Ready Or Not (The Hunter’s Club #2)

Chapter 44

44

She Keeps Me Up - Nickelback

I lost control. I lost it. I fucking lost it.

I let Riley rile me up, and then I told her she was perfect.

I saw her face when I said that. There was something like disgust or disbelief. Which is about the worst reaction I could get.

I stand stiffly from the couch, running my hands through my hair. Riley’s ass is red and bruised. I’ve never seen her skin so marred. Even now, it makes my dick jerk.

She’s marred because I lost control. But despite that, she’s no closer to submitting to me. I could probably beat her to death, and she’d still refuse me.

She thought she could hurt me by saying Noel’s name, but I’m not threatened by him. But I do think he needs to scream his own name while it’s burned into his skin a thousand times over.

Helplessness washes through me. What am I supposed to do? How can I get Riley to see what I see?

Riley has her eyes closed, and she’s just breathing softly while my heart races.

Rachel said I needed her to trust me. What does that even look like for us?

Suddenly, an idea fills my head. I could…I’m not sure if she’d like it, but I could try. I have to try. I’m losing her.

“Get up,” I demand, my voice husky.

Riley groans.

“Get up,” I demand again. I need to leave, and like hell will I go without locking her up.

“Wait, I don’t want to go back in that room.” Riley groans, covering her eyes.

Too bad. Riley is way too good at disappearing, and as much as I want her to trust me, it won’t come at the expense of her safety.

“Let’s go.”

Riley groans but sits up, and I don’t miss the wince of pain. “Please, don’t lock me in that room again. I can’t breathe.” She says that with little to no emotion. It’s like, in this moment, she was honest with me.

My chest tightens.

“I just…I can’t breathe.” She sounds tired.

I clench my jaw. “You have to. I need to sleep, and you can’t be free to stab me or run.” I don’t want to tell her I’m leaving, or she’ll try extra hard to run.

Riley rubs her eyes. “Can you put me with Rachel?”

In the basement? Absolutely fucking not. It’s not comfortable down there.

“Please?” Riley stands, her voice still just…tired.

I’m caught. I don’t like the idea. In fact, I hate it, but Riley is actually asking for something genuine. I try to dissuade her. “It won’t be long.”

Riley shakes her head. “Please don’t make me.”

“I’d have to cuff you.”

Riley bites her lip. “Anything but upstairs.”

There are no cameras in the basement. I used all of them for upstairs. Is she trying to get out from under my eye?

Riley doesn’t push it. Just waits.

I’m going to regret this. “Fine.”

There’s no celebration this time. No kiss on the forehead. Riley just stands, waiting for me to lead the way.

“Can I get some water first?”

I motion impatiently at the kitchen, watching each movement as she grabs a glass, fills it with water, and then throws it back. While she does that, I grab something from my pocket and then grab an extra pair of cuffs. My feet move like they’re in cement despite the fact I know I have every angle covered. Why does this have to be so hard? I can’t trust Riley. I won’t. Not right now. She’s smart and cunning and beautiful and…fuck. Everything I’ve ever wanted by my side. So why won’t she just…be by my side?

Rachel looks surprised to see us, but she doesn’t say anything. I crouch down to attach Riley’s ankle, but Riley holds out her wrist. “Please. It’ll be more comfortable.”

I eye her. She eyes me back.

But who am I kidding? I’ll give my woman anything she wants that doesn’t threaten her safety. I attach Riley’s wrist to the same chain Rachel is on, then double-check that it’s secure. I check the whole area Riley can reach, then pat both of them down. I slip my item into Riley’s back pocket while checking her. Neither of them has anything.

I almost decide not to go. It’s not worth it. Riley is behaving too much. But what is she going to do? She’s secured to a metal pipe that’s bolted to the floor. The chains are thick, and the cuffs are hinged. They’re not breakable. And if she does manage to get away, where will she go? She has nothing. I have her girl. There’s nowhere I, or the people in my club, can’t reach.

And so I leave, setting off on this stupid adventure to win my woman’s trust.