Part 8 (1/2)
Uh...wasn't that what being naked meant? I groaned, rubbing my fingers over my temples. Adam sat one booth away from where I'd sunk into a booth in the back of the club to lick my wounds alone. Ryder had followed me like a proud peac.o.c.k that was ruffling his feathers with his d.a.m.n contract.
”That is so none of your business,” I sneered not knowing what the h.e.l.l he meant, only that I didn't want to go down that road of discussion right now. I needed coffee, or tea. Anything with an insane amount of caffeine would be welcomed right about now.
I scanned through another section finding yet another thing I wasn't about to let happen. ”You want to pick my clothes? What the h.e.l.l is wrong with my clothes?”
His eyes took in my sleeveless top and sank lower as if he was sneering with disdain at my jeans. They were jeans for monkey b.u.t.t's sake! ”I have a certain reputation Synthia. I won't have it smeared with being shadowed by a child who wears the clothes of an immature teenager.”
”I'm wearing jeans, half the country wears them!” I cried p.i.s.sed that he was nitpicking everything about me.
”Don't worry. You can pick out your own panties...for now.”
I grumbled and continued to read, regretting being so hot headed and not reading before he'd taken my soul...if that is what he had done. I could still feel the heat boiling in my veins, but I had to determine if that was him or my anger.
”Why can't I date while in your employment?” I squeaked. What the h.e.l.l was up with his sudden interest in my personal life anyway? Did it matter who I dated, or what I wore?
”It's to protect my interest. Besides, with a mouth like yours I'm pretty sure you don't have men lining up at your door asking for a date.”
I glared while chewing on my bottom lip nervously. Okay, I really didn't have men lining up to date me, but as if I'd tell him that!? Oh h.e.l.l no. ”This is bulls.h.i.+t, we don't even know who we are after or if they will make an attempt for your bride anytime soon. It could be...like weeks before anything happens!”
His eyes just stared at me, like I was the most brainless woman on the West Coast. When he didn't say anything I continued. ”This is only good until I find who is after the princess right?” I babbled as my panic started to escalate.
”It's indefinite, or until I decide otherwise. I'm Fae, we like to own”-his eyes moved to my chest and back up to meet my eyes-”things.”
I swallowed down the urge to scream, it wouldn't help me now. I squirmed in my seat, my nails sinking into the expensive leather of the booth's seat. My stomach was pitching, my mind running wild with the knowledge of what I'd done. ”How long before I can be released from this contract?”
His eyes scanned me carefully. His lips growing taut as he considered it, but said nothing, just sat there and watched my reaction.
I'd tried to save my friends and in the process I'd lost my soul to him. If he wanted to f.u.c.k me, all he had to do was demand it! ”I can't do this. I can't.” I sputtered needing to get outside to get air. I was up and moving in the direction of the door before I had the words out from between my lips.
His hands dug into my flesh as he stopped me. I did the only thing I could think of, I threw a punch blindly which connected with his nose. Before I could even think ”Oops,” I was pinned against the far wall of the club by two hundred pounds of solid Fae pinning me there.
”Next time you touch me, I will punish you!” he roared.
My lips shook as my body followed suit, violently. The need to get outside was greater than the need to live, or breathe. I clawed against him, my feet trying to find the floor unsuccessfully. I was having a glorified panic attack.
As If this day couldn't get any worse, no I had to go have a panic attack in front of the Dark Fae. I knew the moment he sensed it, or guessed at what was happening, because his fingers went slack and he allowed me to slide down the wall. The moment my feet touched the ground I was gone.
The bouncers at the door both moved, opening the doors so I could get outside before I threw up all over their clubs s.h.i.+ny floors. Outside the air wouldn't fill my lungs fast enough. I'd been p.r.o.ne to panic attacks after the death of my parents, but it had been ten years since the last one happened.
”Syn, you okay?” Adam said with concern lighting in his green eyes as he followed closely behind me.
I shook my head forcefully. My stomach heaved as tears swam in my eyes. This wasn't f.u.c.king happening. Alden knew I was against anything pertaining to the Fae, I'd had so many a.s.signments that I had turned down without any hesitation because they'd included the Fae.
”Synthia, slow down. This isn't as bad as it sounds. He's trying to scare you,” Larissa said speaking low and calmly as she came into view. She must have been outside, or waiting for me.
Like she knew? She wasn't the one who'd just signed a b.l.o.o.d.y f.u.c.king contract that gave a Dark Fae the right to use her body as food! He could turn me into what my mother had become-someone willing to kill her own child! Stars burst behind my eyelids and I had the startling realization that I was going to pa.s.s out...right before someone caught me and everything turned black.
I awoke to the sound of water dripping. Hushed voices played across the room talking as if I wouldn't hear them.
”I don't know. She's never pa.s.sed out-ever.”
”Why didn't Guild disclose her previous history with the Fae before this?” Ryder's voice was angry and to the point.
”You would have to talk to Alden on that one. I only know that it took us over a year to get her to even speak after they found her. She was a mess, angry at everything. I was the only one who could get through to her-reach her wherever she'd gone inside her mind so to say. Later on she only let Larissa and Adrian in. She was a child, traumatized by your kind. The things she's seen...” Adam's voice filled with pain.
”Which neither I nor any of my people had anything to do with,” Ryder pointed out angrily.
I heard Adam's snort, felt his ire raise as he defended the child I'd been. It was why he was one of my best friends, always there for me. ”She was five man, five! Inside her mind you are all the same, because you're all what she fears most. She's so f.u.c.king terrified she had some j.a.c.k.-.o.f.f. tattoo a spell on her neck. There is one lesson they teach us at the Guild and that's to put the most valuable spell on your neck... and she wasted it, to protect herself against becoming what her mother-”
”Don't,” I whispered struggling to sit up.
I was not letting him give the Fae more weapons to use against me. Ryder stood with his back to the wall, his arms crossed against his ma.s.sive chest. Those golden eyes of his taking in my anger without so much as a single flinch. Adam however scratched his dark head and scuffed his feet at the floor like a child being berated for misbehaving.
”Where am I?” I asked softly realizing I was in a bed, a very big soft bed.
”We are in the clubs sub-levels. You pa.s.sed out,” Ryder said never taking those dangerous eyes from mine.
”I don't pa.s.s out,” I said obtusely.
”You did,” he replied with his lips jerking up into a wolfish grin.
”Whatever, are we done here? I need a shower,” I grumbled feeling dirty for being in any bed around him.
”You need to finish reading the contract. You stay with me until this is finished. Inside my estate,” Ryder growled his eyes daring me to challenge him.
I did the only thing I could-I challenged him.
”f.u.c.k that, I'm not staying alone with you-ever.” I folded my arms over my chest aiming for the most stubborn look I could make while sitting in an oversized bed of black silk.
His eyes took me in, raking heat up my body as he did so. I was up and out of the bed before he could comment. Only then did I notice I wasn't in my jeans and the black flimsy panties were not enough protection from Ryder, I doubted full armor would be enough to protect me against his eyes.
”Who the h.e.l.l stole my pants?” I barked jumping back into bed much to the amus.e.m.e.nt of the two men in the room.
Adam coughed and tilted his head in Ryder's direction. Ryder turned his head giving Adam a look that would make most men run and then growled low in his chest. Adam turned to leave me alone with him.
”Adam don't you dare!” I yelped but Adam was already at the door and only threw me a sheepish grin before he was gone.
”You think that boy could protect you from me?” Ryder inquired letting his arms drop to his side, he'd changed. His jeans rode low on his hips and the long sleeve white s.h.i.+rt was open far enough to expose his well-muscled chest and a peek of the tattoos he was covered in. As he stepped closer I realized he also was barefooted.
”Maybe,” I whispered trying to backpedal, this wasn't happening.
I watched as he stopped at the end of the opulent bed, it was big enough to fit seven bodies on, what the h.e.l.l was up with him and his orgy sized beds? He didn't get on the bed, instead his eyes raked over me slowly, intensely, hungrily. Chills crept down my spine, my mouth dried and the scream in my throat sat paralyzed on the verge of coming out.
”Get over it. You said you are not a victim. You came highly recommended for this job, if you're not useful for it...I will find something you are useful for,” his eyes lowered to my lips.