Page 74 of Ruthless Prince
“I thought you were going to hide me far away so I can never have any hope of escape,” I said, tongue dripping withscorn.
“I can hide you just as easily in the city as I can anywhereelse.”
Half an hour later, we turned into a quiet Kalorama street. At the end, a curlicue-patterned wrought iron gate and ivy-covered fence guarded the back entrance to the Thorne family’s mainresidence.
I’d been to Thorne House once as a child, when Elizabeth Thorne threw a lavish fundraiser for the victims of a national disaster. The place hadn’t changed onebit.
Trimmed magnolia trees lined the short driveway leading up to the back of the elegant Edwardian mansion, which consisted of three imposing stories of gray stone veiled with ivy. It was all topped with a steep shingled roof and thick stone chimneys. Several smaller outbuildings with matching architecture stood on the other side of the lush formal gardens beyond the mainbuilding.
I remembered the biggest garden most of all. I couldn’t see it right now, but I knew there was a large round pond at the back with a bubbling marble fountain rising out of the center. Little green lily pads covered the dark water around it. I distinctly recalled a little game I played on the day of the fundraiser, where I pretended I was able to shrink myself down to the size of a fairy and float around on one of those delicatepads.
I sighed at the memory, wishing I could actually shrink myself down. Then I could slip away from Logan, never to befound.
The car finally stopped. Logan pulled me out and dragged me inside the house, one hand gripping my right forearm so hard that I knew it would bruise later. Mal and Adamfollowed.
Once we stepped through the wide Palladian doors at the back entrance, a spacious living room with walnut parquet flooring and a roaring hearth lay directly ahead of us. I silently prayed that Logan would take me over to the fireplace and tell me this was just a prank after all, and the real reason I was here was to toast marshmallows with him and swap silly old schoolstories.
Stupid wishfulthinking.
I couldn’t help it. I was so desperate to get away from Logan and this awful situation that my mind continually conjured up all sorts of outlandish scenarios that made me feel like I still had some hope. I guess it was some sort of psychological response; my brain’s attempt to protect itself from the terribletruth.
We stepped down a hall to the left of the living room and headed to the other side of the house. On our way, we ran into Elizabeth Thorne. She was wearing a long, fleecy nightgown and rubbing her tired eyes as she headed in the oppositedirection.
When she saw us, I started struggling in Logan’s iron-tight grip. “Mrs. Thorne, you have to help me! I can’t be here!” Icried.
Earlier, Logan told me that his mother knew about the contract, but I hoped I could appeal to her anyway. She’d always been a nice woman. Perhaps she didn’t know the extent of the situation and thought it was a mutually agreed upon arrangement between our families. She might be merciful and force her husband and son to let me go if she discovered I was a completely unwillingparticipant.
Instead of looking shocked or horrified, she smiled, eyes lighting up. “Morning, Willow! I’m so happy you’re finally here. I’ve missed having another girl in the house. Ever since Chloe…” She trailed off, smile wavering. Then her face brightened again. “Happy birthday,sweetheart!”
She air-kissed me before turning her attention to Logan. “I didn’t realize you’d arrive so early. I look like a total mess.” She sighed and waved her hand at her ruffled blonde hair. “Your father is about to get back from that business trip, too. I should really getdressed.”
“Chuck wasn’t on a business trip last night! He was—” My words were cut off by Logan’s hand clamping down on mymouth.
“Shut the fuck up,” he muttered against my ear. He straightened up and turned his attention back to his mother. “I’m just going to take Willow to her new room. She’s tired andconfused.”
“All right, darling,” Elizabeth replied, giving him a peck on the cheek. “Welcomehome.”
Logan started dragging me down the hall again. “You’ve been an Order member for less than a day, and you nearly broke the rules already,” he said. “You almost revealed the truth to a non-member.”
“As if your mother doesn’t know,” I hissed back at him. “She knows about the stupidcontract.”
“Yes, but she doesn’t know who brokered the deal in the first place. So you better keep your mouth shut. The Order doesn’t look kindly upontraitors.”
I stared sullenly ahead, not wanting to argue. Honestly, though, what could the Order possibly do to punish me that they hadn’t already done? Before I was even born, they arranged for my sale and servitude to the Thorne family, which was bad enough, and then they lured me in and convinced me to join so they could use me for my name and the privilege that came withit.
What else could they do to screw me over? Killme?
That might actually be the best thing they could do for me. At least I wouldn’t be stuck in this nightmare with Logan if I wasdead.
When we reached the end of the hall, we stopped at a carved teak double door with large gold hinges. Mal and Adam opened it before stepping aside to let Logan pass through with me in hisclutches.
Wide steps led down into the darkness ahead. All I saw was the grimy stone walls on either side of the twisting passageway as Logan dragged methrough.
“What is this place?” I asked, eyes widening. My voice had almostcracked.
“It used to be a wine cellar,” he said, pulling me into a large room shrouded with gloom. “I converted it foryou.”
He shoved me, and I fell to my knees on the cold stone floor. Wincing at the pain of the impact, I curled my legs up and peered at my bleak newsurroundings.
