Chapter 30: Chapter Thirty

A cold chill ran over Saffron’s body as her breath puffed out against the hand that held her mouth captive.

The skin of the hand was hot and rough, but there was something about it that felt familiar to her.

Even when she didn’t recognize who it was, her body seemed to have recognized who it was. But it didn’t stop her from struggling against the grip, even though she knew it was futile; her body was tiny, as opposed to her attacker’s.

She kicked her legs out and flailed her arms wildly, but it was no use. He was way stronger than she was. And before she could detangle her body from his iron grip, he closed in on her, aligning their bodies perfectly together, her back to his chest.

She tried to force out a scream, no longer caring about risking the Alpha finding out that she had broken his rule because she would rather take whatever punishment he would dole out to her than let whoever this was have his way with her in the dark.

It was better the devil you knew than the one you didn’t.

Her scream turned into a wheeze as her attacker’s hand went around her throat, effectively cutting the sound off before it could leave her throat.

“Shhh!” he cooed into her ear, as he released her mouth and turned her around to face him. One of his hands rested on her hips possessively, the heat of his hand feeling like a hot brand on her skin. “It’s just me, Ryder.”

“Ryder?” she whispered back, dumbfounded, her pulse still racing. But this time around, it was racing for a different reason.

The sound of the gate creaking open had them turning their gazes as one, each with varying expressions on their faces.

Saffron looked back at Ryder as her heart jumped into her throat, her expression one of utter terror and dismay.

Before she could think of just how screwed she was, Ryder pulled her away from the door and towards the back into a narrow spot in the wall, which she hadn’t noticed before.

He tugged her deeper into the space, as sounds of heavy footfalls echoed from behind them.

Tiny pebbles tugged at the soles of her slippers as they forged on, rough stones scratching at her skin, but she didn’t let out a complaint, knowing that this was the only way to save her life.

She couldn’t even begin to fathom just what would have happened to her if Ryder hadn’t found her at the door of the archives.

Just what had she thought to achieve when she slipped out of bed tonight?

She hadn’t thought about anything beyond sneaking out of the slaves’ quarters, making her way to the archives, and finding any information relating to her, Ivan, and Alaric Vaughn.

She hadn’t thought about what the consequences would have been for her if she had been caught. Neither had she thought about the fact that a building holding such sensitive information would never be left unguarded.

When the sounds of the other footfalls faded away, Ryder came to a standstill, and he pulled her against him, their chests crushing against each other.

She sucked in a deep breath, her nostrils flaring when all of her senses became invaded with the scent of him. That spice and woodsy scent that belonged only to him.

His sharp chin was now resting on top of her head, his heart racing as fast as hers was as he pulled her closer into him. She had no idea where he began and where she ended.

Saffron could feel every single thing his body was doing. Every clench of his muscles, every ragged breath against her ear, and every little growl that left his lips.

It was then that she felt something, right between them, poking into her lower belly.

Saffron’s face turned crimson, and she was grateful for the cover of the night, that they weren’t able to see each other.

She had no idea how she would face him after this or how she would be able to keep her interest from showing all over her face.

This was different from the time when they had been naked together at his cabin, days ago. The air now felt like it was supercharged with electricity.

She was terrified of what might happen now that they were pressed against each other this close, but there was also a part of her that made her heart race with excitement instead of fear.

‘It’s just a reaction to the situation,’ she told herself, even as her grip on his shirt tightened infinitesimally.

There was no way he would be that interested in her, a mere eighteen-year-old who had been sold to serve as a slave to the gang he was a part of.

It would be bizarre to think that there could be a possibility of anything happening between them.

Again, she told herself that their bodies were just reacting to the adrenaline from the tense situation, and nothing otherwise, but deep down, she knew it wasn’t true.

Right from the first moment she had felt him from behind her, there had been an intrinsic pull between them, an undeniable force of attraction that tethered them together, even though they had both tried to hide it.

She saw it in the way he looked at her when they were together, in the way his gaze softened when he talked to her, in the regret in his eyes that one time he had dared her to watch him be serviced by another woman.

Ryder wasn’t a good guy; she knew that. He was, after all, a member of the gang that held her captive. Saffron was supposed to hate him on principle. But no matter how she tried to hate him, she just couldn’t find it in herself to do so.

Maybe it had to do with the fact that he had saved her when no one else would have bothered. Or the fact that he hadn’t taken advantage of her at her weakest and violated her body when he had every opportunity to do so.

No man she had met would have selflessly done what Ryder had done. And for that, he deserved her respect and whatever feelings that she was developing—even though they were developing at her own detriment.

“I think they’re gone now,” he whispered, his hot breath brushing over her ear and making her shiver.

“I think so too,” she responded, swallowing hard, trying to dispel the sensations brought about by his close proximity to her.

Ryder took a step back releasing her from his hold, and Saffron was embarrassed to admit that she felt instantly cold now that he was no longer holding her.

A moan of disapproval escaped her lips before she could stop it, and she raised her head to look at him, cheeks flaming red, hoping that he hadn’t heard before remembering that they couldn’t see each other.

Ryder grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him as he began to walk back the way they had gone in, not showing any indication that he had heard her.

“I am taking you back to the slave quarters, and I need you to promise me that you’re going to stay there,” he stated once they were outside. “You were never outside, you never left your bed tonight, and we never saw each other.”

Saffron’s heart plummeted into her stomach at his words as she wondered whether he would be embarrassed if his fellow gang members found out that he had been consorting with a slave.

“It is for your own safety,” he placated as if he had sensed where her thoughts had gone to.

Without waiting for her reply, he pushed the gate open and peered around the courtyard before gesturing for her to follow him.

He grabbed her hand in his once again, and Saffron tried hard not to think about the electricity she was certain was sizzling between their clasped hands as they walked through the eerie dark and silent night.

When they came to a stop at the back entrance of the slave quarters, Ryder pushed past her to open the old heavy wooden door, his chest brushing against hers.

Heat bloomed against her cheeks as she remembered that moment when his hardness had brushed against her belly in the dark.

“Good night,” he whispered, his brown eyes sparkling with mischief as if he too was thinking of that moment.

And then he went on to brush a kiss against her forehead before he turned around to walk away, leaving her frozen and blushing.

Ryder Oscura had just kissed her.

Ryder had kissed her.

On the forehead!

‘Be still, you crazy heart!’ she warned, even as she swooned at the show of affection. ‘It means nothing.’