CHAPTER 14 CADEN #2
If I wasn’t so focused on keeping my cool, I might have found her accurate intuition amusing.
“I am. The thing is, I don’t have the time nor the patience to look after someone as fucking rabid and irritating as you.
Like I said yesterday, training dogs is easier than you.
But I would also like this little arrangement to work.
It can benefit both of us, but you refuse to see that, apparently.
So, I’m willing to give you an opportunity to get out of it. ”
She looks dubious, unbelieving, but she nods once to urge me on.
I rearrange the towel to a dry patch, the blood soaking quickly through, so I lift it above my head. I can’t make this bet with her if I fucking pass out.
Fiz gets to his feet at the action. “I’ll go find Maggie.”
Surprising, really, I know how much he loves drama, but it appears his concern for me overrules that in this moment. He gives us brief glimmers of the real Franklin at rare times, and it makes the rest of the bullshit worth it. He might be a reckless pain in the ass, but he’s loyal and caring.
He leaves the room, Bob trailing him, and I continue. “I’ll give you one chance to beat me. If you succeed, you’re free to go.”
Her face drops, unimpressed. “Beat you? What the hell can I beat you with? We gonna play a game of Scrabble, fucking chess?”
I purse my lips, ignoring the insinuation that she thinks she’s smarter than me. I’d beat her ass at chess.
I go over to the armchair and plonk down. “Running. In eleven days. If you can run away from me, you can leave.”
She shakes her head and laughs. “What makes you think I’m dumb enough to believe it’ll be that easy? You obviously know I can’t outrun you, there’s no way you’ll just let me go.”
“I’m giving you a fair shot. Running’s actually my weak point.” It’s really not. Neither Fiz nor Alfie have ever beaten me in a race.
She rolls her eyes. “And what are you getting out of this? What if I lose?”
“You must stay and behave. That’s genuinely all I want.”
She turns to look at Alfie, who says, “It’s that simple, El.”
She doesn’t believe it, turning back to look at me again, she says, “Why? Why are you giving me a chance?”
I shrug. “Because this was forced upon both of us, I may have more respect for our parents’ wishes than you do, but your aggro hasn’t been worth it at all so far.
I’ll be happy to give you a good home, be a good husband, but you’re hellbent on giving me grief.
So, if you win, I let you go. I’ll figure out what to say to my dad later.
But if I win, I want you to let me be a good husband to you.
This really is a win-win situation for you, but you’re too stubborn to see it. To see I can be nice.”
For the first time since I met her, apart from that moment I played with her pussy, her little blue eyes soften from that irritating glower that’s plastered permanently over them every time I talk to her.
Quieter, she says, “No bullshit?”
“No bullshit.”
Alf jumps in. “Cade will even give you a plane ticket, or something to get going with. Won’t you, Cade?”
I flash him a sarky grin. “Of course. To part in good faith, no bad blood.”
She shakes her head. “You’re really willing to risk this? What about your dad?”
I clench my jaw. “I’m everything I am because of him.
Have everything I do because of him. He wants me to be your husband, bring our families together, I want to fulfil that.
But I also don’t want to keep you prisoner for the rest of your life.
That won’t be a marriage. If you win, I’ll figure it out. ”
I’m kind of hoping my coaxing and gentle words will make her want to stay anyway, just so we don’t have to go through this, so I don’t have to humiliate her any more, but she doesn’t swing that way.
“Why eleven days? Eleven days is the…”
“The Hunt. Yes,” I say, “I’m putting you in The Hunt.” Her eyes pop open. “It’s not like that with you, don’t worry. You’ll still be alive by the end of it if you are caught. And no one will be going after you, just me.”
“There’ll be others there? How many?”
“About twenty.”
Her eyes pop with dread.
“You didn’t think it was just us three?” I chuckle.
“That’d be no fun. But don’t worry, Elodie, they’ll all know not to touch you.
Not to even pursue you. They’ll be focused on the other subjects.
” She chews on the inside of her lip, still unsure, so I continue.
“There are five people to hunt, usually, so it makes the stakes higher to catch someone. If you’re skilled enough, you get the glory, but I won’t be participating with everyone else. My objective is you.”
The divots between her eyebrows deepen. “But doesn’t that just not count then, if you’re not really participating? You’re doing The Cleanse all this time just to throw it out the window and come chase me?”
I wave it off. “I’ve caught someone every year for the past decade. I’m undisputed. I think it’s safe to assume it’d be the same this year. I thought it’d be nice of me to give the other guys a fighting chance.”
Elodie shakes her head. “You just outed yourself. You’ve always caught someone. What fucking chance do I have?”
I sigh. “This is the only way you get a slither of a chance of freedom. Take it or leave it, Elodie. I didn’t think you’d doubt your abilities this much.”
She scowls, then turns back to Alf. It’s starting to irk me she’s finding comfort and reassurance in him when I’m the one talking. Choosing to believe what he says over me. I should have just let him explain it. Would’ve saved all this clearly wasted breath.
Alfie nods, offering her a gentle smile. “One fair shot, El. It’s a promise.”
Her tight features go slack, and she looks back to me. “I want a one-way ticket to anywhere I want. I want an untraceable phone for free, and I want a suitcase. Filled with my own clothes.”
I grit my teeth at the snide demand but incline my head. “Fine. But in return, Elodie, if I win, you have to stay and be a good wife for me. You have to let me take care of you.”
There’s an ominous glow in her glare now. “Of course.”
I get to my feet and extend my hand to her. “Deal?”
She stands on the sofa, not dropping next to the dogs. She’s eye level with me this way, so I hold that scheming gaze as she takes my hand. “Deal.”
Fiz appears with one of my duffle bags containing my emergency medical kit. “Maggie’s done her little disappearing act, so it’s down to us.”
I keep my gaze on Elodie, eyes dropping briefly down to her neck. “Sort her out first.”
Fiz frowns. “You’re soaking through the towel.”
“Alf can stitch it while you mop her up.”
Elodie grimaces. “I’d rather Alf.”
“Tough.” My glare makes her defiance flicker a little.
Fiz hands Alfie some supplies, then sits down next to Elodie, tugging her down with him.
Alf sees to my arm but I don’t take my eyes off Elodie, who keeps her own eyes glued to me as Fiz wipes at her neck. It looks like she’s only nicked herself a couple of times. She made careful work of the collar. Luckily.
Feeling a weird sort of relief fill my stomach as Fiz gets all the dried blood off her neck and I see no serious injuries, I say to her, “You can go now.”
She doesn’t move, her eyes breaking our intense stare-off to peer down at the dogs still surrounding the floor by our feet.
Resisting the urge to huff, I give a sharp whistle and order, “Out,” and the dogs trot off.
Turning my gaze back up at Elodie, she gives me a single nod and then climbs off the sofa, disappearing from the room.
Fiz clears up all the bloody wipes. “Boy’s got it ba-ad,” he sings.
“Please… I just wanted her out of my space.”
He chuckles, getting to his feet. “Alright, lover boy.” He stalks off.
I can feel Alfie’s unspoken jibes thickening the air. “Don’t start.”
“I said nothing.” He pokes the needle through my skin.
I grit my teeth against the pop. “Good. Keep it that way.”
So what if I got rid of the dogs? She wouldn’t have left otherwise. It means nothing.