Page 110 of A Game of Love and Betrayal

This, though? This was far more than that.

Every single windowpane had been replaced with high-quality black glass. Specialty material that she’d heard of but never seen. And it wasn’t like there was only one window. No. The corner apartment had an entire wall that looked out onto the balcony, and another large set of windows was over the sink in the kitchen.

Having this done on short notice must have cost Ryker an Isvana-damned fortune.

Brynleigh’s feet were approaching the windows before she realized what was happening. She navigated around the leather couch and placed her palm on the tinted glass. Her breath caught in her throat, and she looked outside. She couldn’t have torn away her gaze, even if she tried.

For the first time in six years, she saw the sun. It was muted and had grayish tones, but there was no doubting what it was. She fixated on that yellow orb. Gods help her, but she’d missed it so damn much. Her vision blurred.

“Fuck,” she muttered, wiping a finger under her eyes.

She wasn’t supposed to feel anything. This wasn’t supposed to be real.

Except… Ryker had given her the sun. The one thing she missed most since her Making. How was she supposed to ignore that?

This unexpected gift was the single most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for her.

Several minutes passed in silence. Ryker walked up behind her, his footsteps quiet as if they were in a temple. Neither of them spoke.

Brynleigh drank in the view. The sun. From this vantage point, the golden arches that gave Golden City its name were visible in the distance.

Eventually, Ryker moved. His chest pressed against her back, and his hands landed on her hips as he rested his chin on her shoulder. He didn’t disturb her, didn’t try to talk. He let her look at the sun for as long as she needed.

Minutes passed.

Heat bloomed in Brynleigh, and a feeling that she had absolutely no business experiencing came to life within her. She didn’t even bother identifying it. She bundled it up along with everything else and shoved it down, down, down.

At this rate, Brynleigh would be a cold, numb, emotionless vampire when she married Ryker. Maybe that was for the best. Her emotions and her body were both clearly confused, having forgotten why this was the best course—the only course—for her vengeance.

Even now, Jelisette’s voice echoed in Brynleigh’s head.

Not only will killing the reclusive captain on your wedding night be poetic vengeance for the death of your family, but it will teach all the Representatives a lesson. From that moment until the end of time, they will always be watching, always waiting for the next hit. Because of you.

Brynleigh had heard the rhetoric a hundred times. She knew it by heart. It used to sound so good, so right. She used almost to feel giddy when she thought of her plan. But now?

Tendrils of doubt were weaving their way through her soul, taking root, and growing like hungry weeds. Every time she ripped one up, two more grew in its place.

“Let’s take a look at the apartment.” Ryker’s hand landed on the small of her back.

Gods help her but she didn’t pull away. She couldn’t.

He added, “We can change whatever you want, sweetheart. Say the word, and it’s done.”

Great. Now he was being fucking considerate, too? How in the hell was she supposed to deal with this?

Cold-blooded killers weren’t supposed to act like Ryker. They weren’t supposed to give you the sun or be amenable to making alterations for your comfort. They were supposed to be horrible, awful people who didn’t give a damn about you.

Turning around—and pointedly ignoring the fact that Ryker was touching her—Brynleigh took in the space. It was a nice apartment, a little masculine for her taste if she were being honest, but well-built. The large kitchen was clean, and it opened into the living area. There was a sturdy dining table with four matching chairs. A chess set sat on the coffee table in front of the TV. Down the hall were two doors that led to what she assumed were the bedroom and bathroom.

“Maybe a few coats of paint?” After all, she was supposed to be playing the part of the excited bride. Besides, she’d always been partial to springtime colors. “Or we could get a few throw pillows to liven it up.”

“We can buy as many as you want.” He wrapped his arms around her from behind and rested his chin on her head. “Anything you can think of, it’s yours. I barely have any expenses, and I’ve been saving money since I started working.”

See? Considerate. Why couldn’t Ryker have been an alpha fae asshole who bossed her around and didn’t have a trace of kindness in him? It would’ve made her life a hell of a lot easier. But no, she had to get stuck with the one fae who seemed to care about her thoughts and feelings.

This was… a lot. The longer they looked around the living room, the worse she felt. Her lungs squeezed, and old sweat broke out on her neck.

“Is there a bathroom?” Brynleigh extricated herself from Ryker’s grip and stepped back, trying to put some room between them.

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