Violet's POV
Ryker stepped forward, pulling me into his chest again, this time with a sense of urgency, like he was trying to memorize the feel of me in his arms.
“I don’t want you to worry about me while I’m gone,” he murmured into my hair, his voice thick with emotion. “But I’ll think about you every day. I promise.”
“I’ll miss you,” I whispered back, my voice barely audible against his chest. The weight of those words settled heavily between us.
“I’ll miss you more,” he said, his voice filled with a quiet intensity that made my heart ache even more.
The seconds felt like hours as we stood there in silence, just holding each other. I wanted to say something else, something to make this easier, but all I could do was hold on tighter, memorizing the feel of his heartbeat against my cheek, the warmth of his body pressed against mine.
When the silence finally broke, it was Ryker who spoke first, his voice thick with the promise of things unsaid.
“I have to go now, Violet. But I’ll come back, and when I do, I’ll make it up to you.”
I pulled away slightly, brushing my fingers over his lips, a small smile playing at the corner of my mouth. "You better," I whispered, my voice soft, but the underlying emotion in it made my meaning clear.
Ryker’s eyes softened as he leaned down to kiss me again, slow and deliberate, like he was trying to make the moment last as long as possible. When he finally pulled away, I could see the conflict in his eyes, the longing to stay at war with the responsibility pulling him away.
With one last lingering touch, he stepped back, giving me a small, pained smile before turning to leave.
"I’ll be counting the days," I called after him, my heart aching with each passing second.
Ryker turned once more, his expression serious but tender. "And I’ll be counting the moments, Violet. Stay safe, okay?"
I nodded, forcing myself to smile through the sadness that had settled deep inside me. "Go make your deal, Ryker. Just come back to me."
I watched him walk away, his broad shoulders stiff as he retreated down the hall. The steady rhythm of his footsteps faded, and with it, the lingering warmth he left in his wake. The smile I had tried to muster slipped away, leaving only the ache of his absence behind.
I didn't know why he had to come closer to me, despite everything. He had shared the same cell in Alpha Aaron's dungeon, and that made everything more complicated. He was supposed to be a part of a different life, one that didn’t belong with me. He wasn’t supposed to care this much.
Taking one last glance at the empty hallway where he had disappeared, I pulled the door closed with a soft click. The weight of the moment settled heavily in my chest, and the silence around me seemed to intensify, pressing in on all sides.
I turned and walked back to my bed, the room feeling colder than it had moments before. The blanket was still half-fallen onto the floor, but I didn’t bother with it. Instead, I sank down onto the edge of the bed and let my head fall into my hands. For a moment, I let myself wallow in the ache that Ryker’s departure always caused.
The bed creaked under my weight, the soft linen a stark contrast to the hard knot of frustration tightening in my stomach. I wanted to call him back, to demand he stay, but I knew it wasn’t realistic. Business.
I was still lost in my thoughts when a voice cut through the silence, sharp and taunting. “What game are you playing with Ryker?”
The words were smooth and dripping with something I couldn’t quite place—contempt, perhaps, or just irritation. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. The voice had that unmistakable edge, the kind that always made me tense up.
I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I pulled my blanket straight, trying to arrange the bed in some semblance of normalcy. Maybe if I acted like I wasn’t bothered, it would go away.
But I could feel his presence before he even stepped closer—Xaden, always lurking like a shadow, his eyes burning into my back with his usual smug intensity. He was just waiting for me to crack, to react the way he expected.
“Leave it alone, Xaden,” I muttered, my fingers working quicker, folding the edges of the blanket over itself in a practiced motion.
But he wouldn’t leave it alone. I could feel his gaze growing more intense, the silence between us thickening as he took a step closer. I ignored him, pretending to focus on the bed, on anything other than his irritating presence.
“ Are you crazy ?” Xaden’s voice was now just a breath away, and I felt his hand grab the back of my hair, yanking me back sharply.
My breath caught in my throat, and I spun around, my eyes flashing with irritation. “Let go of me, Xaden,” I hissed, trying to twist out of his grip, but his hold was ironclad.
He leaned in, his lips curling into a wicked smirk, his face too close for comfort. “I’m not playing, Violet. What’s going on with you and Ryker?”
I fought against the tension in my jaw, trying to stay calm, but I could feel the anger rising in me like a wave. “You don’t know anything,” I snapped, shoving at his chest in an attempt to push him away.
But Xaden was too fast. Before I could take a step back, he grabbed my wrist, pulling me toward him. I could feel the pulse in my wrist as he held it too tightly, like a warning.
“What's wrong with you Xaden?”
I finally break free from him, staring at him with anger and hatred.
“Why are you asking questions?”
“Are You jealous?”