“How do I get it back, Nexi?” she pleaded, meeting my gaze.
“Don’t allow him to win and continue on with your life. Know you deserve to find that one man who adores you and treats your body as it should be treated.” As much as I wanted to tell her the man who would love her like no other was just a few steps away, I couldn’t.
Rynn smiled softly, the emptiest smile I’d ever seen. “What kind of life can I have now?”
Tears fell down my face as I searched for words that would comfort her, but there weren’t any. There wasn’t anything I could say that would make this better or make it right. What happened to her would be everlasting. All I could do was hug her and pray that Briggs had enough in him to heal her tormented soul.
Chapter Three
“Here, take this,” Briggs said to Rynn, handing her a pill and a glass of water. Apprehension flashed across her face. He smiled encouraging. “It will help you sleep, darlin’. It has been a rough day.”
She took the pill without hesitation, popped it in her mouth and downed it with the water in a split second. Couldn’t say I blamed her. This had been one hell of a day for her. Briggs took a seat in a chair next to the fireplace in her room. Rynn was tucked into a glorious looking bed, which looked inviting. Thankfully, she opted for a room tonight instead of the gross bear rug.
“You’re going to stay with me?” she asked me, her voice shook and she looked slightly frantic.
I nodded. “When you wake up, I’ll be right beside you.” I avoided telling her the whole truth. I desperately wanted to spend some time with Kyden, and mentally kissed Briggs for giving her the sleeping pill that would allow me to leave her side for a little while. I sat down next to her and held her hand. “Just rest, Rynn.”
She smiled softly, then shut her eyes. Within minutes, she drifted away. I slowly removed my hand from hers and held my breath, hoping the movement didn’t wake her. When I laid her hand back down, I stayed a moment just to make sure she was fast asleep.
Moments later, I knew it was safe—she was dead to the world. I stood and headed over to Briggs, his gaze locked on Rynn. “So, she’s your mate?” I whispered.
He raised his gaze to mine and smiled. “I’d never thought I’d find her, and look, there she is.”
I hugged him and his arms came tight around me. “I’m so happy for you, Briggs. She is such a doll.” I leaned back to meet his eyes, which instantly went straight back to her.
“She is lovely,” he stated. Then, he looked back at me. “I cannot thank you enough for what you have done to help her.”
I laughed softly. “She is not hard to love, Briggs. To be honest, I think you’ll do the most to help her.”
His face darkened, the sound of his teeth grinding together was loud. “It grieves me to know how she has been mistreated.” Then, his expression changed to one of pure possession. “I will make this right—if it is my only job in life.”
I kissed his cheek, a little scruff burned my lips. “I know you will. She is lucky to have you.” He smiled softly at that. “Listen, I’ll be back.”
“Go on,” he said, nodded toward the door. “She’ll be out for a good eight hours.”
With one last look at Rynn sleeping soundly, I headed for the door, opened it, then shut it quietly behind me. My body pressed up against it as I leaned my head back on it. What a day. I gave myself a second just to take it all in, tried to sort through the millions of emotions filtering through me.
A scuffle down the hall dragged me from my thoughts. I lowered my head to find Kyden striding toward me looking about as damn delicious as I’d ever seen him. He wore his devilish grin that always sent desire flickering through my stomach as I sighed in complete bliss that he was all mine. “Is she alright?”
“She is.” I nodded. “Briggs is with her now.” I stepped away from the door and began to walk toward him.
Halfway down the hall, we collided and he whisked me off my feet, taking me into a kiss of a lifetime. His lips crushed mine in a way that was not appropriate for watchful eyes. My mouth parted as his tongue licked along my bottom lip to ask permission. When I granted his request, our mouths synchronized together in nothing less than a mind-blowing embrace. His body came tight against mine as he held me close to him, pressing his hand into my lower back. A hard, warm body and male musky scent…simply heaven.
When he pulled back, his hunger ruminated off him with such force that I melted into him. My desire matched his. I needed him, craved to touch him and to be stroked in return. To feel adored in the midst of all this misery.
“I have a surprise for you,” he said sheepishly.
My desire plummeted, annoyance heated my blood. “When will you quit with the surprises? You know I hate them.”
His brow arched, his grin playful. “Most enjoy the sense of romance.”
“Romance shomance.” I waved dismissingly. “I just want to hear good old facts before I get dragged off to something.”
He let out a loud sharp bark of laughter and took my hand. “Come on, Álainn.” He dragged me behind him as we headed down the hall.
Just as we passed the sitting room, Isla gave me a little wave. I was very glad she didn’t come after me. Earlier, she’d drilled me relentlessly while we played a thousand questions. When I offered to see her, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Rynn seemed to enjoy it the most—the spotlight was off her. For that reason alone, I played along.
At the front door, Kyden grabbed the handle, pulled it open and dragged me through. The moment we were outside, I froze. “You have got to be out of your mind!”
“Scared are you?” Kyden’s voice was amused.
“Yes. I am scared—very, very scared,” I replied, staring at the white stallion Kyden had been so enthralled with earlier.
“He is gentle.” He dropped my hand, walked toward the horse. “You have nothing to fear from him.” He gave the horse’s face a rub and the horse let out a deep snort at the contact.
“I am not getting up there, Kyden.”
He chuckled under his breath, and in a smooth move, launched himself onto the horse’s back. He leaned back a bit, patting in front of him. “Come on, this spot is yours.”
“What part of, I am not getting up there, don’t you understand?” I said with a stomp of my foot. I’d never ridden a horse in my life. It wasn’t the riding part that scared me—it was the falling off part that had my knees shaking.
Kyden reached down, stroked the horse’s neck. “He will not hurt you. Nor will I. Now come on.”
Arguing was useless. Kyden was as determined as I was. He wanted this, therefore if I didn’t give in, we’d stand here until I did. Instead of drawing out the fact that I was eventually going to let him win, I focused on the fact that I did trust him. He would never let anything hurt me. I took a few hesitant steps forward and he reached down to me. After his hand closed around mine, he pulled me up to sit in front of him. He moved up closer, cradling his body tight against mine and grabbed the reins.
A second later, the horse was galloping at full speed and I was screaming bloody murder. I gripped the horse’s mane in dire hope that I wouldn’t do a face-plant in the dirt. “Jeessuusss…” I screamed.
Kyden laughed loudly. “Enjoy this. Relax, I’ve got you.”
As if that was going to happen.
We ran and ran. The wind whipped past us quickly. It wasn’t long before I realized just how incredible this was. The strength that came from the horse was marvelous. It was an honor that this magnificent beast would allow us to ride on him—when he could easily squish me into nothing. Resolved, I sank back into Kyden and released the horse’s mane.
The air whipped through my hair as we rushed forward. The further we ran, the more comfortable I began to feel. It was inevitable that I would enjoy this. I laughed like a kid on Halloween examining all their candy.
After some time, he slowed. The gallop was a much easier ride. When he began to trot, I was bouncing around like popcorn being popped. “Oh…God.” I laughed, grabbing the horse’s mane again.
“Whoa.” Kyden’s voice came out deep and smooth. The horse instantly complied and came to a dead halt. He scooted back, swiftly hopped off, then reached up to pull me off.
“Thank God, the ground.” Though I enjoyed the ride, I knelt down and touched the ground, happy I survived. The horse neighed something very close to laughter and Kyden chuckled right along with him. After a couple more thank you Gods, I finally glanced up. “Where are we?”
Before Kyden answered, the horse shimmied. In a blink of an eye, one hunk of a man, completely clothed in jeans and a cotton t-shirt stood in front of me. He was a large and made Kyden look small—a nearly impossible thing. He had long platinum hair that looked very similar to his mane in horse form. Most definitely, he would be defined as a man’s-man. “Fuck,” I gasped, shocked beyond belief. “You’re a Were?”
He nodded, thoroughly amused. “I am Atticus.”