Page 102 of The King of Hearts

Just the thought of it has me taking a step away from the priest. I turn to him and offer an apologetic smile. “My feet are killing me in these shoes. I’m barely surviving just standing here. I’m afraid dancing may do me in.”

He inclines his head. “Perhaps next time.”

I give a noncommittal nod, and thankfully, he leaves after that. Left alone, I finish my apple juice and set the glass down on a nearby table. I’ve never particularly liked apple juice before, but whatever brand this one is, it tastes yummy, so I go in search for some more. On my way, I stop and chat for a moment with Mom, Dad, and my brothers. Ashton James, the newest member of The Raven Group, is with them. He reminds me of Ryker in the way he doesn’t say much and seemingly prefers to stay in thebackground. The few words I heard him speak, his voice is deep and holds a gravelly edge. Almost like his normal tone is a light growl.

I’m just about to pass through the doorway when something catches my eye. Or rather, someone. When I recognize the person and see the black cast around his arm, my heart lurches. Before my brain can discern this may not be a good idea, I approach Braxton. He’s with a man I’ve never seen before, but as I come up to them, the unknown man walks away. I stop beside him, making sure to keep several feet of space between us. He looks over and gives me a lopsided smile.

“How are you?” I ask, looking over his face that still has some bruising. I don’t want to think about how bad he looked when the damage was fresh.

The last time I saw him was the night of the Sheppard Ball, but I’ve gotten updates about his condition from Bishop.

“Just peachy,” he replies. His words aren’t satirical, but I still wince.

“I’m so sorry for what happened to you.”

“What are you apologizing for?” he asks. “It wasn’t you who rearranged my face.”

It wasn’t, but it wasbecauseof me. I don’t know if he knows it was Ryker, and I’m not sure I should say anything.

“The man who attacked me was wearing a mask,” he comments. “It was matte black and had deep slashes across it.” He pauses and looks over at me. My heart thumps in my chest as I wait for him to continue. “I had no fucking clue what was going on or why it was happening. He never said a word as he beat my face in. It wasn’t until after he carved an X into my chest over my heart that he spoke for the first time and gave me his motive.”

I stay quiet, my hands shaking as I clutch them in the material of my dress. He looks away from me to across theroom. I follow his line of sight, and my eyes clash with Ryker’s. Instinctively, I move a step back from Braxton.

I’m still looking at Ryker when he continues. “His exact words were ‘Let this be a lesson. Touch my fiancée again, and the next time, I’m coming for this.’ He was referring to my heart, in case you didn’t catch that. I didn’t recognize his voice then, and I had no clue what ‘fiancée’ he was referring to. I didn’t know anyone who was getting married.” I drag my eyes away from Ryker when Braxton pauses. “But then I was told of your upcoming nuptials.”

Tears gather in my eyes, and I blink and pray them away. “I’m so sorry, Brax,” I whisper.

He looks like he wants to come toward me, but he holds himself in place. I want to go to him too, but like him, I don’t.

“I don’t blame you, Savina. It was that crazy motherfucker who did it. And the thing is, I can’t entirely fault him for it. You’re the type of woman men go batshit crazy over.” My brows slant down, not particularly liking the sound of that. He laughs at my expression. “I mean that in the best way possible. You’re perfect in all the ways a woman could be perfect, and a man would be insane to not do anything within his power to have you.”

I’m taken aback by his words. It almost sounds like he’s admitting he has feelings for me, but that would be crazy.

He must see the confusion on my face because his lips tip up at the corners. “There’s no hidden meaning behind my words. I haven’t been secretly pining after you. That would be like admitting that I’m in love with my sister and that’s fucking gross. I’m just stating facts.”

Instant relief loosens the band around my chest, and my shoulders sag a little. Again, the urge to go to him, to hug him, hits me, but I refrain.

The playfulness in his expression goes to the wayside, and his lips press flat, the look in his eyes turning serious.

“Bishop told me what happened and your decision to give in to his threats. I’m sure I’m in the line of many, but if Ryker so much as touches a hair on your head without your permission, I’ll make what he did to me look like child’s play. You only have to say the word.”

I’m grateful for his protectiveness, but it isn’t needed. No matter what happens between Ryker and me, no one will know about it. I won’t take the chance of him exposing our secrets. Or having whoever he’s told expose them.

“Thank you,” I tell him.

I watch as he walks away, a slight limp in his steps. My brain feels more fried than it was before. I can’t wait for this night to be over with.

His oceanic scent hits my senses first, and I swivel around just as Ryker comes up to me. He has a blank look on his face, and fear momentarily stops my heart from beating.

“You like tempting the fates of other people’s lives, don’t you, Vicious?” he remarks. His arm wraps around my waist, and I’m roughly tugged against his chest. “As innocent as you want people to believe you are, you’re anything but.”

I glare up at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” he dips his head and swipes his tongue across my mouth, “that you like to claim you don’t want to see Braxton hurt, but you seem to like to put him in the line of fire. Not to mention, Nathaniel Vaughn.”

My back goes stiff, and I pull my face away from his. “I was apologizing to Braxton for whatyoudid to him.”

Lines appear beside his eyes as they narrow. “Don’t ever apologize on my behalf. Especially if my actions have anything to do with you. Braxton is lucky I didn’t finish the job. Next time, he won’t have such luck.”

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