Page 62 of Her Ruin

Rye.

Zayn’s right hand. His enforcer. His shadow.

He looked as put together as always—dark dress shirt, sleeves rolled up, watch gleaming on his wrist. Professional but dangerous.

Exactly like his boss.

I exhaled through my nose, willing my pulse to stay steady as I crossed my arms. “You lost, Rye?”

He smirked. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“What do you want?” I didn’t have time for whatever this was.

Rye tucked his hands into his pockets, shifting his weight like he had all the time in the world. “Zayn asked me to check in.”

I barely resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “I don’t need checking in on.”

His smirk deepened. “Funny. That’s what he said you’d say.”

I gritted my teeth. “Then why are you here?”

Unimpressed, Rye took a slow glance around the venue. “Busy, I see.”

“I don’t have time for games, Rye.”

He tilted his head slightly, amusement flickering across his face. “Then I’ll make it simple. You’re expected at Elixir tonight.”

I laughed. Actually laughed.

“Not happening.”

He shrugged. “Not my problem. Just delivering the message.”

I shook my head, already done with this conversation. “Tell Zayn I don’t take orders from him.”

Rye exhaled a quiet chuckle, not the least bit deterred. “Suit yourself. But he figured you might want to stop by on your own.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Why would I do that?”

He smiled, slow and knowing. “Because your friend is already planning on it.”

As if on cue, my phone rang, and he looked at me expectantly. I saw Sienna’s name, and dread coiled low in my belly. Hesitantly, I answered, and Sienna’s voice filled with excitement burst through. “You didn’t tell me you got an invite!”

I turned slowly as I watched Rye looking around, a smirk on his face. I could hear how animated she was, her excitement immediate and obvious, and I could envisage her almost bouncing with glee.

I shot Rye a glare. “You didn’t.”

He grinned, offering me a lazy two-finger salute before sauntering off toward the exit. Smug bastard.

I turned my attention to my friend. “You cannot be serious.”

I got a wail of excitement as an answer. “Oh, but I am. You’ve been holding out on me, Isla. I didn’t know you were on Elixir’s guest list like that.”

I groaned. “I’m really not.”

She gave me a pained groan. “Isla! I met Zayn earlier today. He told me all about how you had asked him for me to have a—what did he call it?” She hesitated. “A dry run for my bachelorette party.”

I might kill him.

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