He steps forward. I step back, but Riven’s body stops my retreat and my muscles coil.
Be nice. Watch your tone.
“Please let me go.”
All eyes whip over my head.
Reluctantly, his hand slips away from the pulse going crazy in my neck.
A caress against my heart has me gulping down too much air.
“Don’t.”
Creed’s fingers flex at his side, and I track every twitch. He takes a step in my direction, but Kyzen halts him.
Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.
“No one is going to touch you.”
So he says…
Everyone who came to visit me touched me…then left me.
My first step toward his calm, convincing tone has his shoulders dropping a fraction.
It’s a trap.
I freeze.
“Where did you guys go?” I ask quietly.
A line forms between Kyzen’s brow and Amick tilts his head. I jump to the side as Riven steps around me and my chest heaves.
I ball my fists when Creed crosses his arms.
“You all step out,” Kyzen commands.
“No.” The thundering echo has me taking a step back.
“Guys, please go. Let me talk to her.”
They all spin toward Kyzen, but he doesn’t release me from the hold his eyes have me in.
One by one, they file out and I breathe slowly.
“Everything’s going to be okay, gorgeous.”
I shake my head. “Nothing is okay.”
“It doesn’t feel that way right now, but it will be.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
I don’t know how long I stare at the ring around his pupils, but he never steps closer or farther. He stands there, unwavering and certain.
Calm.
