Forbidden (Blood Ties #7)

Until reality took hold, forcing me to pull away.

“Riven,” she whispered as I rolled away and pushed upwards.

I sat on the side of the bed, watching the soft spill of sunlight creep closer and hating every second of the things I’d have to do today. Cold gripped me as I rose, letting the sheet fall from around my body. The bed moved as she pushed upward. I knew every move she made, every catch of her breath, every stare of those dark, haunting eyes. But I couldn’t meet them. Not today.

I opened my bedroom door and walked out, heading to the bathroom I shared with my brothers. I winced as the glaring lights bounced off the crisp white tiles. One glance into the mirror and I looked away.

My eyes were bloodshot and felt grainy. I looked like hell. And I felt every bit of it.

The hiss of the shower came as I hit the faucets. I stepped in, letting the hot water carry me away before I reached for the bodywash. By the time I was done, I was a different person, stony and unfeeling. I stepped out and toweled myself dry. There were no longer bloodshot eyes and a tortured stare in the mirror. There was justnothing.

Gone was the man.

Now there was only The Principal.

I cast my towel aside and made my way into the bedroom, where she was waiting. I didn’t look at her as she sat on the side of the bed, dressed in yesterday’s clothes. Instead, I headed for the walk-in closet and grabbed boxers, navy slacks, and a black open-collared shirt before carefully selecting my belt, watch, and boots.

That was my armor.

My mask.

I dressed in silence, buttoning and zipping, then tugged on my boots. When I was dressed, I rose and stared down into her tortured eyes.

“You’re really going to go through with this?” she croaked.

Tears shimmered in her eyes.

I turned away and headed for the door without saying a word. But inside I was howling in rage, beating bloody fists against the cage around my heart. Hard breaths only pushed me closer to the edge, my frantic pulse nearly out of control.

Footsteps came behind me.

I spun, to find Kane heading toward me.

Showered and dressed, the same empty stare in those green eyes which I’d seen in mine.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” he asked.

Movement behind him drew my gaze. Helene moved closer, slipping around him.

“No,” I answered, and stepped toward the cupboard to grab the cuffs. “Helene.” I turned to her, hating the cold, unfeeling tone in my voice. “Can’t have you sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong now, can we? Not now that we knowwhoyou are.”

She flinched at the words. Her damn lip trembled. I looked away at the sight.

“Fuck you,” she hissed.

I gave a nod.Fuck me, indeed.

She didn’t even fight, just strode to the heater and spun, glaring at me as she sank to the floor and lifted her arms. I cuffed her without meeting her gaze.

The moment my back was turned, she muttered, “Gutless bastard.”

I hesitated, flinching, hating the way she could hurt me with words alone. I forced myself to move, leaving her and her hateful glare behind as I strode from the apartment alone. I slapped my card against the scanners, making my way to where the new shipment of Daughters was kept.

The closer I got, the more I felt the tension. The hairs on my arms stood on end as I rounded the corner of the corridor and stopped. Walker stood there, surrounded by almost all the permanent guards, all of them armed to the teeth, and glaring at the asshole who’d barged into me and Coulter’s other men.

“Walker.” I approached slowly, feeling the tension building with every second. “Everything okay here?”

“Just peachy,” Walker answered, not once looking away.