Tainted Love: Book One

III

♪♪ Thorne ♪♪

by Saint Mesa

The call came just after dawn, pulling Wren from the restless haze of exhaustion that had become her constant companion. Dom’s voice was as cold as ever, his silhouette framed by the doorway of the grimy quarters where she’d been sleeping.

“You’re up,” he barked. “Get yourself together. He wants to see you.”

Wren’s heart dropped. She had been dreading this moment ever since she was thrown into this nightmare. For two weeks—or had it been three?—she had worked herself to the bone, scrubbing, hauling, doing whatever backbreaking task was thrown her way. Her arms ached, her knees were raw, and her spirit felt dangerously close to cracking.

But she hadn’t cracked. Not yet.

She stood slowly, her muscles protesting every movement. Dom’s glare sharpened. “I said now, Wren. Don’t make me drag you.”

Swallowing hard, she followed him out of the room, the hallway’s flickering lights illuminating her path like a cruel spotlight.

The building was eerily silent as they made their way to the upper levels. The air grew colder, cleaner, and heavier with every floor they ascended. By the time the elevator doors opened, Wren felt like she could choke on the tension tightening her chest.

Dom nudged her forward with a grunt, and she stumbled into a room that was an entirely different world from the dingy confines where she had been kept.

It was sleek, modern, and suffocatingly intimidating. The walls were lined with dark wood and muted steel accents. At the center, a long, polished desk gleamed under the low, dim lighting. Beyond it, floor-to-ceiling windows displayed the city in all its sprawling, uncaring glory.

And there he was.

The boss, Riven.

He didn’t look up at first, his attention fixed on a document he was reading. The silence stretched, thick and oppressive, until Wren felt it vibrating in her bones. Her legs itched to move, but Dom’s presence behind her kept her rooted.

“Leave us,” Riven said finally, his voice a smooth, commanding rumble that made Wren’s pulse spike.

Dom gave her a warning glance before exiting. The heavy door clicked shut, sealing her in.

Riven leaned back in his chair, his gaze sliding up to meet hers. It was like being pinned under a spotlight—cold, precise, and utterly merciless.

The tension between them crackled like an electric charge. Riven’s gaze was cool, appraising, almost amused as he sat back in his chair, his hands steepled under his chin. Wren’s fists clenched in her lap, her body rigid as she fought the urge to lash out. Every muscle in her body screamed at her to attack—physically, verbally, anything to tear him down—but she knew better. This man wasn’t someone who could be fought with words or fists. He would break her, piece by piece, if she gave him the satisfaction of seeing her crumble.

“You’ve been busy,” he said, his tone conversational but carrying an undercurrent of steel. “Two weeks, and you’re still standing. I’m impressed. Most don’t last a week without breaking.”

“Sit,” he said, gesturing to the chair opposite him. She obeyed, her movements stiff and reluctant.

He tilted his head slightly, eyes gleaming as he took in the stubborn set of her jaw. “You’ve been quite the problem, Wren. Running, hiding... It’s almost charming. You thought you could escape. But,” he paused, letting his voice linger in the silence, “you’ve always been so good at disappointing people, haven’t you?”

The venom in his words made her throat burn with hatred. Disappointing people? He had no idea. Her father had disappointed her long before this, and this monster's words were nothing more than salt on an already raw wound.

But how did he know her name? She didn't know him, and had never seen him before. There's been word around about someone called the ‘boss’ but it wasn't her business – not until her useless father put her in this mess.

“Is that what you think?” Wren finally snapped, her voice colder than ice. “That I’m just some disappointment to be swept aside? Or are you trying to make yourself feel better by belittling me?”

A dark smile flickered at the edges of Riven’s lips. “Oh, no. I don’t need to belittle you, Wren. I don’t need to do anything. You do it to yourself.” He leaned forward just slightly, as if savoring her reaction. “Your father’s mistakes are now yours, after all. And how do you intend to fix them, hmm? Or are you just going to continue playing the part of the helpless little girl?”

The insult hit hard, but Wren refused to show weakness. She kept her chin high, her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. “I’m not helpless,” she hissed. “I’m not like him. And I won’t let you use me for whatever sick game you’re playing.”

He studied her in silence, his eyes tracing every cut, bruise, and threadbare piece of clothing. “Tell me, Wren,” he said at last, his voice soft but cutting. “Do you understand where you are?”

Wren flinched. “I know I’m paying for my father’s mistakes,” she said, her voice low and bitter.

Riven’s lips curved into a small, chilling smile. “Mistakes,” he repeated, leaning forward. “Is that what you call stealing seven million dollars?”

Her fists clenched in her lap. “I didn’t know he took the loan. I didn’t ask for this.” Wren’s pulse was hammering in her ears, but she refused to show it. Her hatred for him roiled in her gut, but there was something more—a sharp, bitter edge of defiance that wouldn’t let her back down. “I won’t work for you. Not now, not ever. You’re nothing but a monster, using people like puppets to get what you want.”

“Yet here you are,” Riven said smoothly, spreading his hands. “Dragged into his mess, running like a frightened animal, and now… working for me. Tell me, Wren, what was your plan? Did you think if you scrubbed enough floors, I’d forget about the debt?”

Her anger flared, momentarily eclipsing her fear. “I’m doing what I can,” she snapped. “What more do you want from me, you f*****g monster!”

Riven’s laugh was a dark, almost melodic sound that sent a chill crawling up her spine. “A monster? You’ve been in this city long enough, Wren, you know I’m not the only one. You’ve seen how the world works. But unlike the rest of them, I don’t play nice. And neither do you.” He leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming lightly on the surface of his desk. “You don’t realize it yet, but you’re just as ruthless as I am. The only difference is, you’re afraid to admit it.”

The words slithered beneath her skin, settling into the places she didn’t want to face. She wasn’t ruthless, she wasn’t like him, no matter how hard he tried to twist it. He was a monster. He was the one playing with lives, not her.

“I’m nothing like you,” she bit out, her voice harsh and low. “I’m not some heartless bastard who ruins everything I touch.”

Riven’s eyes darkened, and the smile that curved his lips was nothing short of dangerous. “Oh, Wren. You’re such a good liar. Tell me, what will happen when you fail to pay your father’s debt? Will you just keep running? Or will you finally admit what you really are?” He leaned forward again, his voice dropping to a dangerously soft tone. “Because I have to say, I’m very curious. How long do you think you can run before the world starts to swallow you whole? You’re not strong enough to escape this, no matter how hard you fight it.”

Her breath hitched in her throat, the words cutting deeper than anything he had said so far. Not strong enough? Her whole life had been a fight, and yet here he was, mocking her struggle, belittling her existence. But she wasn’t going to let him see that he’d landed a blow.

“I’ll survive,” she muttered, the words slipping through her teeth like poison. “I’ll survive long enough to make you regret this.”

Riven’s eyes glittered with twisted amusement. “Regret? That’s not something I do, Wren. You’ll find that out soon enough. But here’s the thing you don’t understand—no matter how much you hate me, no matter how much you despise what I’m doing, you’re going to have to work for me. Your father owes me too much for you to escape now. And if you don’t...” He didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication was enough.

Wren’s chest tightened. She could almost taste the bitterness rising in her throat. “What? You’ll kill me? You’ll make me disappear like you’ve done to everyone else who’s crossed you?” Her voice trembled despite herself, but she fought to keep it steady.

“No, Wren. I’m not going to kill you. That would be too easy. You’re much more useful alive.” He paused, the air between them thick with tension.

“Marry me.” his tone didn't sound like a request but rather than a command.

The words took her by a raging shock. Her hands balled into fists beneath the table. She wanted to scream, to lash out, but she held herself back. If she lost control, she would lose everything.

Marry him? Marry the monster that almost put a gun to her head? Or the monster that threatened the existence of her brother and best friend? Or the sick monster that had turned everyone into walking zombies.

This was a sick game.

“You think you can break me,” she said quietly, glaring at him with all the hatred she could muster. “You can’t. I won’t be your pawn. No matter what you do to me, I’ll find a way out.”

Riven regarded her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. “We’ll see,” he finally said, his voice like silk wrapping around a blade. “I think you’ll surprise me, Wren. You’re stronger than you think... but not strong enough to get away from me.”