The Ritual

He nods. “We had an emergency meeting at the house of Lords. They needed two volunteers. I was going to offer when Matt beat me to it, offering both of us.”

The guys weren’t on good terms then, so why would he do that? “What did you do?”

“Said yes.” He shrugs.

“Then what happened?”

“I had five hours to get my shit together, and one of those things was you. I drugged your water, needing you to be asleep while I took off. Matt and I met at the cathedral and got kidnapped where the judge met up with us and ….”

I sit back and let him tell me all about his experience in jail with Matt while he rubs my feet under the warm water. Every word has my heart hammering. How does he do this every day? Just go blindly into an assignment that he has no idea what it is? Or why he has to do it?

“Wait.” I stop him. “You came back to my apartment barely able to stand. You had just gotten out?”

“I had.” He nods. “Matt tried to have me killed while in there. He volunteered me for the assignment to get me away from you, but when he realized I’d be back to you in no time, he had to come up with a new plan.”

I let out a long breath as the dots start to connect. “Unbelievable.” I shake my head.

“What?”

“That’s why you married me,” I say knowingly. “Because he tried to kill you. So, you needed new ammo to throw in his face.” He just watches me while I go on. “And what better place to announce it than the house of Lords annual party in front of everyone?” It was all planned. I can’t even be mad at this point. It was pretty well thought out.

“I did.” He nods. Reaching forward, he grabs my hands and pulls me toward him, our faces almost touching, our bodies smashing the bubbles. “I’ve always been a selfish person, Blake. Willing to do whatever it takes to get where I want to be. And out of all the things I’ve done, you are by far the greatest reward for my selfishness.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

RYAT

I LIE ON my back in our bedroom. It’s got to be past midnight, and it’s pitch black in here. The sound of the ceiling fan going can be heard along with the thunder outside.

Blake is cuddled up to my left side, and I have one arm under my head, propping it up while the other holds my cell. I watch the cameras on my app that surround the house inside and out. It shows the rain running off the gutters and parts of the ground that are already flooding. And every now and then, lighting strikes.

“Ryat,” she whispers. “Aren’t you tired?’

“No,” I say, my eyes zeroing in on a part in the front yard that looks suspicious. Like something or someone is standing at the end of the driveway. Looking over at the other camera that gives me a better view, I sigh when I see it’s the trash can that Gunner put out there for me.

Then it’s jerked out of my hand. “Blake …” I hear it hit the floor.

She pulls back the covers and straddles my hips. “If you’re awake, then pay attention to me.” Running her hands up and down my chest slowly, she drags the tips of her fingernails softly over my skin, making me shiver.

I place my hands on her naked hips and squeeze. We always sleep naked. I prefer her to dress like it’s twenty below outside this house, but inside—nothing.

She bends forward and presses her lips to my neck. Lightning strikes outside the window, lighting up the room through the curtains. “Blake,” I warn, my hands moving up to her sides, feeling her ribs.

“What?” she asks innocently.

“We can’t,” I tell her, hating that she can already feel how hard I am.

“Why?” she whispers, kissing up to the shell of my ear, and my hands move up her back and tangle in her hair.

“Because you just got out of the hospital.” As the words leave my lips, she starts grinding her hips on top of me.

Fuck!

“Are you going soft on me?” Her warm breath falls across my skin when she whispers, and I know I’m about to crack.

“No,” I say and roll over, taking her with me.

She squeals in surprise, and I pin her underneath. “Good.”

Lightning strikes once again, brightening the room and I see the smile on her face. “I don’t want to hurt you,” I say, bending down to press my lips to her neck. As long as I’m the one on top, I can control what we do and how we do it.

“Since when?”

I give a rough laugh. My wife is trying to push me. “It’s not going to work, Blake.”