The Ritual

The door opens, and she jumps when I look up to see Ryat and Gunner both enter the room. “Hey, babe. Come on.” Gunner stands in the doorway, holding the door open, obviously taking her away from me.

She looks back at me, giving me a soft smile. “I’ll see you in class tomorrow.”

I nod, pissed that they interrupted whatever she was about to tell me, but I guess waiting until morning isn’t too bad.

Ryat enters his bathroom, and I get up, following him. He turns on the sink and bends over, splashing water on his face. “Are we staying here tonight?” I ask him.

“No,” comes his clipped answer before yanking a hand towel off a hook and running it down his face. Then he just tosses it onto the counter. “We’re headed to your apartment.” Then he walks past me, going back to his bedroom.

“How long are we going to do this?” I ask, following him.

“Don’t, Blake,” he snaps. “I’m not in the mood right now.”

“Maybe I’m not in the mood to put up with your shit!” I push.

He spins around, his hand goes to my throat and shoves me back into the wall. So hard it knocks the air out of my lungs. His face lowers to mine, our lips almost touching, and his green eyes are slits on mine with a tic in his sharp jaw.

I almost forgot how terrifying he could be. He’s been nice, understanding even. But it reminds me that this is just an agreement, and I’m nothing to him. Like I said in the car, I’m just here so he can piss off Matt.

“I said I’m not doing this right now. And I meant that. So, unless you want to really see me pissed, I suggest you back the fuck off.” His voice is low, his words controlled, but his hand around my throat is shaking, giving away his true feelings at the moment.

I wonder if it’s me or something else. Lifting my chin, my lips thin. “I understand.”

Letting go of my neck, he steps away. “Let’s go.”

We exit his room, and I look up across the hall to see Matt walking out of a room. His eyes meet mine, and he gives me a smile. It makes the hairs on the back of my neck rise. His blue eyes go to Ryat, and I notice the black eye that he has. What the hell happened to him? Did Ryat do that? Are they fighting? Is that why Ryat is on edge? Did Matt say something to him about me? It’s not like Matt knows any secrets about me. I never got the chance to do anything crazy.

“See you soon,” Matt speaks, nodding his head to Ryat with that smile still on his face.

Ryat grabs my hand and yanks me down the hall. I look back at him over my shoulder just as the bleach blonde exits Matt’s room, pulling him back into it and shutting the door behind them.

_______________

WE ENTER MY apartment, and I’m on edge. I don’t like not knowing what’s going on. Especially when it could involve me.

“What did Matt mean?” I ask Ryat as we enter my bedroom. “Why will he see you soon?”

“Not now.” He sighs heavily, scratching the back of his neck.

“Ryat …”

“Blake!” he snaps my name, pinning me with a glare. Releasing a sigh, he slowly walks over to me.

I don’t move. Coming up to me, he slides his hand in my hair and licks his lips. “Can we just go to bed? It’s been a long weekend and an even longer day. We can discuss it tomorrow.”

My eyes search his, and I hate that I can’t tell if he’s lying or not. I knew Matt well enough to tell if he was trying to avoid a conversation or just me in general. Ryat is harder to read.

Nodding, I say, “Sure.”

Leaning in, he gives my forehead a soft kiss. “I’ll get you a water.” He pulls away and goes into the kitchen while I remove his T-shirt and sweatpants before crawling into my cold sheets.

I am tired. I thought I was going to pass out at his cabin, but then the events that followed woke me up really quick.

“Here you go,” Ryat says, entering the room with a glass of water for me.

“Thanks.” I take it from him and drink more than half of it, not realizing how thirsty I was.

He takes it and sets it on my nightstand before crawling in bed next to me. “Sweet dreams, Blake.” He kisses my forehead again, pulling my back into his front.

My last thought is that we won’t be having that conversation in the morning.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

RYAT

WITHIN MINUTES, I hear her softly snoring. The drug working fast. She hasn’t eaten in hours. I slipped a sleeping pill into her water while in the kitchen. I needed her out in order to leave without her asking questions. I was tired of not being able to answer them. Not only because of the oath I took, but also because I have no fucking clue what I’m going to be doing. I didn’t trust to leave her at the house of Lords, so I had to get her back here and asleep as soon as possible.