CHAPTER ELEVEN
BLAKELY
MONDAY AFTERNOON, I enter the apartment and walk into my bedroom. It’s been a long day. I’m exhausted and want nothing more than to lie down in bed and go to sleep. I didn’t sleep all weekend. Instead, I lay in bed thinking over what Ryat said to me in the library Friday night.
He’s right about several things. But he was wrong about me only wanting to be his because of Matt. I’ve let him dictate my life for too long. For what? A pretend relationship? The thought of being Ryat’s chosen is only that—being his.
Removing the hoodie, I go to toss it onto the bed but pause when I spot a small black box already sitting on it.
“Sarah?” I call out. As far as I know, she’s still in class.
That wasn’t there when I left this morning. Walking over to it, I open it up to see a note that says drink me sitting next to a small vial of clear liquid. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I’ve popped pills back in high school with Sarah but never done anything liquid other than alcohol. Something tells me this isn’t vodka.
There’s also a small picture underneath it. I pick it up and flip it over. It’s of me in the library—the same one that Ryat sent me before I found him standing in the library. My head snaps up, doing a quick look around my room. My heart accelerates, and I stare back down at it in my hand. “Hello?” I call out again. “Is someone here?”
No answer.
“Ryat?” I ask, swallowing nervously. He took that picture, so he had to have left this box. How did he get in? Did he ask Sarah to help him?
I jump when my cell rings. Dropping the vial and picture back onto the bed, I grab my phone and hit answer. “Hello?” I say, trying to calm my racing heart.
“You embarrassed him?” my mother snaps in my ear.
“What?” I ask, doing another quick look around my room. I walk to my closet and look inside it, but it’s all clear.
“Matt,” she growls. “Kimberly said you embarrassed him in front of his peers on Friday.”
“I’m not talking about this, Mom,” I say, going into my bathroom. Still alone.
“I don’t know what the hell is happening there, but know this, Blakely Rae. You will not mess this up for the family. You will get married to Matt. Keep this up, and it’ll be much sooner than expected.” She hangs up.
I come back to my room and plop down on the side of my bed.
The vial sits next to me, and tears fill my eyes. I can’t stop it. I can’t control it. My life has never been mine. Why did I think it would be now? I will be Mrs. Blakely Winston no matter what I do. The thought is crippling, knowing I’ll live a lie in a loveless marriage. I did have feelings for Matt. It took me a while, but I was okay with spending forever with him.
Now? I despise him. I’ll never respect him, and I’ll never willingly marry him. My mother will have to drag me down the aisle if that’s the case.
Ryat? Do I think his sudden interest in me has to do with Matt? Absolutely. Do I care? No. As far as I’m concerned, Matt can kiss my ass. If he can do whatever he wants, so can I. And that includes letting Ryat have his way with me.
Making up my mind, I pop the top off the vial and toss back the odorless and soapy tasting liquid, drinking it like the note said.
Fuck it!
RYAT
I ENTER HERapartment, knowing that she’s home alone. I made sure of it. Pushing her bedroom door open, I find her lying on the bed. She’s on her back, her hands up by her head. Eyes closed and breathing deeply. Passed out.
She took the GHB.
I figured she would. People in our world are always looking for a way to escape reality. I needed another taste of her, and there are rules for a reason.
Walking over to the side of the bed, I pull the covers off her to find she had changed into an oversized T-shirt before it kicked in. I fist the material in my hands, thinking it belongs to her cheating ex. Yanking it up, I see she’s got on a pair of black lace underwear. Letting go of the shirt, I place my hand on her flat stomach and slide the tips of my fingers into the fabric. Teasing myself.
My cock is hard, straining against my zipper. I want to fuck her so bad. Ever since I saw her sprawled out on the floor, I wanted to take her dark hair in my hands and shove my dick down her throat and make her pretty blue eyes cry.
The rules of the ritual are simple.
The chosen must offer herself.She has shown me interest by showing up at the party. If there was any doubt what she was doing there—my bedroom proved she wanted something. Even if it was just revenge on Matt. I’ll take that. That’s something I can use.