“They took her on your father’s orders!”
The woman’s mouth parted as Ryker’s head finally turned toward me again. His countenance remained stony and his eyes that darker silver, but at least he was looking at me.
“How do you know that?” he asked.
“Because he told me he would… if I didn’t end things withyou.”
“Oh,” the woman breathed.
I considered asking her to leave, to give us some time alone, or to shut up, but I held the words back. Ryker wouldn’t let her go, and it might distract his attention if I spoke.
I didn’t know what to expect or how he would react to my words, but the ice in his eyes chilled me to the bone.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Ryker
So,it was as I’d suspected. My father had gone to her and caused her to break things off, but that didn’t change things between us.
Instead of coming to me and telling me this so we could work it out together, she’d done as he ordered. Which meant she didn’t trust me enough to protect her… she didn’t trustme.
I’d revealed things to her that I’d never told another living soul. I’d trusted her with things I’d never expected to disclose to another, and she hadn’t done the same with me.
I couldn’t forgive her for that.
“I knew he went to you,” I stated.
She recoiled like I’d slapped her, and a look of horror came over her face. “Youknewhe threatened me and my mother?”
“No, but I figured it out.”
She blinked rapidly as she looked from me to Tucker and back again. “Why… why didn’t you say something?”
“Why would I? You made your choice.”
Her mouth opened and closed; the devastation on her face pulled at my conscience. I knew how overwhelming and terrifying my father could be, especially to someone not used to dealing with him.
Ellery only had her manor and mother; she didn’t have power or wealth to protect her. She’d only had me… and then she chosenotto have me.
I buried my sympathy and understanding. Fuck my father andfuckher.
“I thought I was doing the right thing,” she whispered.
I didn’t respond.
“I did what he asked of me, and he took her anyway.”
I pondered her words as I battled the tumult of emotions rolling through me. He’d taken my mother from me too. I knew what that was like, how badly it hurt, yet… Ellery had done worse to me, and she’d done it forhim.
I didn’t have any sympathy left in me. It was all gone.
“If you’d come to me and talked to me about it, I would have told you that’s exactly what he would do, no matter what he said. I know how he works. If you had come to me, I might have stopped it from happening, but there’s nothing I can do now.”
* * *
Ellery
I could barely breathethrough the terror clawing at my chest like an incessant, murderous thing. My hope was withering beneath his cold indifference and hatred.
