Page 103 of A Game of Love and Betrayal

River frowned. “Yes, it is. If you’re not there, Mom will yell at me about my piercings. Again.”

Ryker’s sister and mother had a tumultuous relationship, at best. He’d seen more than a few of their fights, which usually lasted for hours.

This morning, things had been quiet. Not because the women had worked out their differences but because the Chancellor had finally given them the go-ahead to leave The Lily.

“You know, if you stopped provoking her, things would be easier.” It wasn’t a secret that Tertia hated the way her daughter marked up her body. Ryker was fairly certain River did it to anger their mother. “Can’t you get through a single dinner without fighting?”

“No.” River shook her head. “We cannot. We clash at every turn. You know this.”

River’s aptitude for lateness was only overshadowed by her desire to argue with their mother. Her first word had been no, and she hadn’t stopped since then. Cyrus had been the buffer, and now, the duty fell to Ryker.

“I do. I promise we will be there on time.” He embraced his sister. “Have I ever let you down?”

River shook her head. “Never, not once.”

“Exactly.” Ryker kissed her forehead. “I’m taking Brynleigh to the apartment to meet Marlowe, and then we’ll head over for dinner.”

Ryker was completely done with hotel life. During the past seven days, the participants had been under constant guard—for their own safety, according to Chancellor Rose—so he and Brynleigh hadn’t even had a moment alone together.

She had gotten her phone back from the guards, though, and they’d been texting daily. The messages had been short, but they were the highlights of his day… other than when they were together.

Being near his vampire and keeping his hands to himself was slowly killing Ryker. When he signed up for the Choosing, he knew about the laws that kept couples out of the bedroom until their wedding night—some archaic purity bullshit that had no real ramifications in this modern time—but he hadn’t considered the effects it would have on him.

Delayed gratification was one thing, but this was pure torture. The sooner Brynleigh was his, the better.

“Good,” River said sternly. “Don’t be late.”

Ryker bellowed a laugh. “That’s rich, coming from you.”

His sister’s reputation for lateness was renowned. She’d have to figure out a way around that before she graduated and started working as a doctor. He couldn’t imagine hospitals were very forgiving of tardiness, especially from their staff.

“I live with Mom and Dad,” she said primly. “I can’t be late to my own house.”

“Debatable.” If anyone could do it, it was River.

She wisely ignored his comment. “When I video-called Dad yesterday, I told him you were coming. He’s going to be so happy to see you.”

Ryker hoped so. He had held off introducing Brynleigh to his mother and sister because he wanted his fiancée to meet his entire family at once. He hoped they would love her as much as he did. She was his perfect match in every way.

“How is Dad? Are the new meds working?” Gods, he wanted that more than anything. The Stillness had been around for so long that it was practically the fifth member of the Waterborn family while it slowly stole their father’s life. He fucking despised it.

River nodded slowly. “It seems that way.” Her voice shifted, taking on an academic quality he was familiar with. For all her rebellious streaks, River excelled at science and medicine. “This new study is groundbreaking, and the treatment combines several drugs.”

“Gods, if this works?—”

“It would be incredible,” River finished, a small smile creeping on her face. “I agree.”

Ryker took his sister’s hand and drew her close. “Did you release some magic this morning?”

The last thing he wanted to do was bring Brynleigh into a potentially dangerous situation.

River sighed. “Yes, Ryker.” She drew out his name, just like she had when she was younger. “I did it today like I have every single morning since… you know.”

He knew exactly what she was talking about. “Good. Don’t let it build up.”

“I won’t.” A flash of pain went through her eyes before they shuttered. “I’ll never forget, Ryker. Even if you don’t remind me, I’ll always remember. I live with it every day. All those people…”

She looked up at him with wide brown eyes, her unspoken words echoing in the air. It won’t happen again.

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