I stood outside Ryder's estate after fighting through the press, who even now were flashing pictures of me standing in his driveway. I was dressed in low hip hugging jeans and a baggy shirt that hid the fact that my ribs were wrapped from where Zahruk had stabbed me. I stood my ground, watching as fourteen males piled from the house shirtless. Someone needed to put a freaking warning label on these guys. May cause hormonal overload.
Ryder stood in the middle, his eyes sliding down my body slowly. Probably looking for damages. We said nothing. I could feel the Fae pulsing with their wild magic, waiting for me to strike, or do something stupid. I shook my head wondering if we'd get into a pissing contest next. Maybe I had interrupted their workout session, which could account for the lack of dress and pissy looks I was getting from them.
"You ordered me here," I said finally breaking the silence.
"I did," Ryder said with his lopsided grin that looked more dangerous than friendly.
"I'm here," I mumbled.
"You are."
"Okay, we gonna measure dicks all day Ryder, or are we gonna sign a contract?" I snapped.
"You don’t have a dick Syn, I would have noticed," Ryder's smile lifted roguishly.
I rolled my eyes and then rubbed them in frustration. "Your man stabbed me Ryder, because he thought I was a danger to your fiancée. I broke in because you were in danger. I tried to talk to you when this first went down and you didn’t listen to me then, so I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t have listened to me about this. You're too fucking stubborn. We were hunting a killer, you were getting ready to marry his or her puppet and I saved you. I did what you wanted me to, only there was no assassin unless you consider the one pulling the strings on your…well whatever she would be now."
"You broke into an engagement party with almost every house of royal Fae in attendance, an engagement that I set-up, there was never going to be any wedding Synthia, ever. I was trying to draw out the Light Fae among other things and you ruined it."
I blinked at him. No wedding? He hadn't planned on going through with it? And why was he trying to draw out the Light Fae? Ryder had more secrets and I was starting to wonder if he wasn’t trying to start an all-out war with the other castes of Fae. "Why would you need to draw out the Light Fae?" I asked trying to pull more information from him.
"That's none of your fucking business," Ryder growled, "You broke Fae laws Synthia, without a good fucking reason."
"You were about to start a fucking war Ryder, on my Guild. I saved lives. I don’t regret it, not even if it leaves me your fucking slave for eternity. I was born to save people, I'm good at it. I take out bad people. I do what no one else wants to do Ryder. I get the job done." I winced and grabbed my ribs before realizing what I had done and righting myself again.
"You're not healed," he growled.
"Nope, still human," I said hiding the pain in my voice.
"You're in pain."
"I'm fine."
"Who is stubborn?" He said moving closer to me.
"I am. Never said I wasn’t."
"You should be healed by now," he whispered as his eyes met and held mine.
"Nope, not yet. I need to finish this and get home. I need to find the puppet master. He needs to die. Like yesterday."
"You won't be going home this time. You will be staying with me. Indefinitely."
"No, I won't. I was stupid last time to sign before reading every detail. I came here because you forced me back. You knew I'd come," I watched his eyes sparkle in answer, "Well I'm here, you didn’t protect me, you got me stabbed. You broke our contract, Alden thought it was a temporary clause, but it wasn’t. If you failed to protect me from harm you forfeit your claim on me. That's why I'm here, because you don’t like to lose."
He smiled and tipped his head, "It won't happen again and I didn’t lose Syn. You’re here and I told you. I always win."
"Ahh, but remember Ryder, you're as stubborn as I. We're both hot headed. Where there's a flame, someone's bound to get burned and this time it won't be me."
"You burn pretty hot Syn, I haven't forgotten," he whispered smiling softly.
"Not gonna happen, I'll be making my own contract. It goes both ways. Watch what you wish for, you just might get it."
"You're going to need to feed sooner or later Syn," he warned as his eyes turned hard.
"Then I guess we better get to negotiating Ryder," I challenged him back.
"Is your body changing?"
"Nope, I'm still me."
He smiled, "Your eyes are Fae Syn, unique as well. I have never seen a mix of blue and purple before. I'm curious as to how Adam became your familiar."
"He's not my familiar, he's my family."