Page 33 of Hell's Storm

I take him in for a moment. He's been in the same clothes since this morning, short pink hair a bit crazier than before, but a neat crazy. He has bags under his eyes, and I feel bad about questioning him. He watches me, making me tighten the towel around me. “How long were you two together?”

“A year. We met in school.”

“And she just left one day.”

He nods, looking down. “One day, she was good, and the next, she was gone. I waited a month before I worried. She would always leave for weeks on end.”

“What was she doing?”

He shrugs. “I didn’t like to think about it. Sleeping with other people? Training to kill… I don’t know. I was young when we dated. I thought I was supposed to be treated like shit.”

My shoulders sag. “She mistreated you?”

He sighs. “She used me a lot for the money and had anger issues. No matter what I did, she was mad at me.”

“I’m sorry. That sucks.” I suck my bottom lip, feeling wrong about why I’m mad at him.

He nods. “Took me years to be myself again. Part of me felt bad because I felt relieved, she was gone. Now to realize she just left me kind of hurts. Now, thoughts are back... that you are going to leave me and—”

“No.I just… She killed my family. I thought you were protecting her.”

Ryker shakes his head, hair falling against his forehead. “I’ll kill her my damn self if I get the chance again. My father is hunting her down for the sake of us and you. That’s where I’ve been, trying to use my powers to find her, to bring her down before she hurts anyone else.”

I look down. “Thank you, Ryker. I guess I was just scared you still loved her.”

He shakes his head. “Just shocked. That’s all. I have no feelings in that regard towards her. I don’t think I ever truly loved her. I was young and wanted to not be alone… She left me at a hard point, and I had to pick myself up from everything.”

I get to my knees and crawl to him, touching his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Ryk.”

He smiles, leaning into my hand. “Thank you.”

Silence fills the room, but I still have questions. “So, King, huh?”

He chuckles. “Not yet. Not ever. I didn’t take the throne.”

“Why not?”

He shrugs. “I am good at being a Soul Reaper. I want to be that.”

“You can’t be both?”

He shakes his head, looking down and taking my hand. His fingers swirl around the Flame on my hand. “My father would never allow it. He’s finding someone else to take the crown, and I’m happy with that.”

I nod. He has his reasons, even if it’s just that. He looks exhausted, so I think that’s enough questions for the night. “Can you stay? the night”

Ryker stands, chuckling as he begins unbuttoning his shirt. “Of course. It’s my room.”

I cock a brow. “This is your room? With all the plants?”

He shrugs. “I like plants. Is that a crime now, Queen?”

“For you? Yes.”

He chuckles, climbing into the bed with me and wrapping himself around me. Wiggling free, I take off the towel and drop it before blowing out a candle.

He lets out a moan. “Should I get naked too?”

“Yeah… but you aren’t getting anything.”

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