Page 78 of Ricochet
“Well,” he chuckled. “Have fun, my boy. I will send somebody in the morning to take her back. And be careful, she’s a feisty one.”
With one last look at Maya, he and his goons disappeared, leaving me with a scared-looking girl. What the fuck was I supposed to do now?
Refusing to do this would cost Ava her freedom, probably her life. But doing this would destroy even the slightest chance of ever getting back with Ophelia.
What do I do?
What do I do?
What do I fucking do?
“Kieran,” her soft voice called out, and I realized I was no longer standing on the other side of the room, but in front of her. “Please, Kieran. Please let me go.”
She pleaded, and if it wasn’t for what my father told me, I would. I would’ve let her go, I would’ve helped her, hid her, told Ophelia… But I couldn’t.
I couldn’t do any of those things, because it was either her or Ava, and no matter how much I cared for Maya, how much I loved Phee, I couldn’t subject Ava to this. I couldn’t damn her soul for Maya’s sake.
“Are you gonna let me go, Kieran?”
She looked so hopeful, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. The same color of the eyes I betrayed just days ago, and I was going to do it again. I was going to destroy her family for the sake of mine.
I was going to shatter her sister to save mine.
“Kier—”
“No, Maya.” I inched closer, masking my emotions. “I am not going to let you go.”
“But… You and Ophelia… You can’t!” she screamed. “You can’t do this to me!”
Ocean blue, crystal blue, they almost looked the same.
“You have to help me,” she cried out. “Please, please, please, Kieran. Help me! I can’t live like this, I can’t—”
“Shhh.” I pressed a finger to her lips, grabbing her arm with my other hand. “It’ll be okay.”
“Nooo,” she wailed, but her tears weren’t important right now. Nothing was more important than my sister, and this was the question of life or death. Besides, Nikolai would for sure take his daughter out, he would help her.
“Don’t do this, Kieran!” She struggled in my hold, as I started pulling her toward the bedroom I used to share with Ophelia. Was I going to fuck her sister in the same bed I professed my love to Phee?
“Kieran!”
“Shut the fuck up!” Maya’s head flew to the other side as my palm connected with her face. “If you shut up, this will be over faster than you think.”
Her whimpers were tearing at my chest, but I couldn’t stop now. I wouldn’t stop.
This was for Ava, and one day… One day, Ophelia would have to forgive me.
For a moment, she stood still as a statue, looking at the bed in front of us. Her eyes never met mine, but she was Ophelia’s sister, and those fucked-up minds of theirs were always cooking something. Always thinking about the way out.
“Why don’t you remove these?” She held her hands up, her handcuffs rattling against each other. “Then we can get this shit done.”
“I don’t think so, Maya.” I laughed. “Do you really think I’m that stupid?”
“No, I—” she stuttered.
“Get on the bed.”
“But, Kie—”
