Page 43 of Forbidden Pawn

“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 sadnessand 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.

Chapter 35

June

It worked.

Ryker brings me back to the upstairs bedroom, and I fight the urge to grin in satisfaction. My plan worked. I played the helpless and vulnerable little girl every time he opened that door, letting my head hang low, my shoulders sunken, a look of hopelessness and defeat on my face when I looked up at him. And it finally broke him.

I couldn’t know if my plan would work, if I could evoke enough pity from him after what had happened. And it wouldn’t have worked if he didn’t care for me at all, which means he cares. He cares about me still—and that makes my heart tingle unexpectedly.

But despite the relief of escaping that cold, empty basement, there’s a pit of worry in my stomach about this ominous meeting. Whatever the Reid brothers are planning, I’m completely in the dark about it, and I don’t like it. We discussed nothing about them getting involved with one of Ryker’s other operations. The plan was for them to gain the money they owe and give me a couple of weeks to snoop around in his house before they pay their dues and get me back out. But now something has changed, and I have no idea why.

After bringing me upstairs, Ryker told me to get ready to leave in about an hour, and then he left the room, locking the door behind him. I immediately went for a much-needed shower, the warm water washing away the grime and exhaustion from my time in the dark. As I reach for the shampoo, I notice that there’s a fresh bottle of shower gel and some bath salts that were added to the collection of products on the shelf.

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