Boundaries.. Yes

Lina’s POV:

I appreciated motivations. They helped me get things done faster.

Life was a great motivator too. It urged me using presents. Words.

Or even a guy made handless by Riven.

I needed no one to tell me that my stepbrother was a devil. A real one.

And he ruled LA. Not subtly, but fucking openly.

He cut off the hands of that jerk – yes, jerk, since he wasn’t innocent – without any consequences.

The LAPD came but did nothing.

Riven ruled this hell, and I would get out of it.

How? Simple. I’d get him his watch, file for an internship in another country, and get out.

So as I stepped into the hotel club, I was determined.

Our first encounter happened here, and he’d lost his watch after.

I might get clues on finding it here.

Unsurprisingly, the club pulsated with life.

Through the bass that thrummed, I slipped between dancing bodies. Soon, I slid onto a high stool in front of the counter.

“What can I get you?” The bartender threw me a look.

My throat bobbed as I glanced at the stacks of drinks on the shelves.

I knew better than to take a sip of anything. I needed more than sobriety to find this watch.

“Riven Rythrone, he comes here a lot, doesn’t he?” I went straight to business.

The bartender’s face fell before he snickered, then leaned in.

“Y’know, asking about The Grim Reaper himself isn’t wise.” He cocked his head.

It took me a second to digest his words.

Riven wasn’t just anyone in LA. I’d heard and seen his brutality, and now I wondered, Just how did I get entangled with The Grim Reaper?

“Fuck my life,” I mumbled, driving my fingers through my brown locks.

The bartender retracted, and shortly, a glass of whiskey sat in front of me.

“Here.” I glanced at the glowing brown liquid.

Truly, I was tempted to gulp it down. There was nothing better than alcohol when it came to forgetting shit.

But as I reached for it..

“Adelina.”

My outstretched fingers froze midair.

That baritone voice could only belong to one person. One man. One fucking ex of mine.

“Adelina.” Again, that voice cut through the club noise.

I turned to the side, and for the second time today, my eyes were cursed.

His tousled platinum-blonde hair and lip piercing were unmistakable.

Our gazes collided. Our worlds were about to as he began walking toward me.

Hell no.

“Adelina!”

Without thinking, I jumped down from the stool and bolted.

My hands reached for the railing once I came across a flight of stairs.

Why was Princeton here?

The slams of my heart blocked out every noise, even his several calls.

I burst into a hallway, and my attention fell on a door slightly opened. I went for it.

“Adelina, please!”

I didn’t stop. I’d be damned too.

The open door seemed like a gateway into heaven, and I reached for the knob.

But after I slammed the door shut, then backed it, I realized this was hell.

Like, literal hell because the devil was in front of me.

The shirtless, loosely towel-wearing devil stood there.

Water dripped from his wet hair that curtained those eyes. Even then, I could still see it;The bloody awe in those blue irises.

“Are you tipsy, Miss Tequila?” Then he spoke, and God…

I was screwed.

My thumping heart failed to block out the smoothness or the taunt in his tone.

“Or you missed me?” Riven chuckled, tilting his head.

The glow of this room, sorry, hell worshipped his flawless, well-sculpted body.

I squeezed my nose at the sight.

To think his body was this clean while his soul was tainted. Stained. Dirtied.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I mumbled, gluing harder to the door.

I hated this. I resented it!

I couldn’t go out unless Princeton, a certified asshole, would see me. But I couldn’t stay here either.

“I’m never ridiculous, love.” Riven took a step forward, and I felt like hyperventilating.

“Oh, please. Unfortunately, I’ve known you for less than twenty-four hours, and you’re a psychopath!” I yelled instead of scoffed.

My grip on the doorknob tightened; my knuckles whitened, but I didn’t care.

“You’re crazy, Riven. Absolutely mad and once I find your watch, I’m getting outta here,” I added fiercely.

Still, he seemed unaffected and kept coming closer.

“You’ve traumatized me.” My voice shook a bit; it grew small. Thinner.

Just like the space between me and this madman.

“You… suffocate me.” And Riven truly did as he stood an inch away.

His shadow darkened my figure, and for once, I didn’t hate my tallness.

“I don’t feel safe anywhere. Not at the mansion. Or even college. And now–”

“Now.” Expectantly, he cut my words, then leaned closer.

Too close.

“You’re my goddamn stepbrother. You know this, so let’s set boundaries,” I whispered as if I spoke of something abominable.

But it was something that should be normal. Sane. Logical.

But as Riven lifted a hand and grabbed my chin, I stared into his eyes.

They belonged to someone abnormal. Insane. Illogical.

“You begged to be mine. Remember?”

My breath hitched, and my body stupidly flinched as he snaked a hand around my waist, pulling me close.

“I–” Words got stuck in my throat and my tongue knotted.

“Adelina!” But someone else wasn’t tongue-tied and his voice boomed.

My eyes popped, and I shoved a hand straight at Riven’s chest.

I took advantage of the tiny space, then turned around and pulled the doorknob, wanting to dash out.

An asshole was better than a devil, right?

“Get away from me.”

But Riven didn’t.

Hell, he did worse.

Riven’s hold on my waist didn’t waver. Fuck, it tightened, and his fingers fell to my neck.

He held it softly, pressing my back against his rigid chest. My backside against his crotch.

“Ah!” My sharp wince echoed as thuds of boots drew closer.

But then it stopped as Princeton hovered over the door.

I watched his face turn white like a ghost, his arms dangling lifelessly.

I couldn’t blame him.

Who wouldn’t be tongue-tied at the sight of their ex being held up… like this?

“Prince–”

“As you can see,” R

iven’s cool voice froze my tongue.

I went quiet as he leaned closer, his breath hitting the crook of my neck.

“She’s busy”

He then glared at Princeton. 

“Now shoo.”