Chapter 22: Claimed in Fire
1409 Words
Ryker’s POV
I should’ve known it would get to this point.
The moment the atmosphere changed, my instincts took over. I didn’t wait even a second before acting immediately. I rushed and grabbed Lucy, rolling over with her as the sound of a bullet erupted in the calm surroundings.
It started with one shot, followed by another, and chaos filled everywhere.
Guards were yelling at the top of their voices, and even Logan did his best to steady the atmosphere, shouting out orders. I could hear Lucy’s panicked breath as I carried her in my arms, her body pressed against mine, while I shielded her from flying bullets to the best of my ability and everything in me.
I didn’t even notice my shoulder was burning from a bullet penetrating through it until we were out of danger.
“Ryker… you’re dangerously bleeding!” She gasped in fear.
“Shut up, this minute,” I hissed, trying not to get too soft with her. “Just don't talk, but stay calm."
But instead, her eyes located mine and locked together. She stared at me widely, still scared… and even something else that I couldn't tell what it was.
Why am I bothered that she's staring at me? Why does her gaze matter?
I strived to sit up and growled, “Logan! Ensure the perimeter is secured! No one should be permitted to leave until I give the order!"
Logan didn't hesitate to move immediately. He has been very efficient and precise, just as I had trained him to operate.
Lucy stood up, already shaking. “They seem to be aiming for me with that bullet.”
“You don’t talk like that,” I snapped at her, and at the same time, pulling off my jacket, wincing in pain.
She folded her arms while still trying to point out her point. “You got severely shot while trying to save me, and all you could throw at me is sarcasm?”
I stared blankly at her. “You have it in your mind that this is a game? Someone had it as their duty to kill you.”
“And that was because of you.”
“No, it's because of us all.”
She looked away, staying quiet, as if what I was saying did not matter. Why do I care so much?
This wasn’t how I planned it to be. It wasn't part of the plan. I brought her here to torment her, break and make her bleed extensively.
And yet, none of that...
She tried explaining, “You shouldn't be stubborn; you should see the medic. "
“I’ll live; you don't need to worry.”
She moved a few inches closer. “You’re one hell of a stubborn man.”
“And you’re nothing but a damn dangerous lady to me,” I muttered to myself under my breath.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing, I didn't say anything.”
But even as I said that I knew everything was something for her, especially with her pregnancy hormones lately.
The way she stares at me, locking eyes with me. The way she spoke without fear these days, the way she challenged me, pushing me to feel things I didn't want, things I vowed not to do. I was supposed to be ruthless, according to the script. Never to display any sign of weakness or dead debris inside, but it isn't like that anymore.
But then, all of a sudden, just last night, she smiled. She smiled when she was supposed to be frowning and angry with me. And that left my heart stuttering foolishly. And the most stupid of them all: I didn't think twice before taking a bullet for her. It was just like a dream, like a knight in fairy tales.
Damn it, whatever is taking away my honor from me.
I walked off, trying to avoid her, but she followed with her sweetness.
“Ryker,” she called behind my back, walking very fast to match my steps, “what the hell has been troubling you ever since the gun incident?"
“I should be the one directing the question to you,” I snapped angrily at her. You disobeyed my order, sneaking out against my wish to see your brother outside this pack. You not only lied to my face, you didn't obey my rules in my kingdom."
“Excuse me, Ryker? You’ve been giving yourself so much importance that it's become overwhelming and scary since we had that wedding! Behaving like you own, even down to the air I breathe!"
“Yes, I do own the air that you breathe; I own you till you give birth,” I growled in fury. “You are not just carrying my heir; you are wearing my mark and bear my name. And don't forget you also sleep here, right under my roof, all expenses paid and catered by me."
“It’s all about fake marriage, Ryker!”
“Then why on earth did I go as far as bleeding for you?” I shot back, my eyes emitting what I couldn't explain; I seemed to be lost in thought, lost staring at her.
She flinched on realizing she had just flipped.
I got her; that was the end.
But her following words cut deeper than that bullet could ever do.
“Because this isn't your nature. You may seem cold, but it can never be as bad as you pretend to be.”
I stood staring at her, totally speechless.
She turned to take her leave, but I wasn't having it anymore.
My hand stretched toward her, grabbing her immediately on her wrist.
“Don’t punish me by walking away from me. Stay.”
“Then, you can do better by at least talking to me like a human and not like someone you own, like a contract.”
I pulled her tight, too close, so my breath was on her. “You want to really find out the reason I sacrificed my safety and took that bullet for you?”
“Yeah, tell me,” she breathed heavily.
“Because the very idea of not seeing you again, of losing you, of missing you terribly...” I stopped. Tightly messily clenched my jaw.“....that thought alone messed up my mental health.”
She didn’t even move as much.
“Ryker, I...” She called softly.
I finally let go of her tiny wrist. “This isn’t in any way good for us.”
“No, you are right; it’s not,” she agreed.
“We need to do something, maybe end this, maybe stay far away from each other before it turns out to be something we have no control over.”
She nodded absentmindedly. “So let’s make the move and end it.”
But neither of us even shifted; we were still tightly clenched against each other.
Minutes later, we walked up to my office, and I was shirtless, very bare before her, while Lucy tried her best to stay focused, cleaning the bullet graze like a professional.
Her hands were very gentle, so gentle that they gave me a lot of unimaginable things. Creating different images of us together.
“Stop giving me that look, a look that gives me the feeling that I matter,” I muttered.
She paused, her eyes locking with mine. “Maybe you do, even though you keep fighting it.”
Damn her, why will she say such to my messy head?
“Lucy, this flashy thing between us, it's not that I don't want it… it's just that we didn't plan it this way; it wasn’t supposed to exist.”
“I didn't demand for myself, it just happened, Ryker.”
“Do you wish it could go away immediately?” she asked, but her voice was calm and expectant.
Do I want that?
While exhausted, I began. “You never cease to make me weak. I hated every minute of it.”
She smiled like she could faint at any moment. “Maybe that’s exactly what strength is; that's real strength.” Then she leaned forward, taking me unawares, and kissed my shoulder very close to the wound she was dressing.
I knew it at that moment that I was done for.
Fake marriage, my foot.
I was already entirely hers, and there was nothing anyone could do.
- Writer
