Forbidden (Blood Ties #7)

Riven just ducked his blow, clenching even tighter until the corded muscles in his arms stood out and the tendons in his neck strained, but never once taking his eyes from mine.

Until, with a choked hiss, the guard in his hold slumped.

I expected Riven to release him. But he didn’t. He clenched even tighter.

Until, at a sickeningcrunch,his lips curled, baring the true predator to me.

I held that stare, my heart booming in my chest.

He’d killed the guard for his brother.

But he’d fucking destroyed him for me.

Until, finally, he let go.

The guard’s body tumbled sideways to the floor, the head rolling unnaturally.

“No one touches what’s mine.” Riven’s tone was chilling. “And you, Trouble, are mine.”

TWENTY-FIVE

Helene

You are mine.

One look into those merciless eyes and I knew it was the truth. He stepped over the splayed arms of the dead guard and held out his hand. Fear still trembled and made me hesitate for a second before I rushed forward, slamming against him.

Those murderous hands slid over my ruined shirt and tugged my bra back into place before they moved upward to grip my jaw. He tilted my head from side to side, his thumb gently brushing my throbbing lip. “Did he hurt you?”

I knew what he was asking.Had he raped me?

I shook my head, hating the way his face blurred. The Priest gave a sickening groan, drawing Riven’s gaze at the same time the door to the apartment slammed open and Kane lunged in. He hastily scanned the apartment before his gaze landed on us.

His hard breaths stopped suddenly as he saw the body of the guard, then he quickly stepped in and closed the door, instantly locking it.

Riven moved to The Priest as Thomas coughed and wheezed.

“What the fuck happened?” Kane demanded as he headed toward us. He jerked his gaze toward The Priest before it crept back to the guard’s body.

“He was going to hurt her,” The Priest gasped as he pushed upward, wincing as he touched his cheek, then glanced at the guard, grimacing at the angle of his neck. “Who the fuck is he?”

“One of Coulter’s men,” Riven answered. “Who had a hard-on for me, it seemed.”

“Fuck,”Kane barked as he turned to pace the living room. “What the hell do we do now?”

I stared at the dead asshole, my pulse racing. But I didn’t succumb to the fear, because all I could think of was Riven…Riven training the Daughters.

I heard you bitches take it all. You won’t fight when I fuck you…

I winced at the stabbing pain and snarled. “He…he thought I was one of them—a Daughter.”

“What?’ Riven snapped coldly.

I turned to him, searching those dark eyes before I checked his clothes. Had he started already? Had this interrupted him?

My stomach clenched as revulsion burned. The thought of his hands on them, even under these sickening circumstances, was enough to make me spin out of control. “He…” I turned back to the dead guard. “He thought I was a Daughter.”

Riven snarled, “Thehell you are.”