Page 33 of Bonded Chaos

I was stewing in my fury, so fixated on my desire to end my newfound nemesis, no matter the consequences, that I didn’t notice someone else had entered my space.

The sound of a throat clearing behind me had me jumping out of my skin. I spun around to berate the newcomer for their lack of manners, but my words died on my tongue.

The man standing before me was the spitting image of Ryker.

The same strong jawline accentuated by perfectly sculpted facial features. Same sun-kissed skin that radiated vitality, making him look impossibly more beautiful.

The only difference was that while Ryker’s hair caressed his shoulders, this man’s hair was cut short on the sides with longer strands on top.

The man smirked, amused by my appraisal of his form, and even that slight gesture reminded me of Ryker.

Hadn’t Ryker said he was sending his brother to watch over me?

This had to be him. The resemblance was uncanny.

“Who are you?” I demanded as I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Did my brother not advise you of my impending arrival?”

He quirked a brow in challenge, and godsdamn, he even sounded like Ryker.

Why that comforted me, I had no idea.

“He might have mentioned it,” I muttered.

The man chuckled. “Oh, Cadence. My brother sure has his work cut out for him with you, doesn’t he?”

“I distinctly recall telling your brother that I did not want, nor need, a babysitter.”

He clutched his palms over his heart and staggered backward until his back collided with the door.

“Cadence, you wound me!”

He slid down the wooden frame, landing in a heap on the floor.

“Please,” he panted. “I need your help.”

He stretched his arm out toward me, and for a moment, I thought he was truly having some kind of episode.

“I think I need mouth to mouth.”

An undignified snort escaped me before I could contain it, and he grinned.

“Nice try.”

“Wasn’t it, though?”

The man pushed himself up from the floor and offered me his hand.

“My name is Riordan,” he said. “The smarter, funnier, and more handsome of the Unseelie Princes,” he added with a wink.

I chuckled at his antics despite myself and placed my palm in his.

“It’s nice to meet you, Riordan. I’m Cadence, but you already knew that.”

Riordan pulled my hand toward his lips and placed a soft kiss on my knuckles.

“For what it’s worth, my brother most certainly does not deserve a mate as splendid as you.”

---