He just stares at me. So many emotions cross his face in the span of a few seconds. Then his eyes soften. “You know where the orders to kill people originate, right?”
I bite my lip.Of course I do. I nod. “Yes. The council.”
He places both hands on my shoulders. “I’ll be just feet away from the people who killed your brother.”
I take a step back, but he grabs me and pulls me closer. Cupping my cheek he says, “I’m grumpy because I’ll be outside the door of those bastards, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
I close my eyes and let his words sink in. All I’ve ever wanted was revenge. Proof that the council is corrupt and their cult members are bastards who follow a faceless leader didn’t matter to me. However, I’ve never been able to get close enough to them to get the revenge I truly want.Their deaths.
When I open my eyes, Ryven looks over my shoulder toward the woods. His jaw ticks and I slowly turn to see what he sees, and I’m met with a group of cultists all wearing different colored masks. All different ranks just inside the tree line.
The group begins to move, and Ryven steps in front of me, gently pushing me behind his back.
“What is happening?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Let me do the talking. Don’t say a fucking word.”
I don’t say anything as the crowd gets closer until they stand on the other side of the fountain.
“Ryven,” the one in the front says.
Ryven nods. “Westley.”
“Out late, aren’t you?” he asks.
Ryven shrugs. “Just catching up with a friend. You?”
Westley takes a step around the fountain, and Ryven matches him, so I’m still directly behind him.
I recognize that voice. I let out a breath and step around Ryven to come face to face with the man. I don’t like the cult members, and I’m afraid of them. But, I’m not some weak woman. If they want to play, I’ll show them what I’m made of.
Ryven growls deeply and grabs me by the back of my shirt to stop me from walking further. I glance over my shoulder at him and smirk. Then I turn my attention back to the man in front of me.
“Westley? Is that what your name is?” I cock my head to the side. This is such a bad idea.
His masked face nods in agreement.
I point at him. “You were the one who said your cum would look good on my face the other night.”
He tilts his head to the side and nods again.
“Do you say that to every lady? Is that, like, your pick up line or something?” I’m aware I’m poking the bear, but he needs to know he doesn’t scare me, even if it’s all a facade right now.
“Ro,” Ryven growls behind me in an attempt to get me to stop.
I wave him off. “Let the man speak. He wants to act all big and bad with his mask on his face.” I shrug. “Hell, why don’t you take it off so we can meet face to face?”
Westley strolls slowly toward me until he’s in front of me and then he lowers his face next to my ear. “Believe me, sweetheart. You’ll get to see my face soon enough, and you won't like what’s happening to you.”
I laugh. “Why? Because you’ll be coming on my face?”
He turns to walk away but before he gets too far he says, “Something like that.” Then, he and the rest of his group head back for the woods.
Once they’re out of sight, Ryven spins me around and grips my shoulders tightly. “Why did you need to taunt him like that?”
My eyes widen. “What? He can’t just go around being an asshole to every woman he meets.”
He shakes his head and lets out a breath. “Rory, you do not understand what you’ve done.” He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Westley likes to masturbate on our victims. He doesn’t care if you are dead or alive. It’s a weird fucking kink with him and they let him do it. So, when he tells you that your face would look good with his cum on it, it’s not because he wants to fuck you. Although he’s not above that either. Dead or alive. But he means you will be targeted. And no one will stop him.”
