Page 30

Cadence

Warm rays of sunshine peeked around the edges of the thick black curtains, shielding me from the outside world that was slowly coming to life.

My altercation with Celeste had left my muscles coiled tight, and my body ached all over.

I was ready to call it a day before it had even begun.

With a groan, I rolled onto my back and flung my arm wide… where it collided with a hard, muscular chest.

“Oof.”

It appeared Ryker had returned to his chambers after all.

“Was that necessary, Cadence?” he rumbled, his voice still thick with sleep.

“That depends. Have you done anything to warrant my ire this early in the day?”

Ryker chuckled. “Who am I kidding? Of course you have.”

Then I recalled I already had reason enough to be irate where he was concerned.

“I had a pleasant chat with Lady Barrington yesterday. Care to guess the topic of our conversation?”

“The impressive length of my cock,” Ryker murmured as he buried his face in his pillow.

My anger simmered beneath a thin veneer of calm, and I sat up before reaching over and ripping the pillow away from him.

“This is serious,” I yelled as I slammed it into his head again and again.

“Cadence, fuck!” Ryker growled. “Give me the damn pillow.”

He gripped the silken edge of the cover and tore it out of my grasp. Ryker ran a palm through his messy hair, and for the briefest moment, I forgot why I was so angry with him.

But Ryker being Ryker reminded me of exactly why I detested the man.

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense. What were you and my fiancée chatting about?”

The faint smirk he wore, and the amused glint in his eyes, made me damn near homicidal.

“This isn’t a game, Ryker! The woman knows I am Seelie, and she threatened to divulge that tidbit to the whole godsdamn Unseelie Court!”

Ryker’s smirk faltered, and a shadow crossed his handsome features. But he remained composed, not allowing any further sign of his displeasure to slip past his calm mask of indifference.

“Celeste knows better than to cross me, Cadence,” Ryker said.

He sat up and made himself comfortable against the headboard, one arm slung behind his head, the picture of relaxed ease.

My hands curled into fists at my side, and I leaned in, invading Ryker’s space.

That was a mistake.

His intoxicating scent hit me with full force. The heady blend of wild earth and something… darker overwhelmed me, and I had to shake myself out of my reverie.

“Celeste warned that if I didn’t leave, she would expose me to the entire court and let them tear me to shreds. Does that sound like a woman who’s afraid to defy you?”

I glared at Ryker, allowing him to feel the full weight of my fury. “And you and I both know that her words are no idle threat. The hatred between the two kingdoms is renowned.”

Before I even registered what he was doing, Ryker gripped my waist in his large, calloused hand and pulled me beneath him. His face was close to my own, and his expression was so dark, I couldn’t tell if he intended to kiss me or devour me whole.

“There is no escaping me, Cadence,” he said in a low, dangerous tone.

My body stiffened before I pushed against his chest.

“Of course that’s all you heard?”

“You keep entertaining the idea that you can escape me, so I will continue to remind you of your place.”

Furious tears burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

“How could I ever forget? You collared me like a fucking animal.”

I wrapped my fingers around the cool metal that adorned my throat. “Whenever I see this, I am reminded of how little you think of me.”

My breath was coming in short, sharp gasps, and I was losing the battle to keep my tears at bay.

“She called me your pet, Ryker.”

I’d meant to fire the words at him so he would feel them like a physical blow, but my emotions had taken over, and they escaped me on a broken sob.

Ryker’s eyes hardened, and he stared down at me as though I were a puzzle he needed to solve. But a flicker of some emotion, something dark, crossed his features, and then he lifted his thumb to catch the tears sliding down my cheek. Unable to bear the weight of his penetrating gaze any longer, I turned away from him, burying my face in the pillows.

“Celeste overstepped, Cadence, and I will ensure she knows just how badly she fucked up,” he murmured.

He didn’t get it. How could he? He’d never experienced the loss of anything as precious as his autonomy.

I wasn’t crying because Celeste had threatened my life. My tears flowed because he had finally broken me, and the man was too arrogant to understand the difference.

“What am I to you, Ryker?” I murmured, cutting through the tense silence.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you are betrothed to Celeste, and you intend to marry her, no? She will be your queen, she will bear your heirs, and she will stand at your side when it is time for you to sit on the throne. Where will that leave me? Your dirty little secret? Your mistress, concubine, what? Do you have so little regard for me you would rob me of my future for your own selfish desires?”

When he didn’t answer, I turned to look at him.

Ryker studied me for the longest moment before he released a resigned sigh.

“It’s not that simple, Cadence.”

“Of course it is,” I scoffed.

Ryker’s eyes narrowed, and a muscle in his jaw twitched. He pushed off me and resumed his place against the headboard.

“There are things at play that you aren’t aware of, Cadence. Celeste’s family maintains a position of power in the Unseelie Court, and they contribute many resources to the kingdom’s coffers. Disavowing her right now would be extremely unwise.”

I barked out a laugh. The sound was harsh as it reverberated throughout the room.

“So, you keep her close while I’m to suffer the consequences?” I lifted my chin, my voice hard as I stared him down. “How very noble of you, Ryker. You get the benefits of power, the stability of her family’s resources, and me.”

“Mind your tone, Cadence,” Ryker warned, his voice dangerously low, but I refused to concede.

“What will you do?” I challenged. “Kill me? If I am to suffer the life you so graciously offer me, I think I would prefer the freedom of death than remaining in your vile company for a second longer.”

Ryker jumped from the bed, his shoulders heaving as he ground his teeth together. Then he closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. When he opened them again, pain, or remorse perhaps, stared back at me. For a moment, he looked almost vulnerable, as if my words had cut straight to his core.

Then his usual mask of coldness fell into place, and he retreated behind the walls he wore like armor.

“This is about survival, Cadence. I will not jeopardize that for your petty jealousies.”

“Jealousy,” I breathed. “You think this is about jealousy?”

My voice rose as indignant fury washed through me once more.

“This is about my life, Ryker. You’ve stolen my future from me! And you don’t even have the decency to treat me with respect. You collared me, so I can’t leave, yet you parade another woman around in front of the masses. You have made sure I am dependent on you for everything, keeping me at your mercy while you entertain yourself with your cruel games.”

My chin quivered, and I cursed myself for showing any weakness. I didn’t know how to make him understand. Ryker had never been denied anything in his life, including me.

“You claim I am your mate, yet you treat me as though I am your whore. You say I am to endure your oppression because it means I am safe, yet you allow threats against me to go unpunished.”

I stood from the bed and began pacing, unable to stay still any longer.

“You’re a coward, Ryker! The terrifying Night Cursed Prince is a coward. Where is the man whose name alone makes people tremble? Because I don’t see him.”

Ryker rounded the bed and gripped my chin between his thumb and forefinger.

“No one will touch you, Cadence,” he rumbled. “I protect what’s mine.”

“Have you ever considered that you’re the one I need protection from?”

Ryker’s heated gaze bore into me, and I felt as though my whole body might catch ablaze under his scrutiny.

“I said I’d take care of it, Cadence.”

Ryker leaned in to kiss me, but I turned away. His lips grazed my cheek, and a small blossom of warmth spread across my chest.

I was a godsdamned fool, and if I didn’t harden myself against the effect he had on me, it would cost me my life.

“Wait here for me, Temptress.”

With that, he disappeared, leaving me alone in his cold, empty chambers.