Page 62 of Ravaged Devotion

Dinner had been mostly quiet, with them all eating in the kitchen, too uncomfortable to move into the dining hall where there was an entire wall of glass. They’d had to walk by it just to exit to the rest of the lodge, and even that minute it’d taken had made Rue’s skin crawl.

The Black Harts had agreed on taking guard duty shifts, as though there was a chance someone might attempt to go outside in the dead of night. Despite the implication they didn’t trust any of them, no one spoke up against them, everyone clearly too drained from the day’s events to bother.

Uriel was taking first shift and had waited downstairs while the rest of them headed up to bed. He’d been closing the doors to the lounge area, and the kitchen when Rue last spotted him, sealing off the areas where there were windows and opting to stake out behind the check-in desk.

The workers who were present totaled six, including Cosima, and that was only because they had room and board at the lodge. Everyone had joined them for dinner aside for the coordinator, and they’d each arrived with a packed bag, planning on relocating to the upper level along with the rest of them.

There were plenty of rooms, so there was no worry about running out, even with Rhys and his two missing board members having taken the keys to their own rooms with them.

Bowie and Lenore had agreed to spend the night together, and Rue had been planning on going with them.

He should have known better.

“Come here.” Ryker didn’t have to shout or call him by name for Rue to know he was talking to him.

They’d already made it halfway down the hall, past the Black Hart’s door, Bowie having selected a room far from the stairwell. When Rue paused and then turned on his heels to look back, Ryker was staring at him.

Bowie stepped up to his side and grabbed onto his wrist. “Hey. Ignore him. Let’s go.”

Even though he had to have heard, Ryker made no moves to stop him. His expression remained blank, his spine straight. He merely stood there, imposingly, and waited for Rue to come to a decision on his own.

He knew what it would mean if he didn’t obey though. The message he’d be sending. No one knew what tomorrow would bring, whether they’d wake to find the fog had miraculously lifted, or if they’d be trapped here another day. If Rue went with Bowie and Lenore, it’d be the same as giving Ryker the middle finger. Telling him he was breaking their agreement, and no longer wanted his help to keep them safe.

It wasn’t like Rue was opposed to spending the night with the Black Hart…But…His intentions were still unclear, and that made him nervous. Today had already been a lot, and he didn’t think he could handle any more disappointment.

His friends were also scared. They needed him…

Ryker’s patience wore out, and he turned away and slid his key into the doorknob.

“You two stick together,” Rue told Bowie and Lenore before he could change his mind, stepping away. “I’ll be with Ryk.”

“Rue—” Bowie was held back by Lenore, but Rue didn’t wait to listen to what she said to him, picking up the pace.

He reached the room just as Ryker stepped inside, slamming a palm against the door before the Black Hart could shut it on him.

Ryker stared at him wordlessly for a beat, and then finally moved aside, leaving Rue space to enter. He tore his shirt over his head and tossed it into a corner, and then slipped out of his shoes, seemingly uncaring how quickly or not Rue closed the door, even though Ishleen and Esti were still slowly making their way down the hall.

Ishleen noticed too. Rue caught her pausing, leaning her head to try and get a better look—

He shut the door and flicked the lock into place, coming up short when he spun and found Ryker completely naked.

Ryker didn’t spare him a glance, going straight for the bathroom. He left that door open as well, the sound of the shower coming a moment later.

Did he…want Rue to join him?

Maybe not?

Did Rue want to join him?

The deal had been for Rue’s body, right? Since he was already nervous about where this was going, could he take the initiative? Would Ryker reject him?

Light.

Rue didn’t think he could handle it if he did.

Didn’t know if that was even something he really wanted at a time like this.

What if Ryker planned on fucking him with another object?