Page 33

Cadence

When the door burst open soon after Odette left, I expected to see the strange woman lingering in the doorway.

Instead, I found a hulking Fae male with a brooding aura looking unsure as he surveyed me with apparent nervousness.

“Go away, Ryker,” I muttered. “I’m in no mood for company, least of all yours.”

“Cadence,” he rumbled in that tone that had my nipples puckering.

Not today, hormones.

“Are you deaf as well as an asshole?”

A dark chuckle was my only answer, and the sound filled the room with a tantalizing mixture of danger and allure, daring me to come closer despite my every instinct screaming at me to stay away.

I could hear the rustle of clothing as Ryker moved nearer, but I was determined to ignore him.

That was, until he ripped the covers from me, exposing my skin to the cool morning air.

“What the hell, Ryker!”

“You will not spend the day sulking in bed, Cadence. Get up. Now.”

He waved his hand in the air as if he expected me to jump at his command. Hell, he most likely did.

“I said no, Ryker. I realize it’s not a word you are familiar with, but it means fuck off.”

Ryker sighed.

The man fucking sighed.

It was almost as if it was his life that had been uprooted.

“Cadence,” he said, the single word a plea. “Can we agree to put our differences aside for one day and just enjoy ourselves?”

Enjoy ourselves? The man was delusional!

“Please,” he added when I didn’t respond.

I eyed him, and a hopeful grin pulled up his lips.

“I promise I have no untoward intentions, Cadence. I only want to show you something I think you will appreciate.”

“What kind of something?”

Ryker extended his hand to me, and his grin turned predatory. “You’ll have to come with me to find out.”

I debated with myself for a moment, but my curiosity won out.

“Fine.”

I dressed quickly, not bothering to brush my hair. Instead, I ran my fingers through the mane of knots and hoped for the best.

“Ready?” Ryker asked as he extended his palm once more.

“Is there a reason I am required to touch you?”

“Yes,” he chuckled as he took my hand in his and pulled me to him. “Even if that weren’t the case, I’d still want to touch you, Cadence. I always want to touch you.”

I couldn’t even be mad that my body was betraying me. My mind was also on board for whatever dark and delicious thoughts were occupying Ryker’s head.

How could I hate the man and crave him at the same time?

Too caught up in my musings, I didn’t notice when the room darkened.

“Oh no,” I began, but it was too late.

Shadows as black as night surrounded me, suffocating any hint of light as Ryker moved us through the darkness.

Mercifully, it was over as quickly as it started.

“Not my favorite pastime,” I grumbled, and Ryker laughed.

The sound was so genuine, with no trace of his usual cynicism or cruelty, that I was momentarily stunned.

“Come on,” he called as he gripped my hand and tugged me along behind him.

I scanned my surroundings and gasped when I realized we stood atop a mountain range.

“Stunning, isn’t it?” Ryker murmured.

“It is.”

The valley below was breathtaking. The rolling hills cradled the valley’s basin while the shimmering threads of the river wound their way across the terrain, catching and reflecting the sunlight as it traversed the landscape.

Villages and farms dotted the horizon, their red roofs blending seamlessly with the vibrant greens of the forest lining the valley. I peered up at the sky, an infinite canvas of shifting white clouds that only served to highlight the beauty of everything below.

Ryker tugged on my hand, and I realized I had stopped walking to take in the view. He led me down a well-worn path, and the trees grew denser as we walked. Branches arched overhead, and the small slivers of sunlight that peeked through the canopy gave the forest an ethereal appearance.

I cast a glance toward Ryker out of the corner of my eye. His usual hard demeanor had disappeared, and his features softened as he navigated the familiar path.

“Do you come here a lot?”

Ryker smiled. And not just any smile. This one was a panty-melting, I’ll-charm-you-out-of-your-first-born type of smile.

“This place,” he murmured, nostalgia lacing his voice, “is where Riordan and I escaped to as children.”

He paused and glanced over his shoulder at me. “It was our secret,” he finished with a crooked grin.

I raised an eyebrow, unable to contain my next question.

“And you’re sharing it with me?”

Ryker stopped walking and turned to face me. His hand, which had felt warm wrapped around my own, now felt searing as heat banked between us.

“I am.”

I swallowed around the lump forming in my throat.

Mercifully, Ryker spared me from having to respond as he pushed aside an overhanging branch to reveal the mouth of a cave nestled against the rocky hillside. A trail of moss wound its way over the rugged stone, and I sucked in a deep breath, relishing the scent of damp earth and fresh rain.

Ryker stepped forward, but I hesitated.

“Is it safe?” I jutted my chin toward the entrance. “Inside, I mean.”

“Perfectly,” he grinned.

His eyes sparkled with mischief, and he tugged me closer. “Trust me.”

I gave him a look that portrayed exactly how little I trusted him, and he laughed, not perturbed in the least.

“Fair,” he conceded. “But you can trust me in this.”

Excitement and apprehension warred within me, but once again, my curiosity won out, and I followed him inside.

The further we ventured, the more difficult it became to see. I found myself trusting Ryker to lead me through unscathed, and for the first time since meeting him, the thought of putting my faith in him didn’t terrify me.

We rounded a corner, and the path opened into a wide cavern. There was a narrow opening above us, and the sunlight filtered down, highlighting the space and giving it an otherworldly glow.

A small pool of water sat at the center of the cave. Gentle ripples danced across the surface and reflected off the stone walls.

“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, afraid that if I spoke too loudly, I’d break the spell.

“The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” Ryker murmured.

But when I turned to him, Ryker’s gaze wasn’t on the cave or the inviting pool.

He was staring at me.