Page 29 of Ravaged Devotion

Ryker stepped away from him, and for a tense moment, it seemed like he wanted to say something.

Instead, he walked away, leaving Rue stuffed with an object, mess between his feet, still naked and panting.

Without so much as a single glance back.

Chapter 6:

They took a luxury bus to the mountains, seventeen of them forced to breathe the same air all because Ryker’s dad had thought it would help with team bonding.

As if this was actually a team bonding trip, and not just something the man wanted to use as a tax write off.

Ryker sat in the way back with his headphones in the entire drive, flashbacks to being a moody teenager keeping him from being rude whenever one of his father’s associates grew bold and tried to get his attention. The whole reason he was here was to rub elbows with these arrogant pricks to help pave his way into the company, so the last thing he could afford was to roll his eyes at them when they made it too obvious they were kissing his ass.

Besides, there was only one person he was actively trying to avoid.

Rue sat in the middle of the bus with the two friends he’d brought along, Bowie and Lenore. Ryker only knew their names because he could count on two fingers how many close friends Rue had. The three of them chatted the entire way, seemingly excited to be there.

Which only helped prove to Ryker even more that Rue was a damn liar that couldn’t be trusted.

Because he hadn’t been able to make eye contact with Ryker the rest of this week either. Had gone back to avoiding him, despite how prettily he’d begged for it in the library.

Ryker regretted it.

Regretted giving in and touching him.

Regretted going in there at all.

Especially right before a trip he couldn’t get out of, where the two of them would be stuck in the same vicinity for a week straight.

Fireview Lodge was a luxury lodge and resort nestled in the woodlands, built on the side of Mount Ember, and surrounded by five million mountain acres, better known as Fireview forest. The area was protected, meaning there weren’t any other residences or businesses for miles and miles.

It would just be them and the staff.

Alone.

For days.

Hooray.

Ryker glanced to the front of the bus where Uriel and Ellery were seated. The doctors had recommended the first get out of the city for a while, citing that the bustle wasn’t conducive for reacclimating into reality—whatever the fuck that meant. Ell had come along since their families hadn’t trusted Uriel on his own just yet, and they all knew Ryk would make a terrible baby sitter.

Aside from his and Rue’s friends, and their parents, there were also the members of the board. Ironically, despite this being pitched as a business retreat, the members of their party that were in their twenties outnumbered those in their fifties.

There were seven board members, including Rhys and Eulalie. The Smiths were childless and came alone, but the others had all brought their offspring. Darae Corvina’s daughter, Esti, had even invited her boyfriend.

Ryker didn’t give a shit about any of them. Already dreaded the massive waste of time having to pretend to be interested in their vapid stories was going to be. Expected them to all suck up to him the same way their parents had been, unwilling to pass up the chance to get on the Hart Heir’s good side.

He couldn’t blame them, but still.

The last thing he wanted was to be here, with them.

Any of them.

And that included Rue.

By the time they made it to the lodge, it was late afternoon. The van pulled in front of a four-story redwood building. The area had apparently been named for the way the trees turned vibrant shades of reds, oranges, and yellows during Autumn, but since they’d come in the summer, everything as far as the eye could see was green and brown.

The amenities list was vast, including spas, fitness centers, kayaking, and an onsite movie theater. There were guided activities that included hiking and fishing, and the dining hall was said to be open twenty-four-seven.