Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38523 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 193(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38523 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 193(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
“Owen.” I barely say his name. “You’re back.” I’m shocked to see him, but more than that I feel a heavy weight of relief. Not so much so that all of my anger is forgotten.
He strokes my back and kisses the tip of my nose. “What’s got you so angry, sweetness?” He noticeably sniffs the air. “You and Luke made up?” My cheeks flush with embarrassment realizing what he’s scented. A touch of guilt flows through me, but he’s not angry in the least.
“No we haven’t, and I want to leave.” My voice cracks at the end. “I’m sorry.” I can’t fucking believe I’m leaving him, but Luke ruining my career is the last straw.
He sucks in a breath as he stares down at me, heartbroken.
I shake my head. “We’re just not compatible.”
He quietly questions, “You feel nothing for him then?”
“Oh, I feel something. I feel like I want to fucking kill him.” I’m barely containing my anger as my blood heats thinking of all the years I’ve spent getting myself to this point.
“Kill who?” The bastard himself steps into the doorway and strides to the bed like he has no clue why I’d be enraged.
“You!” I scream at him. “How could you ruin my career like that?” Owen grabs my hips, pulling me into him and keeping me from slapping Luke across his face. I stretch an arm out and point as I yell at him. “You have no right going through my things! Do you know what you’ve done?”
Owen stays quiet behind me, and Luke looks at him, at me, and then back to him. A chill goes through me as I realize they’re having a conversation without me. My heart stills at the realization. Owen’s going to be so disappointed in me.
Owen’s fingertips dig into my hips. “You were a bad, bad girl while I was gone.” He bends down and bites my earlobe before whispering, “Weren’t you?” The act heats my body and makes my clit throb, while simultaneously startling me.
“I didn’t send it.” My words come out shaky and I’m not sure if it’s because I’m turned on or scared.
“You would have. It was a draft in the email.” I stare at Luke, the fucking narc he is, with my lips pressed in a hard line. “Don’t worry, sugar, I took care of it for you.”
My eyes narrow at him and I hiss, “You sent in my resignation.”
He nods his head and smirks like a cocky bastard. “I did.”
“I’m not resigning!”
“You already did.”
“I don’t want to quit!”
“You can find a job here that won’t end with us having to go up against the Authority.” He’s fucking insane if he thinks I’m going to be staying here. And I’m sure as shit not going to settle on another job when what I want to do is just within my reach.
“They deserve to know the truth!” I hear the passion in my voice. I’ve worked so hard and come so far to try to unite us as a species. And now it’s being ripped away from me by someone who claims he loves me.
“That’s not up to us.” He looks slightly remorseful, but it doesn’t stop my anger.
“Fuck you!”
“Oh sugar, you’re going to be fucking me.” And there’s the cocky prick I can’t fucking stand.
I scream at him so loud that my throat burns. “This is why you’ll never be my mate!”
That gets him moving. He storms over with heat in his eyes and stands right in front of me so my body is pressed between the two of them. “I’m your mate, sugar; you’re going to have to deal with that.”
I gather up the last bit of courage and sneer. “I’m leaving.” I turn in the confined space and look up at Owen. “I want to go home.” Owen looks between the two of us but doesn’t speak. “You said you’d take me home.” My voice loses its strength and cracks. “You promised.”
“You are home.” I clench my teeth at Luke’s words but refuse to turn around and acknowledge him. “You’re staying here.”
“You can’t hold me captive!” Blood rushes in my ears as I feel Owen’s grip on me tighten. I realize how wrong I am. They could easily keep me here for as long as they wanted. I’m helpless and at their mercy. “You wouldn’t if you loved me,” I whisper in the air surrounding us, but already feel defeated. Tears brim my eyes and my body trembles. I can’t stay here. This is all too much too soon. None of this was my choice. None of it.
“Don’t cry sweetness. I promised I’d—”
“She’s my mate too!” Luke yells, interrupting Owen. “And I’m not letting her leave!”
“Would you really have us treat our mate this way?” Owen seethes through clenched teeth.
“She’s lying.” Luke’s hand grabs my waist, right above Owen’s hands on my hip, and he leans into me so that his breath tickles the shell of my ear. “You keep denying it, but I know you feel this. I know you felt it last night and I’m not going to let you run from it.”