RUIN: Psychological Enemies-to-Lovers Thriller

Unfortunately, the same song came right back on. Cain must’ve had it on repeat.

This time, I knew the melody and realized violins strummed along with the piano.

It is a pretty song. You can’t kill anybody to this song? Right? It’s too nice.

Cain went to the left and turned on another light.

Oh wow.

A stylish kitchen appeared. It sat about ten feet away from the living room and had a center island breakfast bar. Three stools were placed around it.

Cain went over to the counter, pulled a large knife out of a wooden block, and headed back my way.

Oh no. Don’t kill me now.

Noah trotted along with him.

For the second time this evening, I froze and accepted death.

Well. . .at least I won’t be killed in that shitty-ass hotel. That has to count for something.

The opera song replayed again. This time the lovely melody seeped into my heart. I’d even remembered some of the words, even though I didn’t know what was being said.

Cain got to me and held the long knife.

I shivered. “Before you kill me, can I ask one thing?”

He quirked his brows.

I looked up and swallowed. “What in the hell is he singing about? Do you know?”

A hint of a smile came to his face, and then it disappeared. Cain studied me for a while as if not sure if I was being serious. “What’s your name?”

“Phoenix.”

Cain twisted the knife’s handle between his fingers. “Why do you want to know what he’s singing about?”

“If I’m going to die to a song, I would like to know what it’s about.”

“You’re really excited to die tonight.” He lowered to his knees and positioned himself right next to me.

I trembled. “I’m not excited. I just know that there aren’t many options.”

“There are options. You can give us your friend’s address.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“She’s saved my life too many times to send three psychos her way.”

“Psychos?”

I raised my tied wrists.

“You deserve to be tied up.” He placed the knife down by my ankles. “Thou shall not steal is one of the ten commandments.”

I didn’t bring up the fact that he was stealing also. Sometimes it paid to not have a smart mouth when the other person was wielding a knife.

I braced myself for pain.

Just when I thought he was going to slice off my foot, he sawed at the rope and then freed my ankles. “Why are your feet so dirty?”

Shocked, I muttered, “I ran barefoot through an alley.”

“Because you took off those heels in the club?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you have backup shoes?”

“Where would I have put them?”

“In the part of the alley you knew you were running through.”

“That’s a good idea.”

“Too bad you won’t be alive to try that.”

Fear hit me. “Yeah.”

He’s going to kill me.

His frown deepened. “Una Furtiva Lagrima.”

My bottom lip quivered. “Say what?”

“That’s the name of the song.”

And then the song shut off and came right back on. This time, I spotted when the singer sang those very words.

Una Furtiva Lagrima. Okay. I don’t know what that means, but at least I know that.

Pulling away the rope, Cain watched me.

I was terrified to ask, but I did anyway. “So. . .what does that mean? The song title.”

Cain slung the ropes to the side. “It means, a furtive tear.”

“Furtive?”

“Sly. Secretive.”

Noah went to the rope on the ground and sniffed it.

I watched Noah grab the rope and then trot away. “So. . .this guy is singing about crying and hiding it from everyone?”

“No.” He watched me. “He’s looking at a woman crying. She’s trying to hide it.”

Gnawing on the rope, Noah disappeared through a doorway by the kitchen I hadn’t noticed before.

Maybe, I can get out that way. It leads to something.

“Looking at a woman hiding her crying.” I put my view back on Cain. “Is that why the singer sounds so sad?”

“He’s not sad.” He rose.

I hoped he would cut the rope binding my wrists, but wasn’t so lucky.

Cain held out his hand. “Stand up.”

This is it.

I wanted to beg for my life, but I’d done that already and he hadn’t warmed to the idea. At least I had my captor talking to me. That had to count for something. It was better than slicing me apart.

This is when he does it.

Due to my legs being bound for so long, I struggled with standing. When I did, I stumbled forward.

Cain grabbed me before I fell. “Do you have to go to the bathroom?”

“Yes!” I said way too fast and full of excitement.

A bathroom could provide escape. I could climb out the window. Plus, there had to be razors or something in the drawers. And even more important if he cared about my needs then maybe all wasn’t lost.

It didn’t matter how small the bathroom window might be. I was going to squeeze my body through there. I would draw blood if I had to.