CHAPTER EIGHTEEN RYKER
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
RYKER
NOW
Chloe’s body heaves with each sob that tears through her, but I force my body to remain calm despite the fury beating in my chest.
I’m going to kill them.
I don’t give a fuck what kind of revenge comes my way because I refuse to allow anyone who makes my girl this distraught to keep breathing.
There it is again.
My girl.
Up until today it was easy to keep my distance, to watch from afar, but now that I know what it’s like to hold her, to have her trust? I don’t know how I’m ever going to walk away.
I press a kiss to the top of her head, breathing in her sweet scent, but it’s not enough to settle the beast the Lombardis have awoken.
They probably don’t know who I am or what I’m capable of, but they’re going to find out.
My boss has gone to a lot of effort to keep me anonymous, but part of me wishes Ronan and Damon could know who’s coming for them.
A nurse passes us, her brows dipped in concern, but I give her a sad smile. If there’s anywhere to be holding Chloe while she cries, a hospital at least avoids questions.
People die within these walls every day, making for crying loved ones.
Another sob shakes her body, making my own anger jump up another notch.
I’ve inflicted a lot of pain over the years, but I’m going to have to get really fucking imaginative for these two.
“You’re safe now, Chloe. I promise you’re safe,” I murmur as calmly as I can.
She shakes her head against my chest, pushing herself closer until there’s not a breath between us. “I’ll never be safe,” she whispers.
Yep, standard torture isn’t going to cut it on this one.
“I know it feels like that now, but I swear I won’t let anything happen to you. You’re safe with me.”
“I wish I could believe you.”
“You will. I’ll make sure of it.”
Just like I’ll make sure to remove the hearts of every person to ever hurt her.
It takes a while, but eventually I manage to guide her back to the waiting room, where I ignore the questioning looks of every member of the Legion.
By the way she clings to me, I’m almost certain they know I didn’t upset her, and she’s far from ready to speak to anyone.
If I thought she would agree to it, we’d be on our way home right now, but Chloe won’t leave this hospital until she’s seen Camilla with her own eyes, and I know better than to suggest it when she’s already prone to run.
I need to be everything she needs right now, because the more she trusts me, the less likely she is to do something stupid, like leave the city without anyone to protect her.
And if she decides to do that, I’ll be right on her tail, keeping her safe from afar the same way my boss has all these years.