Forbidden (Blood Ties #7)

“And if we’re forced to take over, what then?” Kane stepped closer. “Will you give us the same…” he glanced at Thomas, then turned back. “Devotion.”

I swallowed hard.

“It’s not just one, Trouble,” Riven urged, his voice husky. “Think carefully before you commit to this. It has to be all three of us and it won’t just be sex, either. There’s mind control, faith control. We will take the person you think you are and bend you to our will. Are you prepared for that?”

I tried to catch my breath, meeting every gaze.

It wasn’t just my sisters’ lives on the line here. It was mine. My existence. My sanity. I met Riven’s intense stare…my heart too. Because no matter how terrifying this was…I wanted him. “Yes,” I answered. “I’m prepared for that.”

In the corner of my eye, Kane’s lips quirked.

“The mind control we have is hard,” Riven warned.

I met that debased look of hunger in Doctor Cruz’s stare. He was about to finally get what he’d wanted all along…me. “Then I guess it’s lucky I have the best doctor to take care of me.”

That smile grew wider.

“What do we do with him?” Thomas croaked, rubbing his cheek with one hand as he gestured at the body with the other.

The body stood in the way of all this.

“The woods,” Riven answered. “We hide the body, then at the first opportunity, we get it out.”

“And how do you suggest we do that?” Thomas muttered. “It’s not like we can roll it up in a rug and stuff it in the trunk of the car.”

Riven gave a snarl and instantly the tension between us changed. We were no longer fighting to figure out a plan. We now had one to execute. I glanced back at the body. If there was anything Riven did well, it was that.

“Let me go out and make sure it’s all clear.” Thomas headed for the external door.

“Wait,” I said, stopping them cold. They all turned to me. “We have one slight problem.”

“And what’s that?” Riven asked.

“If we need me to be a Daughter, that means I have to take someone’s place.”

“Or we alter the books,” Kane offered, turning to Riven. “Can we do that? Add another asset?”

My gut clenched with that word.Asset.

“If that bastard doesn’t have it locked down, we could try.”

“The Hunter?” Thomas offered. “He could do it.”

“I haven’t contacted him in days.”

Kane gave a nod. “Then do so, brother. Time is running out.”

Riven met my gaze, then turned away, pulled his cell from his pocket, and started typing.

“Let’s do this.” Thomas limped carefully toward the external door, hit the lock, and carefully pushed it open.

Daylight streamed in, along with the heady scent of the forest. I took a step closer, drawn by the allure of freedom.

“Okay,” Riven muttered. “It’s done.”

“He’s hacked it already?” I asked.

Riven just shook his head. “No. I message and we wait.”