Page 38 of Brutal Truths

Crunching one on my way back to the bed, I wince as pain travels through my jaw. A few more chews, and I swallow bigger bites than are probably safe, the savory juices coating my tongue before I drop the rest on the plate.

The bag of chips is my safest bet. The pop as I open it is reassuring, a sign that it’s not been tampered with. Despite the sting of salt in the cuts along my mouth, they taste better than anything else right now.

By the time I’m finished, my appetite has returned, making me want more. I reach for the carrots again, but the moment I bite down I want to cry. It just hurts too badly to even bother.

“Fuckers!” I snap, tossing them back on the tray. “Whoever thought carrots were good choice for a woman with a facial injury is a moron.”

Picking up the sandwich, I pull it apart to inspect the meat and cheese slapped between the two slices of white bread. No mayo. No mustard. Bringing it closer, the scent of bologna makes my stomach churn, and I fight a gag. I’ve never had it, and now I know why.

The cheese, on the other hand, gives off a mild, nutty aroma. Cheddar. I take my chances and nibble on it. It doesn’t taste weird, so I risk it and eat the entire thing. It hits the spot but isn’t enough, which is why I eat the two slices of bread next.

I’m not eating the bologna. Afraid if I do, everything else will come back up.

With a little food in my system, my energy starts to return. I scan the room again. That’s when I notice the drapes.

Someone closed them while I was asleep.

Was it the woman?

Or did Rurik come in to find me asleep and let me be?

Slow and unsteady, I cross the room and yank the drapes open. Nothing but darkness greets me. Even the trees I know are there have disappeared. The only light comes from the moon, which is hidden behind a dark gray cloud.

As I stare into the inky blackness, one image forms—sharp and clear. He’s never been far from my thoughts, always lingering there in the background, waiting for a moment like this to take hold.

Aiden.

I wish he were here. Not just because he could beat the shit out of everyone in this place, but because I know he’d help me get the answers to all the questions in my head. He’d do it in ways I wouldn’t even consider.

That’s what bad guys do, right? They get answers by any means necessary, not caring if they’re right or wrong.

An unwelcome thought floods my brain.

Does he know who Rurik is? Does the man he works for know? Is that why he wanted inside the penthouse? What the hell was he looking for?

I feel stupid for trusting him without really knowing him. He could’ve been using me from the start, and I fell face first into his trap. All because he made my stomach do somersaults.

Maybe that was the plan all along. Get close. Earn my trust. Infiltrate my security and find the weak points.

And once he had what he needed, it made it easy for them to grab me when I least expected it.

It makes sense.

Except it doesn’t.

Not really. When I think about it, I’ve never felt safer than I do around him.

Trust my gut. That’s what I’ve been told my entire life. Mine says he would never put me in harm’s way. I’ve seen the way he looks at me. The anger that flashes when my guards fuck up.

All signs point to him being the traitor, but deep down, I know that’s not true.

Like with Marvin. The first time I saw him, something warned me to be careful. I ignored it, choosing to trust him instead of my intuition. I won’t do that again. I’d rather be wrong and stay safe than end up somewhere like this.

I shut my eyes and go over the details of the abduction, replaying it piece by piece, focusing on what I missed in the chaos. I can almost smell the metallic scent of the gun, feel the fear that gripped me when the man I thought was Marty forced me into the lift.

Something about it all felt off.

Marty had never acted like that. He was easygoing, always smiling—never cold, never forceful.