“Do you want to go back to prison?” he snapped.
He hadn’t intended for his voice to be so sharp, but he was just so gods-damneddone.He used to have the patience of a saint, but that seemed to have vanished on their disastrous wedding night.
“Obviously fucking not.” Her gaze was deadly. “They tortured me, Ryker.” She rolled up her sleeves, showing him the still-pink flesh of her wrists. “I’d rather die than return to that hellhole.”
“Then we are in agreement,” he snarled.
His magic was a storm as he struggled to remain in control. He’d never been so close to losing his grip on his power as he was in that moment.
“There are only two options. Two paths you can take. That’s it. This isyourdoing. It’s called a fucking consequence. Deal with it.”
Fire flashed through her eyes. “I’m not a child. I know what consequences are.”
She snarled.
“Good. Then make up your mind. Will it be prison, or will you help find out what the fuck Jelisette is doing with the Black Night?This is it. I have nothing else. There isn’t another option, nor do you have anyone else you can deceive and betray.” Ryker knew he was all she had, and gods help him if that didn’t make him feel horrible. “Decide.”
Everything between them always came down to choices. It was a fucking cosmic joke.
After what felt like a lifetime, she held out her wrist, and snapped.
“Fine, I’ll do it.”
Thank all the gods. Neither choice was good, but this was the better path.
Exhaling a sigh of relief, Ryker slid the bracelet onto her wrist. He was careful not to touch her skin as he shut the clasp.
Blue sparks rose, the air crackled, and the bracelet fused together.
An accusatory glare that would’ve killed a lesser man crossed her face.
“What the fuck was that?”
“The bracelet is enchanted,” he informed her. “You can’t take it off. No matter where you go in the Republic of Balance, I’ll be able to find you. This is not up for debate. It was part of the deal I made for you.”
Myrrah had insisted upon it. To say that Brynleigh was a flight risk was a damned understatement.
“I see.” Somehow, her voice was even harder than before. “Are we done here?”
She looked at him like she hated him, like she wasn’t the one who had tried to kill him, and his insides twisted into knots.
Ryker still couldn’t believe this was happening, still couldn’t believethiswas their life.
So much for fucking happily ever after. How could he have ever thought they’d get a fairy tale ending to their story? He’d been a fool.
Happy endings were for people whose relationships weren’t built on a foundation of murder, lies, and deception.
Drained by this entire conversation, he raked his hands through his hair and sighed.
“Yes. We’re done.”
Everything else could wait.
“Thank Isvana.” She rose to her feet, a tremor still present in her legs.
Ryker forced himself not to notice the shaking in her hands, the paleness of her skin, or the bruises that still bloomed on her flesh.
He remained seated as she made her way to the bedroom, waiting until he heard the shower running before rising to his feet.