Page 98 of Immortal Throne

“I didn’t realize you had such a poor opinion of me.” He chuckled low and dipped his head down to the crook of my neck. His breath fanned the sensitive skin there. “And here I’d hoped for a warm welcome.”

“You brought this on yourself, Ryker.”

At last, he shifted back, rising and holding out a hand to help me to my feet. I took the help but dropped his hand as soon as possible to make a point. What point, however, I didn’t know. I missed the feel of him instantly.

“I’m telling you the truth. I’ve never been able to control you,” Ryker said, expression serious. “Your reactions are your own, just like mine belong to me. I can’t help the way I feel about you.”

He had no idea how badly I wanted to hear that from him, and the anger flashing in his gaze told me he wasn’t saying these things to get a rise out of me. No…he meant them.

And that scared me.

“You hated me.”

He shook his head. “I watched you for months. I wanted to despise you, and I did hate you. But not for the reasons you think.”

I licked my lips, not quite ready to ask him what he meant by that. “You, ah, better go collect your winnings.” I tucked a lock of sweat-slicked hair behind my ear. “You took me by surprise, and I suspect you cheated, but you beat me.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “I’m here for a compromise, not for victory.”

“What do you mean?”

Ryker took a slow step forward, then another.

I was in his arms a moment later and staring up, up, up into those flashing green eyes.

“Hear me out,” he started.

“Well, we can’t exactly discuss things in front of all these people, can we?”

His touch had me coming unhinged in the worst possible way. Or maybe the best. I didn’t know anymore, because seeing him here threw me for a gigantic loop.

He hesitated and let me go, turning his glare to the crowd like it was their fault they existed.

I snorted and led the way out of the cage and into the locker room of the Underground. The crowd parted easily for Ryker. There was something about his presence that commanded people to do as he wished, and I’d always thought that included me, too.

Could it be true? That his powers had never worked on me? I’d repelled his efforts when he tried to make me open the door to my apartment, which felt like eons ago, but he’d implied it hadn’t worked because he hadn’t placed that much effort into it. Did this mean I was too strong for him to manipulate with magic?

I’d assumed the worst of Ryker, because the worst was easier to believe and what life usually dished out for me.

If his touch didn’t control me magically, that meant I had to take responsibility for the way I felt about him.

Dammit!

I loved him and I wanted someone to blame.

Finally, the door hissed closed behind us and we were alone.

“I have something for you,” Ryker said.

“If it’s a dagger ready to stab me in the back, I’d rather you keep it to yourself,” I said hotly.

“It’s something I think you’ll want.” Heat blazed to life in his eyes as he reached behind and pulled—probably out of his ass—a crown.

I jerked back a step. “What are you doing?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” He chuckled again. “I’m giving it to you.”

“No.” I shook my head. “This is some sort of trick. You want the throne. You want this crown.”

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