could change my mind.”
Enzo smiles, and it’s ice cold. “Could you?”
Ryder interjects, nudging himself between us. “Okay, let’s try to dial down the psychopath vibes for a minute. Pack your shit, princess. Time to get out of your tower.”
My heart pounds. I’m leaving.
I’m getting out of here.
I take a step back, and Enzo keeps staring at me, that handsome face empty enough that he fits right in amongst the statues.
Or he would, if it wasn’t for the burning in his eyes. He watches me move backwards, my fingers feeling for the handle. The chain jingles, and I glance down. “The chain—,”
“We’ll take it off,” he says shortly. Then he tilts his head. “For now, at least.”
Swallowing, I duck inside my bedroom, not responding to his words as I push the door closed as much as I can with the chain in the way. My breathing feels choppy, loud in the quiet space, and I force it back as I press my ear to the door.
Nothing. I can’t hear anything.
I peek through the gap, and the squeal that escapes my throat could probably shatter glass. Enzo’s dark, burning eyes are right there , staring back at me, and I jump back as Ryder calls out cheerfully.
“Don’t mind him! He doesn’t get out much.”
Swallowing, I back away from the door.
Clearly.