“Nik?” River’s voice was as broken as she felt inside. “I need you.”
CHAPTER 15
You Can Always Call Me
Nikhail made it to the farmhouse in record time. His heart had started racing the moment he heard the panic in River’s voice, and he’d been in his car before the call ended. He peeled out of the driveway of Waterborn House, having just finished his shift protecting the Representative.
It had been a quiet night and, up until River’s call, a rather calm one. Nikhail had kept himself busy, messaging with his team about the phone he’d found at Representative Gaveston’s house. His team had managed to turn the phone on—a miracle in itself—but they hadn’t unlocked it. Yet.
Nikhail was confident they’d soon be able to access the phone and the information it contained.
That was a problem for later, though. Right now, all he could think about was River. She needed him.
Gravel crunched under the tires as Nikhail pulled up the driveway to the farmhouse. His heart lodged in his chest as he took in the scene awaiting him. His magic strummed anxiously in his veins.
River was sitting on the steps leading up to the wraparound porch. She had a blanket around her shoulders, and she was wearing slippers. More importantly, she wastrembling.
He was halfway down the driveway when River jumped to her feet and ran toward his car. Nikhail barely had the time to hit the brakes before she reached him. He put the car into park and cut the engine, opening his door.
River threw herself at him with a cry that had Nikhail’s heart wrenching. He wrapped his arms around her, relishing the feel of her pressed against him. There was a gentle hum in his soul, arightnessthat settled the longer they touched.
“You came,” she murmured against his chest, her voice muffled.
Nikhail pulled back. “Of course. You called.”
River drew in a shaky breath. He brushed his thumb under her chin and kissed her gently. He’d never appreciated the luxury of being able to kiss someone out in the open before, but after spending so long hiding what he and River had, Nikhail would never take it for granted again.
River let out a soft sigh as he pulled away. It reverberated in the depths of Nikhail’s being.
“What happened?” he asked. “You sounded so upset on the phone.”
Even now, streaks of dried tears trailed down River’s face. Her eyes were puffy, and her nose was red.
Nikhail’s chest constricted. A knot formed in his throat, and he held River closer. He hated that she’d been crying and wanted to wipe away her pain. Hadn’t she already been through enough? She didn’t deserve to keep getting hurt.
River’s lips tugged down. “This morning when I came downstairs, I heard?—”
The front door opened, and Ryker bolted onto the porch. He was in shambles, the likes of which Nikhail hadn’t seen since theday after the captain removed his wife from The Pit. His hair was askew, and there was a grey tinge to his skin that was utterly unnatural.
A flicker of movement in the front window caught Nikhail’s eye. Brynleigh stood behind the sun-safe glass, looking out. Her arms were crossed, and she was frowning.
What was going on?
“River, please.” Desperation tinged Ryker’s voice as he drew closer, unmistakable torment on his face. “We need to talk about this.”
River stiffened, and the tension racing through her body caused Nikhail’s to tighten. His magic battered against the confines of his veins, yearning to protect River against whatever was going on.
“What more is there to talk about?” River asked after several strained, silent moments had passed. “Are there any other secrets you’ve been keeping from me?”
“No. It’s not like that,” Ryker said desperately.
“It’s not?” River raised a brow. “That’s how it feels to me. You knew this whole time, Ryker. You knew, and you didn’t tell me. By your own admission, you avoided telling me the truth for years! That is the fucking definition of a secret,brother.”
“I did this to protect you!” Ryker shouted, and River shrank further against Nikhail. He scrubbed a hand over his face, contrition tightening his features. “Fuck. Sorry, River. I didn’t mean…”
“To lie to me?”
“No. Fuck! I mean... I was just trying to keep you from getting hurt.”