Page 80 of Always Watching
As focused as I am on Ranen, I can’t help the question as it comes to me. “Who the fuck was that?”
Wylder doesn’t glance away from the road, he just shrugs one shoulder. “Former co-worker. Don’t worry about it. We’re getting close.”
As much as I want to keep questioning him because it would give me something to focus on other than the burning twist of anger and anxiety in my stomach, I drop it.
Wylder glances behind him and steps on the gas. I’m not sure if he’s just confident we won’t run into a cop, or if he’s sure he’ll be able to handle it if we do. Whatever the answer, he doesn’t slow down until we’re at the end of a long driveway.
Once the car shuts off, he looks at me. “I’ll check and make sure there’s nothing around back. This is where the tracker says he is, right?”
I glance at my phone again. It says Ranen is less than a hundred yards away from me, his signal beeping in the shitty little run-down cabin I see in the distance. Wylder’s given us enough space that they shouldn’t know we’re coming, and judging from the setup and the fact that Olly wasn’t even smart enough to ditch Ranen’s fucking phone, I have a feeling he didn’t bother with anything sophisticated like cameras, or even a security system.
It doesn’t really matter. If Wylder goes around back, there’s no way the motherfucker is going to get away from us—Olly didn’t know he was buying a coffin when he got this place, but I’m going to make sure he’s buried here.
I just wish I could ignore the anxiety thrumming through my chest, the need to start moving now. I have to be smart about this. It isn’t just another kill. This isn’t someone I’m hunting for sport, someone who can fight back—because that’s exciting sometimes.
There’s no room for error, because I don’t have any way of knowing what’s happening to Ranen. I don’t know if he’s tied up… hurt. I don’t know if Olly has a weapon.
I do know that if anything happens to Ranen, there won’t be enough air in the world for Olly to breathe in for the way I’m going to make him scream.
I give a sharp nod and get out of the car, shutting the door silently as Wylder breaks off from me and circles around the building. I look around one more time to make sure there’s nothing I’ve missed—no cameras, no traps set.
Is Olly really that big a fuckup? He only managed to get Ranen because Ranen trusted him, and I was going to hate him no matter what because he was taking up Ranen’s time.
Fuck, this is my fault.
Anything that happens to Ranen ismy fault.
I just have to hope that he’s all right when I get inside, so I can spend the rest of our lives making it up to him.
Chapter 27
Ranen
The black cloth bagstill covers my face when I’m jolted to wakefulness. I lift my head, trying to shake it off so I can take in a proper breath.
“Good,” Olly’s voice says as if he’s a thousand miles away. “You’re awake.”
He snatches the bag off my face and I hiss behind the tape, the rough cloth brushing across the knot on my forehead.
I look up at Olly with blurry eyes, wondering what’s going on. I mean, Iknowwhat’s going on, butwhyis it going on?? Since my mouth is taped, I try to plead with my gaze, asking him why he’s doing this.
Olly softly touches the side of my head where I know there’s a knot and I hiss again, my stomach roiling from the pain. “I’m sorry, Ranen. I didn’t mean to hurt you. But I needed you here.”
Before I can prepare myself, he rips the tape away from my mouth. The sting has me crying out, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. I try to lift my hands to press them to my face, but he still has me tied down. “Olly, where are we?”
He smiles beatifically, holding his hands out as if he’s showing off the space. “We’re home.”
“What? I don’t…” I look around at the room I’m in. It’s a decrepit, unfinished basement that smells of mildew. There are boxes lining the wall and cobwebs in the corners. Two naked lightbulbs hang from the ceiling, illuminating Olly in a ghoulish light.
He looks as depraved as he sounds.
Lowering his hands, Olly places them on his hips and stares at me, that smile still curving his lips. “It doesn’t look like much down here, but when you’re compliant and I know you won’t run, I’ll take you upstairs. It’s not much outside because we’re in the middle of the woods, but the upstairs is nice, all made up for you.” He walks over and kneels in front of me, placing his hands on my thighs. I shiver in disgust as he drags his fingers up my legs, closer to my groin than I’m comfortable with. “You deserve better than this, baby.”
“Don’t call me that,” I snap, moving my legs as if to shake him off. “We’re supposed to be friends. Why would you do this to me?”
His face darkens. “You strung me along for years. You teased me, making me think we’re going to be together. Then you completely ignored me. I had to get you to see I could keep you safe. But that… that man interrupted before I could save you. You had the nerve to move him in and fuck him. Your virginity was mine!” His shout is loud, sending a shiver down my spine. “It was supposed to be me and you.”
With a menacing look on his face, he pulls a knife from the belt loop of his pants and holds it up to my face. “I should cut your fucking tongue out for kissing that man. For kissing anyone other than me.”
