8. Freya
FREYA
I turn around slowly, like maybe if I take long enough, he won’t actually be here.
But he is here.
They all are.
River stands there in one of his pristine suits, minus the jacket. The black shirt matches his ink drop hair and the lines of his jaw could cut diamond. The way he’s watching me, the darkness in his eyes, has him looking less FBI agent and more demon from the underworld.
Jude, Eli, and Oz flank him and I didn’t think it could hurt this much just to look at them.
Relief is clear on Oz’s face. Jude, who’s normally so jokey and happy, looks more somber, more upset than I’ve ever seen him. And Eli’s gaze flicks between me and River, his eyes sharp.
Carmen steps up to my side. “I told you to wait outside.”
River’s eyes cut into me, not looking away as he speaks. “And I told you I was done waiting.”
Their exchange breaks me out of my shocked state and panic floods my body.
“You shouldn’t be here. You can’t be here.
” I wet my cracked lips, my breathing fast and shallow.
If Zach finds out they’re here, he’ll kill our deal.
My sister, Layla, Oz, Jude, Eli, River— everyone will become fair game.
He’ll go after them all just to punish me.
I back away, stumbling on the foot of the desk.
River cocks his head. “If you run from me again, you better be prepared for me to catch you. And bear in mind I’ve had fifty-seven days to think of all the ways I’m going to punish you.”
I shake my head, losing it even more when he takes a step towards me. “You can’t be here.”
River keeps prowling forwards, a predator stalking his prey. “You run, Freya, and I will chase.”
My mind is shutting down. Panic claws at my skin, scratching marks down my arms. Zach’s threat. Carmen’s betrayal. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. I wasn’t supposed to have to face them after what I did.
They can’t be here.
I can’t be near them.
I spin, shoving the desk between us to block River as I sprint across the hanger.
“Freya!” His voice is a bomb, his footsteps shrapnel as he chases after me.
I run faster, dodging past AJ and heading for the fire exit on the other side of the hanger. I slam through the door, grunting as the metal punches into my upper arm, the escape bar digging into my hip.
River is faster and stronger than me, but I have one advantage. I know where I’m going.
The tunnel I’m in leads to the garage. The narrow space is only dimly lit by security lights, but I spent months in Carmen’s mountain headquarters and I could traverse it with my eyes closed.
Cold air bites at my skin as my feet slap against the concrete. I don’t have a plan here, just an incessant need to get as far away as possible.
Seeing the guys kicked my heart alive again. The numbness that has been seeping through me burnt away like a forest fire but buried under all the ashes is a single thought. I ran for a reason.
I can’t let Zach hurt them. I won’t.
Footsteps thunder behind me.
Pain digs under my ribs as I run, a stitch embedding itself deep. I’ve done little more than lie in bed for the past two months and my body is paying for it. If I can just make it to the garage, I can snag one of the cars and?—
I cry out, the neck of my hoodie cutting into my windpipe as River grabs the hood and pulls me back. I fight to regain my footing, twisting around and bringing my elbow down on his arm until his hold gives.
“Freya. Stop it.”
I only make it another step before River secures me in a bear hug, trapping my arms to my sides.
“Let me go!”
His lips skate my ear. “Never.”
I buck in his arms but he just flips me around and slams my back against the wall. The air cascades out of me and I cough, fighting for oxygen.
River pins me with his hips, his hard length pressing between my legs.
I go still.
He catches my gaze and rocks against my center. That’s all it takes for a moan to slip from my lips.
River tilts his head. Soft fingers brush my hair back behind my ear. “Did you really think I wouldn’t find you? That I wouldn’t search the deepest corners of this earth to get you back? I keep my promises, Freya.”
He rocks his hips again, the action alone enough to make me wet for him. His hands drop to my cargo pants, flicking the button open.
The last two months have left me starving for his touch, but I won’t give in. “No.”
River freezes, his hands circling my hips. His face is cold and detached when he looks up at me but the faintest glimmer of my River flickers in his eyes. “What’s your safe word, Freya?”
My throat is thick, and pressure builds under my eyes. “Melon,” I choke out.
“Are you using it?” he asks.
I should. I should say the word and tell him to leave and never come back. It’s the best way I have to protect him. But I can’t bring myself to do it. I don’t want him to leave.
I press my lips together then whisper, “No.”
That glimmer of softness disappears along with River’s patience. He tugs my panties down and shoves two fingers inside of me.
I convulse at the intrusion and grip his wrist. My mouth parts as sparks ricochet around my body. It would be so easy to lose myself in his touch. To let him dominate me until the rest of the world fades away and nothing else matters.
But nothing has changed. And every second he’s here I’m breaking my deal with Zach. I’m risking River’s life.
River’s gaze drops to where his fingers stroke inside of me, heat burning behind the darkness in his eyes. I take advantage of his distraction to wrench myself from his grasp. I throw myself to the side and lunge for the door to the garage, only a few feet away now.
Two steps.
One.
My fingers scrape the handle as River tackles me from behind and I crash onto the concrete. The impact jars my bones but I fight against it, crawling forward until strong, powerful hands grab my waist and tug me back.
“Enough!” River tears down my pants and thrusts into me from behind, hard and brutal.
I choke, feeling the impact in my lungs. He gathers my wrists, pinning them above my head with one hand as he pumps in and out.
“You are mine, Freya. You do not get to run. You do not get to fight. I told you I would hunt you to the ends of the earth and you may have broken your promise, but this is me keeping mine.” His breath is hot against my cheek as he marks me from the inside out. “You. Belong. To. Me.”
We fall quiet. Our heavy breaths the only sound filling the air. This isn’t sex, this is a claiming. A punishment. And the burn of each thrust ripples through me.
I didn’t know pain could feel this good. I let it wash over me. Let the fight drain away.
Despite the brutality, River’s body weight is a blanket of calm but the cold concrete on my stomach reminds me of where I am. Of why I’m here.
The thought of Zach seeps into my mind, memories of his hands on me creeping through my body. Suddenly, I’m a child again and I seize, panic flaring before cutting off like a power outage. I go dark. Blank. Numbness spreads through me and when River flips me over onto my back, I’m just a shell.
A shell who’s pressing a knife to River’s throat.
He goes still, his hard cock still buried inside of me.
“You can’t be here,” I say, my voice robotic.
River pauses for a moment before he pushes his neck into the knife, his steady gaze settling on mine. “I’m exactly where I need to be.” He runs his thumb back and forth on my hip bone. “Freya, darling, put the knife down.”
I blink.
“Come on now, darling. You’re safe. It’s me. It’s River.”
He gives a shallow thrust. A reminder of who he is, of who’s inside of me.
A shudder rolls through my body and my fingers shake.
River’s hand dips between my legs and he finds my clit. He rolls his thumb in small circles, sending tingles cascading through me like warm rain.
“That’s it. Let yourself feel it. Come back to me.”
The pressure builds and my mouth parts as my climax rolls over me like a wave. I wet my lips, my chest rising. River’s form becomes clear above me. His coal black hair shadowing his face. The severe line of his jaw. Dark eyes not at all concerned about the blade at his throat.
Warm blood drips onto my cheek and it’s only then I register what I’m doing. I drop the knife like it burned me.
River winces as he catches it by the blade, not letting it fall onto my chest. He chucks it behind him, the metal skidding across the concrete, and brings his bleeding hand to my cheek.
Tears stream from my eyes, mixing with the blood. “You shouldn’t be here,” I sob. “He’s going to hurt you.”
River presses his forehead to mine, his distinctive cedarwood scent wrapping around me. “I’m exactly where I need to be,” he says again. “No one will hurt me. Or Jude, Eli, or Oz. I won’t let them.”
My eyes blur. I want so badly to believe him, to let him take care of me and make it all better, but it’s not that simple. “You can’t control everything, River.”
His face darkens. He moves his hand, capturing my wrist, and something cold and smooth clicks around it. “Watch me.”
I tug my wrist from his hold, my stomach twisting. “What did you just do?”
River doesn’t answer me. He pulls out, leaving me empty and aching, and buttons my pants back in place.
I sit up and stare at my wrist. My arm is scraped and bruised from where the hoodie tore but I’m more concerned with the thin, silver bracelet around my wrist. It’s a solid band with no clasp and I can’t see where it connects.
I try pulling it off over my hand but it’s too small to fit.
I tug at the metal, searching for a hidden hinge, but there’s nothing.
The locking mechanism must be inside the bracelet and all pulling at it is doing is bruising my wrist.
“What is this?” I ask, suspicion crawling down my back.
River stands up and dusts himself off. My clothes are torn and bloodied. I hurt from the inside out, but River looks like he just walked out of The Lair.
“River,” I snap. “What did you put on my wrist?”
His dark eyes flick down to me. “Just a little something to make sure I don’t lose track of you again.”
Anger surges inside of me but then I catch sight of the thin cut on his throat and any rage is doused by a flood of guilt.
Tears push at my eyes again as I stand up and hover my fingers over the red line. It’s barely a scratch really but I can’t believe I cut him. “I hurt you. I didn’t— I…”
River folds his hand over mine. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine.” My eyes drop to where my knife lies on the ground, the blade coated in red. “I pulled a knife on you, River.”
“Pretty sure we’ve been there before, darling.”
I swallow. Maybe. But this time I actually cut him. This time I wanted to hurt him. That’s the second time I’ve pulled a knife today. I stumble back, my body trembling. “I don’t know why I did that.”
River’s gaze locks on me. “Freya...”
I shake my head. I know there’s no use in running but instinct has me turning.
River’s arms loop around me from the back. “That’s enough. Stop it.” He holds my wrists together in front of my chest but this time I don’t fight. I lean back into him, my knees buckling beneath me.
“River,” I cry.
“Shh. I’ve got you. You’re okay.” River shifts his hold, hooking his arms under my legs and lifting me so I’m cradled against his chest.
I cry against his shirt. The pain in my chest is overwhelming. Too many thoughts and emotions swirl around my head, all coalescing into one thought. “I want to come home,” I sob.
“I know. I know,” River murmurs against my hair. “We’re here. We’re taking you home.”