Page 13

Cadence

I was stewing in my fury, so fixated on my desire to end my newfound nemesis, no matter the consequences, that I didn’t notice someone else had entered my space.

The sound of a throat clearing behind me had me jumping out of my skin. I spun around to berate the newcomer for their lack of manners, but my words died on my tongue.

The man standing before me was the spitting image of Ryker.

The same strong jawline accentuated by perfectly sculpted facial features. Same sun-kissed skin that radiated vitality, making him look impossibly more beautiful.

The only difference was that while Ryker’s hair caressed his shoulders, this man’s hair was cut short on the sides with longer strands on top.

The man smirked, amused by my appraisal of his form, and even that slight gesture reminded me of Ryker.

Hadn’t Ryker said he was sending his brother to watch over me?

This had to be him. The resemblance was uncanny.

“Who are you?” I demanded as I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Did my brother not advise you of my impending arrival?”

He quirked a brow in challenge, and godsdamn, he even sounded like Ryker.

Why that comforted me, I had no idea.

“He might have mentioned it,” I muttered.

The man chuckled. “Oh, Cadence. My brother sure has his work cut out for him with you, doesn’t he?”

“I distinctly recall telling your brother that I did not want, nor need, a babysitter.”

He clutched his palms over his heart and staggered backward until his back collided with the door.

“Cadence, you wound me!”

He slid down the wooden frame, landing in a heap on the floor.

“Please,” he panted. “I need your help.”

He stretched his arm out toward me, and for a moment, I thought he was truly having some kind of episode.

“I think I need mouth to mouth.”

An undignified snort escaped me before I could contain it, and he grinned.

“Nice try.”

“Wasn’t it, though?”

The man pushed himself up from the floor and offered me his hand.

“My name is Riordan,” he said. “The smarter, funnier, and more handsome of the Unseelie Princes,” he added with a wink.

I chuckled at his antics despite myself and placed my palm in his.

“It’s nice to meet you, Riordan. I’m Cadence, but you already knew that.”

Riordan pulled my hand toward his lips and placed a soft kiss on my knuckles.

“For what it’s worth, my brother most certainly does not deserve a mate as splendid as you.”

“He’s not my mate,” I corrected him.

Riordan released my hand and chuckled to himself. Marching toward Ryker’s bed, he picked up an apple off the fruit tray Scarlette had brought me earlier, before flopping down onto the mattress.

Making himself comfortable, Riordan rested his arm behind his head as he took a bite of the apple.

“So, what mischief should we get up to today?” he asked between bites.

The devious glint in Riordan’s eyes hinted at his fondness for causing trouble. Perhaps he’d be good company after all.

Then I remembered the collar.

“Well, seeing as your brother collared me so that I cannot move beyond the wards, I’m guessing our choices are limited,” I said with a scowl.

Riordan began choking, and his face flushed crimson as he fought to suck in a breath. I rushed toward him and thumped him on the back a few times, before a half-chewed chunk of apple flew across the room.

I turned to the nightstand and grabbed the empty tumbler and pitcher of water, then thrust a half-full cup at him, commanding him to drink. He grabbed it eagerly and gulped down the cool liquid until the entire glass was drained.

“Thank you,” he croaked.

“Are you all right?”

I couldn’t ignore the healer in me, even if I wanted to.

With shaky hands, Riordan placed the glass back on the nightstand.

“Did you say collared?” he asked, ignoring my question.

My fingers went to the rose gold chain that adorned my throat.

I refused to be embarrassed for something that was done to me, so I lifted my chin and met Riordan’s gaze.

“Yes. The asshole you call a brother tethered me with a magical collar that prevents me from leaving his domain.”

Riordan muttered under his breath, and I thought I heard him say, “That is not what I meant by charming, brother.”

Riordan studied the collar as if it were a puzzle he could solve.

“May I?” he asked as he raised his hand.

I gave him a curt nod, and he directed me to turn around. His fingers grazed the skin of my nape as he reached for the clasp, and I inhaled sharply.

What if he could remove it?

My hopes shattered a moment later as Riordan flew across the room with a shrill cry. He collided with the armchair beside Ryker’s bed, and I hurried over to check on him.

“By the gods, are you all right?”

Riordan groaned. “Ryker never did like sharing his things.”

I bristled at Riordan’s comment and straightened.

“I am not one of Ryker’s things ,” I spat. “I am a person!”

Riordan dragged a hand down his face. “I didn’t mean it like that,” he mumbled.

He extended his arm to me and said, “Help me up, will you?”

Begrudgingly and with great effort, I helped the enormous Fae male to his feet.

“All I meant was that Ryker often bewitched his possessions when we were children, and if I ever tried to play with them, there was always some sort of trap waiting for me. I didn’t mean to imply you were a possession.”

He flashed me an apologetic smile, and I felt my anger fade. Why was that one expression so damn endearing?

“What happened when you touched it?” I asked, changing topics.

“It shocked me!”

I didn’t miss the outraged indignation in Riordan’s voice.

Riordan’s face turned serious, and he placed a hand over his heart before dipping into a low bow.

“On behalf of my brother, I apologize for his unwavering stupidity.”

A chuckle bubbled up my throat, and before I knew it, I was shaking with raucous laughter. Riordan lifted his head, and his features split into a wide grin.

“I’m sorry to interrupt whatever bonding session is going on here,” a rough, masculine voice said from behind me.

I didn’t need to turn to know exactly who it was.

Gooseflesh rose on my skin, and my heart thundered against my ribcage as if it were trying to reach him.

When I turned, grey eyes locked with mine.

I had no time to be swept away by Ryker’s intense gaze, however, as he clutched an unconscious man in his arms, who was bleeding profusely.

Riordan swore under his breath before asking Ryker what had happened.

Ryker’s gaze remained fixed on me.

“You will help him.”

It wasn’t a question. He was telling me what was about to unfold.

I opened my mouth to argue, but some emotion I couldn’t quite detect flashed across Ryker’s face, and it left me feeling unsettled.

I glanced away to break the hold Ryker had over me and inhaled a deep breath.

This was something I could control, and it brought me a certain level of comfort.

I rolled my sleeves up to my elbows and gave Ryker a curt nod.

“Put him on the bed.”