Forbidden (Blood Ties #7)

She pulled on her red lingerie and turned around. There was an emptiness in her eyes. One that hit me like a punch to the balls.You fucking asshole.I looked away, tucked in my cock, and headed for the door.

Coulter had wanted a show, and he’d gotten one.

We’d played pretend and now it came down to getting Helene to Hale. Everything hinged on that, regardless of my heart.

Movement drew my gaze as Helene stepped toward the door and waited. She didn’t look at me anymore. Not that I blamed her. I grabbed my card and headed for the door, leaving the light on. I’d return later and check the results from the other Daughters for today.

“Let’s get you back to your room.” I reached out, unlocked the door, and waited for her to walk out.

She never said a word, nor did she look my way, just headed through the viewing room and out into the hallway. But she didn’t need to, because my head was already spinning.

We reached the hallway to her room and turned the corner. Walker’s man looked our way, armed with a sniper rifle as he stood guard. I stepped forward, unlocked her door, and waited until she stepped in before closing it.

She turned at the last minute, finding me in the glass panel of the door. Pain and confusion raged in her expression before she turned away.

“Do not leave this room.” I murmured, then slowly glanced at Walker’s guard. “For any reason. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal.” He glanced toward the room. “Don’t worry, my instructions are every clear.”

One look my way and I knew. He was well aware of the battle that raged…and more than that, how important Helene was. That ache filled my chest, rippling out like poison, one I gladly swallowed.

“Good.” My voice was husky. “Call me instantly if there’s a problem.”

“Will do.” He answered as I turned. “Right after I call The Principal.”

My step faltered before I forced myself to move. Of course, they’d call Riven first. It was always Riven. Not once had I ever cared about that—I clenched my jaw and slammed the card against the scanner—until now.

Now I cared a great deal.

That ache in my chest grew talons, puncturing all the way into my heart. I winced and slammed my fist against the crushing agony, but it wouldn’t stop. If anything, it grew bolder. The lights overhead turned neon white, buzzing and brightening.

Fuck.I winced, scanning the hallway, to see movement from Coulter’s guards in the distance. I needed to get out of here, I needed toget out.

I stumbled toward the external door and thrust my card against the scanner before I lurched out. Cold night air washed over me, plunging in deep with every gasping breath.

I headed for the safety of the trees, my boots crunching on the gravel until I met the grass. What the fuck was happening to me?What…the…fuck—

“I need you to keep this quiet.”

The words reached me through the trees. I lifted my head, scanning the darkness as I waited for my eyes to adjust to the gloom.

“They don’t know we found Marks. So we do what Coulter said and keep it quiet.”

Marks?

The name resounded…until the icy grip of fear clenched tight.

The body.

They’d found it.

The ground seemed to fall out from under my feet.

“And whatever we do…we keep those Cruz bastards in our sights.”

The shadowy figures shifted. One turned his head, scanning the trees near where I stood. My heart lunged as I waited for him to see me, but he didn’t. Instead, he turned back to the other, said something else I couldn’t quite catch before they walked away.

They’d found the body?