Page 45

Cadence

In the weeks following the attack, the Unseelie Court was in turmoil. The Crimson Enclave had been a distant threat to the ruling class, if not pure fiction. Now, they had come dangerously close to the palace, shattering any illusions of safety.

Ryker had been tasked with discovering how they made it so close without detection, and with him preoccupied, my days had been spent alongside Riordan or Malesh. While I enjoyed their company, the time away from Ryker also created an ache in my chest I couldn’t quite alleviate.

The days dragged on, yet every night he would return to his chambers and fuck me with a savagery that I was beginning to crave. My body was deliciously sore, but I was starting to think his rough treatment was more than I could bear. My breasts were tender from his vicious ministrations, and the man kept me awake until the small hours so that I could hardly function the next morning.

He was insatiable, and I was ready to concede defeat.

A prickling sensation burned behind my eyes, and to my shock, I realized I was crying. Fat tears rolled down my face, and my body trembled as sobs built inside my chest. No matter how many deep breaths I inhaled, I couldn’t stop the flow as they traced their way down my cheeks.

A low creak caught my attention, and I turned to the door as Riordan entered.

“Good morning, Sunshine,” he beamed, but his expression fell when he saw me burying my face in my palms.

His footfalls were barely audible over the sound of my heaving sobs, but his gentle fingers gripped my wrists as he lowered my hands. He took one look at me and pressed me against the hard planes of his chest.

“Shh, Cadence. It’s alright. Whatever Ryker did, I’ll make sure he pays.”

A strangled laugh escaped me, but the sound only made me cry harder. Riordan rubbed his palm up and down my back in a soothing gesture as he tried in vain to calm me.

“Can you tell me what’s wrong?” he murmured.

“I don’t know,” I wailed.

Riordan’s movements paused as he struggled to comprehend my words.

“Did you say you don’t know?”

I nodded against his chest, and I was horrified to see how my tears had stained his tunic.

“Then why are you crying?”

I pulled out of his grasp and quickly dabbed my eyes.

“I have no idea,” I admitted, and I tried to laugh it off, but the sound was forced.

Riordan furrowed his brows in confusion, but he merely shrugged and opened his arms wide for me to hug him once more. I didn’t hesitate as I dove into his embrace. More tears welled, and this time, I let them fall. The rhythmic beating of his heart was a welcome distraction, and I found his woodsy scent oddly calming.

“You smell good,” I murmured against his chest.

“Don’t let Ryker hear you saying that,” he chuckled.

I inhaled deeply, letting Riordan’s scent fill my lungs, and a contented sigh escaped between my lips.

“Seriously, you smell amazing.”

“Thank you… I guess,” Riordan said, confusion lacing his tone.

I settled into Riordan’s embrace and allowed his soothing touch to help me overcome whatever mental breakdown I was experiencing. His friendship was a comfort in this land of schemes and enemies.

When the door creaked for a second time, we both froze before turning to face the irate Fae prince standing in the doorway.

“It’s not what you —” Riordan began, but Ryker moved before he could finish his sentence.

In a mass of shadows and fury, Ryker crossed the floor in seconds and pulled me from Riordan’s arms. When my mind caught up with what I was seeing, Ryker had his brother slammed against the stone wall, his forearm pressed against the base of Riordan’s throat.

“Ryker, let him go.”

Ryker turned his murderous gaze on me, his obsidian eyes twin pools of wrath.

“I’ll deal with you in a moment,” he gritted out.

Turning back to Riordan, he snarled, “You know better than to touch what belongs to me, Little Brother.”

Riordan scoffed, and Ryker pressed harder against his throat.

“Sure do, you psychopathic tyrant,” he said in a strangled tone.

“Then tell me why I walked into my chambers to find my brother holding my mate.”

“Because,” he wheezed, “you’re an asshole, and you did something to upset her, so being the good brother that I am, I tried to comfort her.”

Riordan pushed against Ryker and he released his hold, as his younger brother sucked in large gulps of air.

Ryker crossed his arms over his chest and angled his body so that he had both of us within view.

“Cadence,” he rumbled. “Speak.”

I straightened my shoulders and mimicked his pose. “Why should I? You come in here acting like a godsdamned animal and think you can command me at your will.”

A low chuckle sounded beside Ryker, and he turned his gaze back to Riordan.

“Get out,” he barked as he jutted his chin toward the door.

Riordan glanced in my direction as though he were waiting for my approval. Ryker growled at his brother, but I ignored him and nodded at Riordan.

“All right, I’ll leave you two lovebirds to sort through your issues,” he said. “Of which there are many,” he added under his breath.

“Meet me at the training grounds,” Ryker called after him.

“Of course, My Lord. Anything you command, My Lord,” Riordan replied without looking back in our direction.

When the snick of the lock sounded, Ryker stormed toward me. “Why were you upset?” he demanded.

I raised my chin and met his steely gaze with a glare of my own.

“I owe you no explanation,” I said, unwilling to confess to this maniac that I did not know why I had been crying.

“Cadence,” he growled as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You will tell me why I almost murdered my brother.”

“All right. It’s because you have a toxic sense of entitlement, and you have deluded yourself into believing that you own me.”

“There is no delusion involved. I do own you,” Ryker deadpanned.

Warmth spread across my cheeks, and I flung my arms out wide.

“You can’t own a person, Ryker!” I snapped.

Ryker smirked, and my vision turned red.

“Gods! I hate you,” I screamed. “Everything about you is obnoxious and irritating,” I ranted.

He cocked an amused brow that sent my blood boiling inside my veins.

“You know what’s wrong with you,” I said as I poked a finger into his firm chest.

The digit flared in pain, meanwhile, it appeared as though Ryker hadn’t even felt it.

“You’ve had everything handed to you on a silver platter your entire life, and now you think you’re entitled to whatever you want.”

Ryker scoffed and uncrossed his arms. “Hardly, Cadence. There are things I have endured which would make your blood run cold.”

One moment, I was fired up, righteous anger engulfing me. In the next, a torrent of fresh tears streamed down my face at the thought of Ryker in pain.

Gods, what was wrong with me?

“Cadence, I’m… not sure what to do here,” he admitted.

He moved closer to me, but I held up my palm to stop him.

“I don’t know why I’m crying, Ryker, but right now, your presence aggravates me, and I need you to leave.”

“All right,” he drawled. “I’ll give you some space.”

He glanced towards the door, and I sensed that he couldn’t escape the room fast enough.

I didn’t acknowledge him as I threw myself on the bed and screamed into the pillows.

The sound of the door shutting behind him was a welcome reprieve, and I let all of my pent-up emotions flow free.

All I needed was a good cry, and I’d feel better.

Well, that, and a long nap.