Page 29 of Bonded Chaos

Large palms settled on my shoulders, and Ryker steered me toward the mirror attached to his closet.

“Close your eyes.”

Reluctantly, I did as he instructed and allowed my eyes to close. I could hear the rustling of fabric as Ryker searched for something. Anxiety knotted my stomach. Was this all an elaborate attempt to harm me? He wouldn’t have taken such drastic measures, only to end my life now. Would he?

Before my mind could spiral further, something cool brushed my throat, followed by a softsnickas it clicked into place.

My eyes flew open, and I stared into Ryker’s triumphant grey ones, not comprehending what had passed between us but knowing it was significant all the same.

A small glint caught my attention, and my gaze was drawn to the rose gold necklace that now adorned my throat. The thick metal links were interconnected in a tight, continuous design, and the polished finish gave the impression that it was of the highest quality.

While beautiful, the necklace sat flush against my throat, and the longer I stared at it, the more I felt like the walls were closing in around me, suffocating me.

Instinctively, my hands went to the back of my neck as I tried to pry the clasp open, but it didn’t budge.

Mirth twinkled in Ryker’s eyes when I returned my gaze to my reflection. I angled my head to the side and studied the necklace. It almost looked like…

“Is this a…” I breathed, unable to finish my sentence for fear that the nausea raging inside my stomach would spill free if I uttered another word.

“A collar?” Ryker preened. “Yes, it is.”

My fingers flew to the metal, and I clawed at it as I tried to rip it from my throat.

“That won’t work,” Ryker taunted.

“Take it off me now!”

“The only way to remove that collar, Cadence, is with my blessing.”

“You fucking bastard!”

My fists pounded into Ryker’s chest, over and over, but if he felt anything beneath the solid wall of muscle, he didn’t show it.

“That’s it, Cadence,” he said in a low, mocking tone as he drew me close. “Let it all out.”

I screamed in frustration as I intensified my efforts, slamming my fists against him with all the strength I possessed.

By the time I gave up my fight, I was a panting, sweaty mess. My hair was askew, and my chest rose and fell in rapid succession.

“You will be free to roam the castle and the exterior courtyard, but the collar will prevent you from crossing the outer wards surrounding the forest.”

I tried to push Ryker away from me, but he cupped the back of my head as he pressed me against his broad chest.

“I’m going to kill you for this,” I snarled.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time, Temptress.”

A sob tore its way free from my throat before I could stop it. I bit down on my tongue to prevent any more emotions from escaping without my permission.

“Shh, Cadence,” Ryker said, almost adoringly.

Once I regained my composure, I lifted my head and glared at him, letting him see the unbridled hatred shimmering in my eyes.

“Careful, Cadence,” Ryker purred. “I like a feisty woman.”

“I promise you, you will regret this, Ryker.”

This time, when I pushed against his chest, Ryker stepped back, allowing me to escape the warmth of his embrace.

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