Page 59 of Cold Carnage

My phone buzzed in my pocket, probably my mom calling again. I ignored it. "Not yet," I replied, keeping my tone polite but distant.

Before I could escape, Ryker barged into the room, his expression a mix of irritation and surprise. Raymond wasted no time.

"Ryker," he began, his voice sharp with reprimand. "What do you think you're doing? You can't keep pushing people away."

I sat awkwardly to the side, feeling like an intruder in a private moment. Raymond’s words cut deep, echoing through the space between them. Ryker’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

Raymond continued his lecture, recounting Ryker’s past mistakes and missed opportunities. I wanted to disappear, feeling a strange mix of sympathy and discomfort witnessing their strained interaction.

When Raymond finally left, I thought that would be the end of it. But Ryker stayed behind, his eyes flicking over to me. His gaze landed on my wrist, and I realized too late that my sleeves had ridden up.

"Who did this to you?"

I yanked my wrist from Ryker’s grasp, the frustration I’d been swallowing down finally bubbling over.

“What do you want me to say?” I demanded, my voice louder than I intended. “Your brother came to see me last night. I told you, I didn't want?—”

Ryker’s eyes narrowed. “Are you saying Brendan?—”

“Is that such a shock to you?” My voice shook with anger and something deeper, something raw. “Why else do you think I left him at the altar? Because the night before, he found out about me and you from one of my friends, the same one he happened to be fucking. You think I wanted to face him after that?”

His jaw clenched, muscles working beneath his skin. He looked away for a moment, his silence heavy with unspoken thoughts.

“I told you,” I said again, my tone hardening as I met his gaze head-on. “I didn’t want to see him, and you couldn’t just respect?—”

“I didn’t send him to you,” Ryker cut in, his voice low but fierce.

I stared at him, the truth of his words sinking in but doing nothing to soothe the anger twisting inside me. This wasn’t just about Brendan showing up or even about Ryker’s constant dismissiveness. It was everything—my role as the eternalcaretaker, always having to be strong for everyone else while no one seemed to care how I felt.

I took a step back, putting distance between us. “You don’t get it, do you? You don’t get what it’s like to always have to be the one holding everything together while feeling like you're falling apart inside.”

Ryker’s expression softened slightly, but he said nothing.

“Forget it,” I muttered, turning away. The office suddenly felt too small, too suffocating.

But as I reached for the door handle, Ryker’s voice stopped me.

“Paige…”

I paused but didn’t turn around.

“We need to talk about this,” he continued, quieter now.

“No,” I said firmly, without looking back. “We don’t.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Ryker’s voice, taut with anger, cut through the air.

I turned slowly, meeting his eyes. “Tell you? What do you want me to tell you? You barely spoke to me. You didn’t remember?—”

“I remember everything,” he interrupted, stepping closer. His eyes blazed with an intensity that took my breath away.

Before I could respond, he grabbed my arm, pulling me to him. His lips crashed against mine, fierce and demanding. The world tilted as the kiss deepened, a surge of emotion sweeping through me. His hands cupped my face, fingers tangling in my hair as if he was afraid to let go.

The anger between us transformed into something else entirely. His lips were insistent, moving with a rough passion that left no room for doubt or hesitation. My hands found their way to his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath my fingertips. It was fast, mirroring my own.

Every inch of space between us vanished as he pulled me closer, his body pressing against mine. The kiss was a clash of frustration and longing, each touch igniting a fire I hadn’t realized was there. His breath mingled with mine, hot and urgent.

For a moment, I forgot everything—the arguments, the tension, even the pain from Brendan’s visit. All that mattered was this connection, raw and undeniable. The way his lips moved over mine told me more than words ever could.

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