Page 5 of Forbidden

A monster.That’s how my sisters had described him.

They were right.

Riven Cruz was a predator and right now I was his prey.

My pulse skipped and sped. The tethers jerked tight as I yanked. “Undo my hands.”

He turned and walked away, disappearing behind me. I twisted on the seat, desperately trying to look behind me, until that agony roared back to life. I let out a moan and closed my eyes. Still, panic thundered, blending with the muffled sound of his steps.

I opened them once more, finding him next to me. Only, in his hand was a syringe. He met my gaze as he pressed the tip of the needle to my arm.

“No…NO!”I bucked.

But it was useless.

The sting came.

The plunger pushed all the way to the end.

I stared helplessly as that darkness moved in.

“I’m afraid you won’t be making your date, Helene Montgomery.” The Principal murmured. “Tonight, or any night for that matter.”

TWO

Riven

She didn’t scream.I looked down as her eyes fluttered closed and a slow, soft exhale came from her parted lips.

My hand clenched around the syringe, my finger still poised over the plunger, like the trigger of a gun. I watched her for a second before I turned and walked into the kitchen, placing it down on the cloth next to the sedative.

She didn’t scream.

That nagging thought made me turn my head.

Thick brown curls spilled down the arm of the sofa she lay on. My pulse gave a heavythud.I wanted to tell myself it was fear that triggered the response. But it wasn’t. It was more than that.

Trouble.

I inhaled.

That’s what she was.

One I needed to get rid of.

Only…that fucking woman. A twitch came at the corner of my eye.I saw you flying around those cars! Someone call the police!My breaths deepened as that fucking bitch’s screams came back to me. I could kill her. My focus sharpened on the woman lying on my sofa, Helene Montgomery, and the one from the accident. I could kill them both and get rid of thisproblem.

My mind raced, trying to remember who else was around us. But I couldn’t quite piece it together. Was there a crowd? I stilled, scowling. Maybe?Fuck.If there was a crowd, I couldn’t very well take them out. One missing report on the goddamn six o’clock news would bring too much heat.

Heat I didn’t need.

Not right now.

I glanced back at her.

She was trouble. No matter how I looked at it.

Still, she didn’t scream.

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