Rhyden brushed a finger against her jaw. He only wore one ring tonight—a simple white gold band around his thumb. The flames in the sconces flickered, seeking out the Fireborn vampire. The ring on his thumb turned white from the heat coursing through him as he held her face in his grip. She didn’t feel it.
She resisted the urge to smirk. "I’d say a part of you cares for me." Her eyes dipped to his hand.
"I just admitted I watched you get fucked, and that’s all you have to say to me? No moral objections or buttoned-up bemoaning?"
Well, she had been. But now she sure as hell wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her ire.
"If you wanted to watch me, Rhyden, all you had to do was ask." A low heat suffused her cheeks. She pretended it was from the fire.
"What’s so different about us?" Rhyden jabbed a finger behind him, to Lucien’s closed door. "He lied to you, and you lied to me, and I want to hurt you for it—but your doctor? He wants to hurt himself for it." He exhaled, and she felt his scent envelop her. "So why do you let him fuck you, but you can’t even look at me?"
That was what this was about? Was hejealous?
"Because he didn’t swear to get revenge on me for something I don’t even remember doing. Because Itrusthim—and you, Valkar? I can never trust you."
Rhyden’s voice dropped as he moved closer. So close, she felt the shift of his chest as he breathed, swore she could feel the beat of his heart, pressed against her. "What did I say about using my name? Trust isn’t fucking enough. Not for everything we’ve done. You say you don’t remember, but when you dreamed, I heard you speak. You want to know what you said to me?"
She didn’t answer.
"You said,I’ve paid your price. The same thing you said to me in our past life together. When we first met, it was at a bar. I saw you, and Icovetedyou. I slid a drink across the counter to you. I wanted to know your name, so I tempted you with a drink—something sweet. I never knew you’d be so bitter. Even as a human, you didn’t shy away from a vampire who only wanted to fuck you and drink your blood. I still remember every goddamned word you said.Now that I’ve paid your price, paymine.You wanted to dance with me. Me, a vampire who could drain you dry before your weak vocal cords could make a fucking sound."
Rhyden’s finger slipped over her lips. "That means you do remember."
"I don’t," Rin whispered. Her head began to pound as the hallway elongated around them, as if worlds were colliding in her mind, fighting for space.
"You may not know"—he touched her temple—"but it’s all there in that brain of yours. When you remember, I know this sweet, innocent act will fall away. And when it does, I’ll be the first to say I told you so."
Rhyden breathed her in.
Something in his fractured, goddamned mess of a Soul called out to her. He saw how her pupils expanded with lust. It reminded him too much of how it had been on Sangreal, when it was just the two of them.
She was still such a force to be reckoned with.
He’d admitted he watched her have sex through the crack of the open door, and she barely reacted.
If he didn’t know her so well, he might have believed she didn’t care. But her pulse jumped. She’d been affected.
Rhyden knew then how he could get his revenge: make her want him.
"You don’t remember using me. So I’ll let you feel what it was like." Rhyden heard her breath catch, the stutter to her heart. "You want me, don’t you?" His lips ghosted over hers, and he nearly punched the fucking wall at the soft feel of them, the cherry scent that clung to her, making his cock swell. He shiftedhis hips forward, letting her feel what she did to him. It was all part of his plan. "Tell me you want this. Say it, wife. Say,I want you. Just beg, and it’s yours."
"I…" Her tongue poked out to wet her bottom lip.
The fire in the sconces flared dangerously, sparking as embers scorched the carpet.
She yelped, stumbling away from him. The spell was broken, turned to ash.
"What just happened—that wasnotbecause I wanted you. My Soul may want you, but I don’t," she said hoarsely.
He bit back a scoff. Revenge would be so sweet.
Rhyden pulled away from her, not doing anything to hide the bulge in his pants. "Fine."
He turned toward the hall, but her voice stopped him.
"Are you jealous?"
He didn’t turn around.
