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“Hello.” I smiled and pushed my hair behind my ear, hissing at the pain in my arm. “Sorry, I’m having some issues right now remembering you.”
“Is that so, honey?” She smirked and looked me over, her eyes cold. When Ryzen said “friend of ours,” I had a feeling this was no friend of mine. Something about the way she was looking at me wasn’t right. There was anger there, and I wasn’t sure why.
“Car accident, so I’m told.”
“So I’ve been told as well.” She snatched up her glass of wine and took a sip.
Well, this was awkward and not what I had been expecting from the day. I laid my hand on Ryzen’s forearm and leaned closer. “Can you pour me some water?”
“Of course, love.” He poured water in my glass, and handed it to me, kissing me on the cheek.
Iva’s eyes were practically popping out of her head, and she chugged the rest of her wine. “So…we’re friends then?” I asked.
She was silent for a moment, looking between me and Ryzen. He nodded at her and her expression changed just like that. All of a sudden, she was beaming at me and reaching over the table to squeeze my hand.
“The best of friends, Nova.” She laughed, and it reminded me of the Wicked Witch fromThe Wizard of Oz,high-pitched and full of crazy. Was I supposed to fall for this act? Because this woman was obviously a snake and had something for Ryzen. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out, especially since she wasn’t trying to hide the adoring looks she was giving him while practically glaring at me.
Let’s test this out.
I leaned closer to him, and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. Iva followed my hand as I placed it on his chest. She gripped her glass so hard, her knuckles were turning white.
I’d known it. The question was, did Ryzen know it too?
“Is there something going on between you two?” I sat up and looked at Ryzen and then back to her. Both of their faces registered shock. Was Stepford Wife Nova a chickenshit too afraid to speak her mind? Because the old me sure the hell hadn’t been. Especially not after finding my sister Grace in bed with my then-fiancé, Dalton.
“Don’t be silly, we’re all friends here, Nova.” Iva grinned, but her leg was bouncing up and down, making the table shake.
“Nova, that’s very out of character for you,” Ryzen scolded. “Iva’s just come to say hello, that’s all. Riddick will be here later today as well.”
His brother. He told me this already.
Ryzen stood and walked over to a little bar, turning his back to us. He mixed a drink and came back to the table, handing it to me. “Here, your favorite.”
I scrunched up my nose and looked at the glass. Lemonade was my favorite drink now?
“Drink.” He grinned from ear to ear and lifted his glass up for a cheers. “To my beautiful fiancée. I thank God every day that she’s all mine.”
Iva blinked rapidly and held her glass up, her nostrils flaring. I clinked my glass against theirs and took a sip. Ryzen put his hand under the glass and tipped it up, encouraging me to drink it all, which I did.
A housekeeper came out with a tray of food and placed a salad in front of each of us. My stomach growled and I nibbled on a piece of lettuce, wishing it was something else like steak. It didn’t really matter though, because in a matter of minutes, my head was falling backwards, my eyes closing.
*****
My head was fucking pounding when I woke up, and for once Valik wasn’t in the chair next to my bed reading. What the hell had happened? One second I’d been eating lunch, and the next I’d passed the hell out. Was it because of my head injury? Or worse, had Ryzen put something in my lemonade? Uneasiness washed over me at the thought.
It was dark outside, and my stomach growled in an obscene way. Well, this wouldn’t fucking do. I was tired of always sleeping and being in bed. It was maddening. After going to the bathroom and freshening up, I decided to go look for Ryzen and, hopefully, dinner. Typically, there was a tray of food and tea left next to my bed every night, but that wasn’t the case now.
I headed downstairs and was about to call out for Ryzen or Valik when I heard voices coming from a room down the hall. The door was cracked slightly, but before I could push it open, I stopped in my tracks at the heated conversation.
“Have you lost your fucking mind?” A man in a wrinkled suit was pacing in front of Ryzen’s desk. “The FBI came to our office looking for you. I stalled them, but I don’t know for how long.”
“Were you followed?” Ryzen leaned back in a chair, completely relaxed.
“No, I made sure of it. I switched flights three times. But, Ryzen, shit is hitting the fan. Blackwood is onto us. He chased me down in the parking garage, him and his stupid fucking brothers. I barely got away.” Riddick huffed and wiped his forehead. “And don’t get me fucking started on Voledetti. He wants to see you. Now.”
“Riddick, calm down, I have it under control.” Ryzen smirked and placed his elbows on the desk. “And I’ll handle Cian. You can count on that.”
“What the hell happened?” Riddick waved his hands in the air and plopped down in the chair across from him.
