‘Did he give you a name, or am I to guess?’ He knew from the smug grin on Sion’s face that he found pleasure in catching Will off-guard.
‘Ryker.’ His smirk vanished as he watched the change that came over Will, his voice instantly more accommodating. ‘Should I ask him to leave, Prince?’
‘No,’ Will growled. ‘Show me to him.’
By the time Will made it to the private gathering room – a small circular library of sorts – his rage had grown into something visceral. The door had barely closed behind him before he had Ryker in his grasp. His fingers closed over the boy’s vest as he shoved him into one of the leather chairs before the bookcase.
‘Have you lost your fucking mind?’ he snarled. ‘What the hells are you doing here?’ Ryker struggled against his hold, but Will kept him pinned, willing himself to breathe so he didn’t kill him on the spot.
‘I came to tell you to stay away from Lorna,’ Ryker growled.
Will shoved him once more for good measure before stepping away.
‘Feeling territorial, Ryker?’
‘It’s too dangerous.’
Will whirled. ‘Do not talk to me about danger when you show up here. I should turn you in, you piece of shit.’ The king would be looking for any opportunity to suspect Will of Helene’s abduction. At least Ryker had been wise enough to cover his damn tattoo.
Ryker blinked up at him, letting his surprise show only for a moment. ‘Being a member of the Bellare isn’t against the law.’
‘But kidnapping the daughter of a councilor is.’
Ryker’s lips tightened, his fists clenching at his side. ‘You should check your information,Prince.That had nothing to do with us. I’ll gladly pass that along to the general if it will aid in his search. We have no need to abduct those we try to protect. The Lavignes are human.’
It changed nothing. Because Ryker was here, and if he was lying, and the Bellarewasinvolved …
‘You could get us killed.’
Ryker’s brows rose. ‘Us?’ He leaned back in his chair, a contemplative look on his face. ‘This is about the woman at the club, isn’t it? Did you tell her how you know me?’
‘Leave it, Ryker,’ Will warned.
‘Who is she to you?’
‘None of your concern.’
Ryker’s sneer clouded Will’s vision with red.
‘I know that look,’ Ryker said. ‘It’s the same one my mates get when they grow overly fond of their whores.’
Every rational thought eddied from Will’s mind as he lunged for the rebel and sent them both crashing to the floor. He didn’t bother touching his power. No, he wanted tofeelRyker’s flesh bruise. He got in one hit, then another, and another, and then someone was shouting, and hands were on him, trying to yank him away from the bleeding boy on the ground.
‘What the hells are you doing?!’
Josie. It was Josie’s hands tugging on his arms, Josie’s shouts that had echoed through the room. Will immediately backed off Ryker, his breath coming in heaving pants. Ryker rolled to his side, spitting a mouthful of blood as he groaned. More blood streamed from his nose, his lip swollen and split in two. But he looked triumphant as he stared at Will, red coating his teeth as he grinned. ‘Typical of you,’ he wheezed. He grimaced as he stood, his body stooped. ‘Always showing exactly where to hit you hardest.’
Will made for Ryker again, but Josie flung out her arm, stopping him dead. ‘Leave before I have you removed,’ Josie ordered Ryker, her voice a mere growl.
The boy kept his mouth shut as he bowed, giving Will one final smirk before he limped out of the room.
Josie gave Will the courtesy of three seconds to gatherhimself before she whirled on him, her brown eyes bright with anger. ‘Don’t you think we have enough going on without you getting into a godsdamn brawl?’
Will inhaled shakily. ‘I’m sorry.’ He sank into one of the seats, his hands rubbing his face. His cheek ached. Ryker must have landed a punch; one he hadn’t even noticed in his rage.
He felt raw – as if his shield had been obliterated, and he could feel everything at its highest frequency. This wasn’t like him. The Enforcer was not supposed to get riled, and certainly not by something like a petty squabble. But Aya slipping under his shield had loosened something in him.
‘Who is he?’ Josie asked, the edge in her voice gone. He heard her settle into the chair next to him.
