Chapter 6

{Zed's Pov}

"What? Do you have something to say?" Ryder asked, pleased while staring at me. I still hadn't said anything since Ryder introduced me to Lexi.

"Why would he? He's just a bloody rogue-" Lexi replied quickly and i glared at her. Ryder did too and she quickly swallowed whatever more opinionated remarks she had.

"No. What right do i have to say anything? I'm just a rogue,"I said and Ryder turned his frown towards him. Was that displeasure i saw on his face?

"What did you want Lexi?" Ryder asked, changing the topic. I reached for the bowl in his hands, intending to finish the rest of the soup by myself. My fingers brushed against Ryder's and my breath hitched. I looked up at his face and his eyes bore intensely into mine.

"I can eat by myself-" I said while looking at him then at Lexi, who didn't look very pleased.

"You didn't have a problem five minutes earlier-" he said and i sighed softly. Maybe i didn't but there was no way i was going to entertain Ryder anymore. Not when his fiancé was standing right there.

"Ryder..." I called out to him softly.

"Ryder?" Lexi asked in confusion. She looked at me then at Ryder. "Do you guys know each other?" She asked.

"No.."

"Yes.."

Both Ryder and i answered at the same time. I didn't expect him to act like he knew me. He had been hostile since we saw each other. He looked at me as if he wasn't expecting me to answer no. I couldn't exactly tell what he wanted from me.

"Yes or no?" Lexi inquired and for a second, i saw something flash across her pretty face. Jealousy.

"I guess we don't," Ryder muttered grumpily. "And i guess you're right. You can feed yourself after all-" he said and placed the bowl in my hands. Ryder got up from the bed and looked down at me. "Don't step out of this room. You'll be in trouble if you disobey my instructions" he declared and i nodded.

"Lexi. Come with me-" Ryder's tone changed when he spoke to Lexi. It was no longer soft. Lexi noticed this and as Ryder led her away, she turned her blonde head and looked at me. It wasn't a kind look and i knew i had yet again put myself in a position i wouldn't like. First with Ryder and now, Lexi.

"Why is he in your bedroom Ryder?" I heard Lexi's hushed tone outside the door. The door was closed but my hearing was good.

"Let's not talk here Lexi. Come on-" Ryder's hushed tone commanded before their steps retreated.

I sighed deeply and continued eating. I couldn't stop thinking about the first thing Lexi had said when she walked into that room. It sounded like Ryder had after all helped his people. If that was true, why was he threatening me? I frowned deeply. I finished the rest of the soup and placed the dishes away.

It had been an hour and nobody had come looking for me. Gently making my way to the bathroom, i stripped down the clothes i had been wearing and looked at my reflection in the mirror. From the front, i indeed looked good, healthy even. It was the back that was concerning. I winced when i made a sudden move so i could look at my wounds. They weren't pretty.

I opened the balm the doctor had left and rubbed my finger on it. I tried to rub it against my back but every attempt failed. I was still trying to apply it when the bathroom door opened and Ryder walked in. I grabbed the nearest thing i could to cover myself but he got to me before i could do it.

"I'll help you apply it," he offered, though it didn't seem like he was asking for permission because he took the balm from my hands.

"I can do it myself," i interjected, intending to refuse his help.

"I wasn't asking." He replied, turned my head to the front and started applying the balm. With every touch, i winced under my breath.

"You can scream if you want to. Or cry. You were always a cry baby" he said and i wasn't sure if he was trying to start a fight with me. "You don't have to act strong, Zed. Not with me."

"Cry baby? That's not how i remember it," I said and from the reflection on the mirror, i could see Ryder's smile drop immediately. I knew we both thought of the same thing. The night i rejected him.

He applied pressure on my back and i winced "Ow..." I looked over and when i saw the smile on his face, i frowned. "You did that on purpose!" I accused him and he just shrugged.

Silence filled the bathroom with only just breathing. Ryder didn't say anything and i didn't know what to say either. He'd blow on my wounds once in a while when i winced or jerked my body from the contact.

"So you're engaged?" I asked suddenly. I screamed internally at myself for choosing that topic.

Ryder hummed in response but he didn't look as thrilled as he was when he was introducing Lexi earlier.

"Congratulations. Lexi seems nice-" I said and this time, i felt his gaze on the back of my head.

"What are you trying to do, Zed?" He asked and i looked over my shoulder.

"What do you mean?" I asked. "I'm just trying to make conversation. It's been years since.."

"Since what?" Ryder asked and i grabbed a robe from one of the hooks in the bathroom.

"Since you left" i said softly and Ryder frowned.

"I left?" He asked and i frowned. "Is that what you think happened? Are you so dense that.." he trailed off and slammed the palm against the sink. "You and i are not friends, Zed. Stop acting like we are..." He said and i just looked at him. I was waiting for him to stop throwing tantrums.

"I never said we are friends Ryder," I said and his eyes darkened.

"That's what you said eight years ago," he reminded me.

"So all this. It's about that night eight years ago?" I asked and he frowned even deeper. "Is that why you attacked the Red Blades? For revenge?"

Ryder's eyes darkened, he pinned me against the wall, disregarding my pained complaints. "Revenge? You used to be smart Zed. I'm disappointed that this is how far your head can think" he said and pain flashed in my eyes. I had hit a nerve and in turn, Ryder took a dig at my personality. He wasn't kind. His words were meant to hurt me and hurt me they did.

"Is it an apology you want? " I asked. "I'm sorry i rejected you Ryder. Seeing how you are now, i'm starting to believe i made the right choice. There-"

Ryder's eyes had darkened. He enclosed his hand around my neck and squeezed. He didn't choke me not directly but when he crushed his lips against mine, i forgot to breathe. He was rough as he kissed me. I pushed him, trying to get him off of me but with half of my back in wounds and my feet sore, there was so much i could do. I allowed him to kiss me, my lips still, unresponsive. He didn't stop and when he wasn't expecting it, i bit his lip hard.

"Fuck!" He cursed after he had pulled back from my lips. He placed his hand on his lip and cursed again when he saw the blood. His blood. Some of it was on my lips. I could taste it. Salty, rusty, metallic. I glared at him and he glared right back at me.

"Do you want to know what i want? I want you!" He declared and my heart skipped a beat. I parted my lips but nothing came out.

"I want to make you my bitch" he added and all that hope came crashing down. "I'll make sure you regret every second you've known me then after i'm done with you.." he trailed off and grabbed a towel. "Get yourself cleaned up, you stink!”