Page 13 of Ruin Me
As we move deeper into the building, the other guys right behind us, I can’t shake the feeling that this is just the beginning, and as much as Quentin vows to protect me, I know that in this world of shadows and bloodshed, nobody’s truly safe. Especially not from the dangers lurking just out of sight, waiting to strike when you least expect it.
The last thought leaves me cold, the realisation that this is far from over hanging above me like a guillotine blade. We disappear into the bowels of Crestmont, and I can’t help but wonder just how deep into darkness this path will lead us.
8
VOGUE
“Where are we going?”I ask, still being hustled along by Quentin through more doors and corridors than I can count.
“Somewhere safe where we can think,” Callum says, falling in beside me and placing his hand on the small of my back under my backpack.
“Okay,” I whisper, not really knowing what else to say.
Harrison takes the lead as we push open a fire door that opens up to the back of the campus and a large car park. He aims for a black SUV that looks like it cost more than my mother’s house and zaps the central locking before opening the door and sliding in.
Quentin, being absurdly chivalrous, opens the door for me and helps me inside before sliding in next to me. Callum takes shotgun, and Thayer climbs in on my other side with a slow, sexy smile that speaks of our lingering whatever the fuck it was last night.
Harrison sets off, and soon we are headed away from the sleepy town of Crestmont towards the city a few miles away.
The car pulls up to a hotel, and the building looms over us like it’s reaching straight for the sky.
“What is this place?” I ask, looking up at the sleek, expensive-looking building.
“My family owns it,” Harrison says, cutting the engine and we climb out.
“Oh,” I murmur, eyes wide.
“We’ll be safe here,” Callum says, his hand firm on my back as he guides me through the lobby.
Quentin hangs back now, letting Callum take the lead. My hand feels cold without his gripping it tightly, so I shove it into my jacket pocket.
The elevator ride up to the room is silent, each of us lost in our own thoughts. When the doors open, we step directly into luxury that’s beyond anything I’ve ever seen. Plush carpets, gleaming surfaces, and windows that offer a view of the city that seems endless.
I should feel comforted here, in this fortress in the sky, but instead, I feel more lost than ever. The guys are talking now, voices low and urgent. They’re making plans to strike back at whoever did this, whoever dared to disrupt the order they believe in.
Thayer’s pacing, his fingers tapping against his leg with every step. Quentin’s sitting at the table, his eyes sharp and calculating. Harrison has a hard set to his jaw, and Callum, stands with the air of someone who has been given every inch of ground he’s walked on.He catches my eye, and for a moment, there’s a flicker of something that looks like understanding.
“Vogue, you can sit down,” Quentin says, motioning to a chair next to him. “You don’t have to stand there like you’re waiting for another bullet.”
His words are blunt, but there’s no malice behind them. Just a statement of fact. I remove my backpack, but keep it close and take the seat quietly, folding my hands in my lap. I watch them, these men who’ve been born into a life of power and hidden wars, wondering how I fit into their world now.
“Quen, get her something to drink,” Callum murmurs, staring out of the window thoughtfully.
“Water or something stronger?” Quentin asks, looking at me again with those intense eyes that seem to see right through me.
“Water’s fine,” I say, my voice steady even if nothing else is.
As Quentin moves to the bar area, I watch his movements, sharp and sure. In this room surrounded by men who talk of retribution and loyalty, I’m not just lost, I’m adrift, and I have to wonder if there’s any shore that will welcome someone like me—a girl from Westfield who somehow found herself caught in the crossfire of a world she never asked to be a part of.
I need space—a breath of air to clear my head and figure out my next move in this high-stakes game where I don’t know the rules. I push back from the table, where the guys are huddled, whispering in low tones while they plot.
“Excuse me,” I mumble, but I’m not sure anyone hears. Thayer’s gaze flicks in my direction, but he doesn’t say a word.
I walk across the plush carpet, my feet sinking slightly with each step, a luxury so far removed from the linoleum floors and threadbare carpet of my childhood home.
Sliding open the balcony door, the cool morning breeze brushes against my skin like an old friend offering comfort without questions. The city sprawls below me, chrome and glass glinting in the sun. I lean on the railing, sucking in deep lungfuls of air that taste of freedom and fear.
“Vogue, you shouldn’t be out here,” Callum’s voice comes from behind me, a touch concerned, a whole lot commanding.
