Chapter Eleven
Tori's POV
What the hell was wrong with me?
The thought wouldn't leave my head no matter how many times I tried to push it away. The tension with Nicole, the way my body reacted to his touch, and then Kael the way I had looked at him, the way I had actually asked him that question.
The way we both kissed. I allowed him to kiss me and I didn't hold back, I ended up kissing him really hard too. Fuck me man!
"If I let him sleep with me, would everything stop?" how the hell could I ask him something like that?
My fingers tightened in my hair as I paced slowly across the room, my chest rising and falling unevenly. I could still hear my own voice from the other day, and it made something twist painfully inside me.
When did I become this person?
What happened to the girl who would rather die than give in? Thank goodness it wasn't too late to take my words back.
I stopped walking, my reflection staring back at me from the mirror. My eyes looked tired, darker than before, and my lips pressed into a thin line as I tried to hold myself together.
Everything was slowly shifting.
And the worst part was that it was happening in his favor.
If the last challenge had nearly killed me, then what was next? The thought alone made my stomach tighten, my fingers curling slowly at my sides as I exhaled.
I hope things weren't going to be this hard.
Things have been quieter lately. It was too quiet and I wondered if it was because of the fact that one of the brothers had just arrived. The sudden ease, the lack of punishment, the way no one had pushed me again yet.
It didn't feel like peace. It felt like a break before something worse, but there was only one way to figure out that.
A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts.
I turned immediately, my brows pulling together slightly. None of the brothers knocked. They never did. The maids barely even made a sound before entering.
For a second, I hesitated.
Then the door opened.
Riven.
My body stiffened instantly.
He stepped inside like he belonged there, closing the door behind him before his eyes moved slowly around the room, taking everything in. His movements were calm, almost lazy, but there was something sharp behind it that made it impossible to relax.
He didn't look like Kael.
He didn't look like Nicole either.
His build was lean, his frame less bulky, and if I didn't know who he was, I wouldn't have guessed he was the type to lead a war.
But his eyes… His eyes said everything.
"I've heard a lot about you," he said, walking toward the drawer before resting his back against it, his arms folding loosely across his chest.
I didn't move.
"Same," I replied quickly, my tone flat.
His lips curved slightly.
"I can always tell when I'm being lied to." My jaw tightened just a little, but I didn't respond. Instead, I held his gaze.
"I heard you're strong," he continued, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied me. "It's taking them longer than usual to break you."
Something flickered inside me. Was that supposed to be a compliment? Because it felt like one, but I hated the fact they wanted a strong woman. It's like I'm giving them what they want.
"Who told you that?" I asked before I could stop myself, my brows lifting slightly.
A small smirk appeared on his face. "No one needed to," he said simply.
My lips pressed together, but I couldn't stop the slight lift in my chest.
Maybe he was different and wasn't exactly like his brothers.
"That leaves me with no choice," he added, pushing himself off the drawer slowly, his posture straightening as he took a step closer. "Now that I'm back, I'll be handling the next game."
The small hope I had built up shattered immediately.
"I'll make it memorable," he continued, his voice calm, almost too calm. "Something you won't forget. I don't think you will be able to survive this one then. "
My stomach dropped. Oh? He was worse.
"What?" The word slipped out before I could control it, my body tensing as I stared at him.
"It will happen soon," he said, tilting his head slightly as if he was considering it. "Tomorrow. Or the day after."
My hands curled into fists. What was wrong with these people?
"Why are you doing this?" I snapped, my voice rising before I could stop it, but I forced myself to calm down before it got out of hand. "Why do you hate us so much?"
My chest tightened as I took a step forward, my eyes locking onto his.
"I'm already suffering enough being here," I continued, my voice lower now but filled with anger. "If this was where I came from, you would all be in jail for this."
The room went quiet.
Riven's expression didn't change immediately.
But something in his eyes did.
"Jail?" he repeated slowly, like the word was unfamiliar to him. "The place you came from… what kind of world is that?"
I hesitated.
Shit.
"You're strange," he added, pushing himself fully off the drawer now, his gaze sharpening slightly as he stepped closer. "Very strange."
My heart picked up again. Before I could respond, he spoke again.."Come with me.".My brows furrowed. "For what?"
A faint smirk touched his lips.
"Let's spar," he said. "We'll use swords."
My eyes widened slightly before I could stop myself.I had never even held a sword before.
"Are you serious?" I asked, disbelief clear in my voice. "I don't even know how to use one."
"That's the point," he replied calmly. Frustration burned through me.
"I'm not sparring with you," I said immediately, shaking my head.
He didn't really say anything. There was not any reaction written on his face. He just looked at me. Then slowly, that smirk returned.
"Do you want to know the interesting part about this?" he asked, his voice dropping slightly. My stomach tightened. "You don't have a choice."
The words settled heavily in the air.
And the worst part? He was right.
I exhaled slowly, my shoulders tensing as I looked away from him for a second, trying to steady myself.
I hated this place. I hated the way everything worked. I hated that no matter how much I resisted.
I was still trapped in their world.
My fingers curled slightly at my sides as I finally looked back at him.
"Fine," I muttered.
But deep down, I already knew one thing. This wasn't just a spar.
Sword fight with Riven? Someone should knock me out of this dream.