Eden's POVThe wine cellar is freezing cold.I huddle in the corner of the cellar, between shelves of red and white wine, all of which are more expensive than the bottle before it. I can't even have any to drink, or anything to drink at all, with my hands still bound behind me.My wrists have raw, exposed cuts, and I can't even feel the sting of pain from them anymore. My face is throbbing with bruises, along with my neck and the rest of my body over the last few days of viciousness and neglect.I'm wearing a long dress shirt that Asher has managed to put me in between random beatings and atrocious lines of questioning. I try to keep my lips sealed about where Ryder and Dante are, but it won't last long. I'm breaking slowly, and the cold, relentless torment of my body is starting to wear me down even further.The door opens across the cellar, and I try to appear small, almost non-threatening, and maybe that will curb their appetite to hurt me further. I haven't had food or wa
Ryder's POVAnother sleepless night. Another wordless day.Carol makes dinner, but the smell of it alone is enough to set me off. Nothing tastes the same since Eden left. I can't feel warmth and comfort until she is back in my arms. Everything aches, and I'm sore with a stiff rage that boils under the surface, waiting to be lifted up so the pressure of the steam can be unleashed.If I were to fully release like I want to, I may set the world on fire in my wake.I haven't spoken to my brother. I'm not sure when I will again. He sits beside himself in the corner of the room, overlooking the river. He's hardly moved since Eden left. Carol scolded him pretty terribly since she found out what happened, the state of the office, and how we treated Eden that morning.Carol wasn't too kind to me about it either, and finally, after her lecture, she had sat down, shrugged her shoulders, and said, you did this to yourselves.She was right, too.I turn away as she offers me a plate. I
Eden's POVI wake slowly, in peace, but also in pain. I can spot the wounds on my body purely by the throbbing aches that dot my body all over. I rub my eyes and regret it instantly, my cheek pulsing from the small touch I put there.Looking around the familiar bed, I spot a few unfamiliar spaces next to me. Ryder isn't beside me, and Dante isn't behind me. The last thing I recall was Asher finally convincing me to give up where the estate was, but I never anticipated he would actually give me back to the Golden brothers.That is, unless he gave me back and then took them away!I leap out of bed, landing on my knees while my foot lands crooked on the floor. My ankle is wrapped in the tight knot of a metal brace. I hop upright onto my good foot, seeing the length of my leg lined in dark scratches and deep welts.Standing straight, I catch the sounds of a familiar voice down the hall and try my best to limp on my good ankle toward the living room. Rounding the corner, I spot th
Eden's POVMason paces through the kitchen while I maintain my spot on the couch, fighting to stay awake until the Golden brothers return home. I can't help but ache with the time that passes, worried over their well-being in a city that Erik Donahue is most likely scouring right now for all three of us.I can't feel my ankle anymore; it's so tightly braced in the wrap that I woke up in that I find myself wanting to pace with Mason just so I can move again and feel my blood pumping.For now, I make it as far as the bookshelf nearby, fighting myself to reorganize it all.Again.I pick through the leather-bound photo books and pull the one that seems to be overstuffed with pictures. Flipping open the cover, I hear Mason grumble to himself as if unsure if I should be poking through this stuff or not.His irritation at the estate when I deleted that voicemail was unmatched by any anger I've ever seen from Mason, and he and I haven't always had the best of relations with one ano
Eden's POVDante lays back in bed, his hands heavy on my sore hips. I'll be damned if I show the pain that spikes from his massive palms running trails down my ribs, my body bouncing in gleeful anticipation while he steadies me on his lap.Ryder moves behind me, meticulously taking off my shirt and kissing my shoulders and neck in heavenly unison. I purr a noise, leaning back into a warm, wall of muscle that is Ryder's bare chest. He pulls my ass against Dante's lap as his pelvis brushes my lower back.We're all naked in a matter of seconds, assuming the same positions as before when we were clothed.Dante picks me up on his lap and lowers his erection deep into my core, setting wildfires in my chest. I heave for air, his hands managing to pull me forward, pressing my chest to his while his hips take up the movements and speed.To my surprise, they are rather gentle.Considering the wounds marking all three of us now, I can't be surprised at their newfound calmness.Ryder
Eden's POVMy body is littered with pain, but none seem new to my mind. Erik Donahue made sure I was beaten severely the first time I was taken from the Golden brothers, so I fear when I wake up that I'll only be forced into that same cycle.The only difference now is I truly have no idea where they are.Did they make it to the estate? Did they get the flash drive back?Everything is jumbled into a haze when my eyes fly open, and judging by my surroundings, I have more confusing things to figure out now.I'm in a soft bed, surrounded by white furniture with wood finishes on top. My head spins when I stand, still losing track of my balance while I try to leave the room, surprised when the door opens lazily to my simple push.The van pulling up last night is the last thing I recall before waking up, but it's safe to say that I was taken into the van and driven to this odd hotel.Making my way down the narrow hallway is difficult, but I manage, pushing outside where the sun
Dante's POVMy brother and I have gotten good at reading each other's minds over the years. Even when we've had our simple spats, we've stayed intertwined with one another. But this feels different, we are different, and being away from our favorite girl has changed everything.Ryder is laboring over his computer set up in our downtown office, trying to catch a ping off the tracker we had sewn into most of Eden's shorts.She wouldn't have appreciated us doing that, but after she ran off from us the first time, and then was taken by Erik Donahue and returned so beaten, we had to do something. So Ryder had little buttons replaced on her shorts and jeans to track her location at any time, but something is wrong.I can't tell what specifically. Ryder flexes his knuckles at the sides of the computer, working in plain, tensile silence.I take to pacing, Mason halfway across the office, his head buried in his arms. He never liked Eden to begin with, but that seemed to be changing, c
Eden's POVI lean into Asher's side, both of us curled up together in the corner of his room in the belly of the yacht. I feel safe with him, but I know that won't last forever. Eventually, with the sun going down, and there's still no sign of Dante or Ryder— Erik may grow impatient and kill me first.It's naïve to think I'm of any use anymore.Erik has the tracker, and we already managed to make a call to the Golden brothers, so they know I'm okay. If I die now, everything left unsaid will forever be the impression I leave behind."Can we call them again?" I whimper, biting back hefty sobs of defeat. "I'm scared, Asher.""I know you are, but we can't call them again, sweetheart. We don't know if they're already almost here or not. We can't blow their cover like that, Eden. We just have to wait."I turn my face into his warm, clean shirt. I still reek of tequila and blood, the welts on my arm and around my back from Erik's fury earlier broken open along the edges. This dain