Page 59 of Bonded Chaos

Soon, I found myself relinquishing my burdens, and I relaxed into his embrace.

“There you go,” he said with approval.

I smiled up at him. “You’re a reasonable teacher.”

“Only Reasonable?”

I shrugged and then grinned as his brows furrowed.

“Oh, I see how it is, sweetheart,” Riordan teased.

I didn’t answer him, simply raising a brow in challenge.

“You’re taking advantage of me,” he said with complete seriousness.

Laughter burst from my lips, and a moment later, Riordan’s deep chuckle followed. He spun me around the room, his fingers interlaced with mine as his thumb gently brushed my skin.

With each step and graceful spin, I realized I was enjoying myself despite everything. The music built to a crescendo, and Riordan lowered me toward the ground, my back arching beneath his strong fingertips. He didn’t release me immediately when he brought me back up. Instead, he pulled me flush against his powerful frame as he pressed his lips to my ear.

“Are you ready for the grand finale, sweetheart?” he murmured, and an involuntary shiver wracked my body.

I had no idea what he was talking about, but when he slanted his mouth over mine, I found myself suddenly breathless.

Before Riordan’s lips could meet mine, a large shadow loomed over us. We both glanced toward it, only to be greeted by Ryker’s simmering rage.

“May I cut in, Brother?”

“I don’t know,” Riordan taunted him. “I was just about to get to know Cadence on a morepersonallevel.”

He turned to me and winked.

Ryker pulled his brother away from me before his large palm landed on my waist, and he gripped my hand in his.

“Have fun,” Riordan called as Ryker spun us into the middle of the dance floor.

“You’re playing with fire, Temptress,” he growled.

I glared back at him.

The gall of this man.

“Don’t you dare speak to me about playing games when you have a fucking fiancée, Ryker!”

“Is that jealousy I detect, Cadence?” he purred.

I opened my mouth to argue, but changed my mind.

“Fuck. You. Ryker.”

Before he could respond, I turned away from him and strode from the dance floor, leaving him behind.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Cadence

I fled toward the balcony, desperate to put as much distance between us as possible. He had the uncanny ability to set my world on fire before casually waltzing out, stomping on the ashes he left behind.

I forced myself to take a deep breath, needing to regain control of my emotions. It wasn’t as though I cared for Ryker. He’d kidnapped me from my home and refused to let me go, despite how much I begged and pleaded.

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