Page 183 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue
My sigh filled it. “Ryker–”
“Hearing my name come out of your mouth isn’t helping, Allie.”
I ignored the flutters in my stomach. “Then what will?”
His arms tensed. “Can your Protectorate powers turn back time?”
“If I did, my father would be standing here.” My heart trembled with that same pain. It hadn’t lessened, but maybe releasing it, day by day, word by word, would do it.
In time.
Ryker sighed once more, the sound draining me as much as him. It was strange, how attuned I’d become to his emotions and him to mine. But I couldn't pull at that particular thread, not yet, too afraid of what it might reveal when it would unravel.
I wasn’t too afraid to face Ryker as I felt him burrowing deeper into a grim pit, though.
Just like he’d done for me.
I stuck out my hip and placed a hand on it, just like a Vegheara brat. “You want me to start guessing? We both know this mind of mine will get the answer eventually.”
He released another sudden laugh, which seemed ripped from his very essence.
Ryker leaned his head against the doorframe, looking at me with half-hooded lids that would have surely made me stutter if I wasn’t so curious.
“Damn you,” he muttered, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. “Damn you for making me laugh when all I want is to rip Clans apart with my bare hands. Damn you for bursting into my life, driving me mad and wild, making me worry about you and want to protect you. But, most of all, damn you for making me want to do things I swore I never would.”
Me? Damn him for making my heart leap with one smoldering look and a few words. But, gods, those were good words.
“Curse and flattery won’t solve this,” I said, voice more wispy than I would have liked.
“No, but it needed to be said.” He straightened from the wall and I thought I’d finally be free of ignoring his bulging arms. Just for a moment. But the bastard instead hooked his hands on the top of the doorframe, his entire body on display. His muscles tightened down his abdomen and that towel was holding onto his hips by an inch of fabric. “Are you done ogling me?”
My eyes snapped back to his. I hadn’t even noticed they’d traveled down his gorgeous, gorgeous body. The gods had really sculpted him well.
A vein of shame beat in my heart. Had I worn my attraction so plainly on my face?
Showing any soft emotions always got me in trouble. If people knew what you wanted, they could use it against you.
I gulped. “As soon as you stop putting yourself on display in the best angles.”
“Living with you will be absolutely thrilling.”
“Then start talking if you want to keep on living. And stop trying to distract me.” I took another step toward him, so close that his breath ghosted my forehead and sent evenmoretingles down my spine. “What’s going on, Ryker?”
His jaw ticked.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then he whirled around, bowed his head, twined his fingers against the back of his neck, and delved deeper into that blasted room of his.
Just like that.
Leaving me open mouth, confused, and–honestly–offended.
“Hey, you don’t turn your back on me.” I rushed to the doorway and grabbed hold of the wood to keep from running after him. “Don’t think you can just end a conversation when you feel like it and run into your room–”
