Page 35 of Ravaged Devotion

“So go get your dick wet so you can stop moping about it.” Ellery finished his second dessert and leaned back, stretching his arms over his head. “We’ve all been putting up with it for three years. If you poison one more professor to alleviate your pent-up rage, Illya is going to blow a gasket.”

Ryker had been taking out his anger on the rest of the world since the accident, but most people assumed that was due to the fact his brother was no longer there. Only those closest to him, like his fellow Black Harts, understood the real cause of his fury, and how misplaced it’d been.

There’d been comments here and there, well-meaning comments disguised as subtle jabs. His friends, who were fucked up and broken in more ways than one, were worried about him. Had been worried.

He looked over to the other table, watched as Rue solemnly ate. His shoulders were caved in, and he looked like he was fighting back tears, even now that he was out of the woods and safe.

Ryker had done that. Had put that look there.

But at least this time his anger had landed on the correct person, right?

So why did he feel like crap?

He never regretted his actions…and yet…

“He slept with my brother.” That knowledge ate at him like a parasite.

“More of a reason to show him which of you is the better choice.” Ellery clapped him on the back, but Uriel grunted.

“Choice?” He stood, grabbing his glass, clearly about to return to the bar for another. “Something important I learned in Belladonna? Choice is subjective. You feel played? Play him back.”

Ryker mulled that over as Uriel walked away, but before he could come to a decision, Ishleen and Esti stepped up to their table.

“There’s a bonfire going on in the back,” Ishleen told them.

Ellery glanced out the wall of glass. “Looks kind of foggy.”

It wasn’t too bad, but the ground was starting to be overtaken by a thin layer of white and gray, the spaces between the trees, even those illuminated with lights from the lodge, harder to see through.

“Perfect for ghost stories,” Penn said, joining them. “You guys in?”

Ellery, ever the sociopathic social butterfly, shrugged. “Sure, why not.”

Ryker could think of several reasons why not to waste his night huddled around a smoky monstrosity listening to these idiots talk.

“Your stories are probably shit though,” Ell added as he got to his feet, and Ryker laughed. “I’ll tell one. Just don’t come knocking on my door when none of you can fall asleep tonight.”

Okay, he could probably listen to—

“Ryker.” His father appeared then, like an actual apparition. Even his expression was grim.

Great.

Whatever he wanted to discuss, it wasn’t anything good.

That was one thing the two of them had in common. Maybe the only thing even.

Their tempers.

“A word,” Rhys stated. “Now.”

“Here, take this outside.” Ryker looped the snake over his head and handed it to Ellery, who took it with a scowl but otherwise didn’t object. “Put it far enough in the forest no one will step on it. I’ll catch up with you after.” Dutifully, he got up and followed his father.

They passed through the lobby, then trailed down a long hallway at the opposite end and entered an empty game room.

The billiards table was set up and ready to be played, and Ryker was considering asking Uriel if he wanted to hang with him here instead, too distracted to see his father’s hand coming until it was too late.

Not that he would have done anything about it even if he had noticed it.