Forbidden (Blood Ties #7)

The thought of that made my pulse race. I leaned closer, whispering against her ear. “You should’ve said yes out there. You could’ve seen me in a much better light.”

“A false one,” she whispered back. “So, who’s the liar now?”

I just smiled.

Beep.

I lifted my cell and glanced at the screen.

Riven: Get the fuck out of there NOW. They’re on the way.

I jerked my gaze up, scanned the room for any evidence she’d been here, and grabbed her arm. “We’re leaving.”

She resisted, pulling her arm out of my grasp. “Where?”

I stopped, seeing the panic in her eyes. “There’re men coming who you don’t want to meet. Understand?”

She swallowed, glanced at the door, then nodded.

I dragged her out of the unlocked door and glanced back along the way I’d come. Movement came through the glass section of the doors. There were men headed our way, and fast.

“This way.” I pulled her with me, heading to the opposite side of the hall and toward an exit we rarely used. The door had barely closed with aclunkbehind us before the sound of doors opening on the other side came. I held the door, leaned close, and strained to hear.

Deep voices murmured, never missing a beat.

They hadn’t heard us.

I turned, grabbed her, and pushed her past the cleaning closet to the exit door. My pulse was booming by the time we stepped out into the howling winds of the night. She stumbled backwards, wrapping her arms around herself.

Cold wormed its way under the rolled sleeves of my shirt. I glanced at her t-shirt and jeans, knowing she must be freezing.

“Come on,” I murmured, motioning her forward.

She glanced at the trees. I could almost see her weighing up her chance. Should she make a run for it? Would she make it? Would I let her go? I was intrigued, even more so when she turned away from the hope of escape and instead started walking, heading along the outside of the building.

She didn’t run.

I scowled, listening to the bark of hounds in the distance. Maybe she’d heard them before I had. Yeah, that could be it. She didn’t want to take the risk. Instead, she’d taken the biggest risk of all…putting her life in our hands.

We walked around the far corner of the building and stopped at the external entrance to our private wing. I stepped up, pressed my card against the scanner, and opened the door, gesturing for her to slip inside. Warmth hit us instantly.

I shivered, quietly closing the door behind us as she looked around. “What is this place?”

“Our private living quarters.”

She turned around. “Yours and Riven’s?”

I glanced toward the darkened doorway where our brother slept. “And our brother, Thomas.”

She followed my focus, scowling. I took a step toward her and she moved instantly, shifting her gaze back to me and taking a step backwards until she hit the door.

“Do you want to survive this?” I murmured, lifting my hand to brace against the wall beside her. I searched those dark eyes.

“Yes.”

It was the answer I needed, the one which provoked me to move. I reached up and cupped her breast in a cruel grip. She winced for a second before her breath caught. “How far are you willing to go?”

Her chin lifted as I lowered my head and nuzzled the side of her neck, her warmth so perfect against the palm of my hand.