She reached for it, swaying with her hangover, and almost dropped the damn thing at the realization it might be her father calling. But then she saw Odette’s name on the screen.
Odette.
How could she have forgotten Odette in all this?Stupid, stupid!She answered, turning from the wretched sight of Roark. Echo shuddered. “Hey, little darling.” Her voice sounded croaky even to her ears.
Her sister’s voice was not only a balm to her pain, but a big reality check. “Where have you been? I’ve been calling for two days!”
Remorse filled her.
How could she forget Odette?
So selfish. “I’m sorry. I’ve been working on something for … Father.” It was difficult to call him that now. Although she’dalways known she was adopted by William “the Bloody” Payne, she’d thought his actions benevolent. He was her hero. She hadn’t realized the reason she’d needed adoption in the first place was because he was a cruel psychopath.
How many people in The Garm knew what he’d done to her?
“Oh. Well … okay, then.” Odette sighed. “I just really needed to talk about something.”
“I’m sorry.” The hair on Echo’s nape rose again, and she turned her head slowly. Her eyes met the black of Roark’s. He smirked and reached out to draw his finger across her nipple.
Enraged, Echo swatted his hand away, and he burst out laughing.
“Who is that?” Odette asked, having heard.
“No one.” Echo glowered at Roark in warning. “Can I call you back? I won’t be long, I promise.”
Her sister heaved another heavy sigh. “Okay.”
Echo hung up and moved to get off the bed.
Roark wrapped a hand around her wrist to stop her.
Despite the fact she’d only been a vampire for six years and he for forty, Echo broke his hold with ease. She was strong for a young vampire. This had pleased her fath—William—very much.
Disgusted with William, with herself, and always with Roark, Echo got off the bed and searched the room for her clothes.
“You can’t leave,” Roark said, his voice husky. “The sun hasn’t set yet.”
Echo’s back straightened at the reminder, and she glared at the window. It was fitted with state-of-the-art blackout blinds, much like the ones in her own apartment. For six years, she’d told herself William loved her, that turning her was a gift she should be grateful for. Echo had buried her grief over losing the daylight. At knowing she’d never watch a sunrise again or close her eyes and turn her face toward the sun to feel its warmth on her skin.
Now she knew the truth.
William had stoleneverythingfrom her.
He’d trapped her in this hellish, eternal night.
And she was going to make him pay for it.
But first … she needed to make sure he never got the chance to do what he’d done to her, to Odette.
Odette.
She was the bucket of ice-cold water Echo needed to pull herself out of her pity spiral.
Though he made no sound, she sensed Roark cross the room seconds before his arms slid around her waist. He jerked her against his hard, naked body and pulled her hair aside so he could glide his tongue up her neck.
Echo’s stomach turned. “If you don’t release me this second, I’m going to cut off that thing prodding my ass.”
Roark chuckled and gave her a squeeze. “You know, you only make me want you more when you resist.”
