Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 448(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 448(@300wpm)
‘It’s who you are when you’re not getting your way; when the people you consider yours aren’t dancing to your tune,’ he accused.
CeCe frowned. ‘No. No, I just—’
‘I’m not interested in dragging this conversation out, so I’m gonna be straight with you.’ He leaned forward slightly. ‘The days where I wanted us to be together are gone. That ship has sailed. It will not make a U-turn and come back. Friendship is all we were ever meant to have. I just didn’t see that until recently.’
Her face tightened. ‘That isn’t true. You only feel that way because I hurt you. Which I’m so sorry for, Logan. Sorrier than you’ll ever know.’
He cocked his head, staring at her curiously. ‘Are you thinking that if we were together it’d make Ripper jealous? Spur him to dump Emberlyn?’
CeCe’s eyes widened. ‘What? Of course not. All I want when it comes to Ripper is for he and I to rebuild our friendship.’
‘But only so he’ll stop avoiding you,’ Logan claimed. ‘You want to get close to him again. How else can you push the triad agenda?’
‘I dropped that idea,’ CeCe clipped. ‘I know it isn’t ever going to happen.’
‘No, it isn’t. Because even if Rip changed his mind, I wouldn’t. He won’t, though. And neither will I.’
CeCe pressed her lips tight together. ‘You love me.’
‘And you shit all over that. You took advantage of it. Used it. Used me to try to manipulate my brother.’
‘I’ll make up for hurting you—’
‘That’s great. Won’t make any difference.’ Logan gave a blasé shrug. ‘Like I said, that ship has sailed.’
Pain and spite washing over her face, CeCe refocused on Emberlyn. ‘I suppose you’re feeling rather smug.’
Emberlyn blinked. ‘About what?’
‘You managed to turn both brothers against me.’
Logan gaped at the woman. ‘Honest to God, CeCe?’
CeCe clenched her fists. ‘You have loved me all your life. That doesn’t just switch off. But it would with a little magick.’
This bitch was extra. ‘It’s pretty sad that you need to feel there’s an outside reason why Logan turned you down. Join us in reality, sweetie, and take in the view – he doesn’t want you because he doesn’t want you. And that is on you. You’re right that strong feelings don’t just switch off,’ Emberlyn allowed. ‘But they do if a whole lot of buttons are pressed. And let’s face it, you did just that, didn’t you?’
The female werewolf didn’t speak for long moments, resentment tightening her jaw. ‘You know, I really do loathe you.’
Emberlyn sniffed dismissively. ‘Join the line of haters. Despising me doesn’t make you special around here.’ Picking up movement in her peripheral vision, she looked to see Ripper fast approaching, a potato spiral stick in hand. His steely gaze bounced from her to Logan to CeCe and back again.
He halted at Emberlyn’s side, offering her the potato stick. Oh, he knew her so well. She gratefully took it, saying, ‘Thank you.’ She wasted no time biting into it.
He didn’t respond, busy glaring at CeCe. ‘I don’t know why the fuck you’d even think to come over here when I told you to stay away from Emberlyn.’
CeCe jutted out her chin. ‘I actually came to talk to Logan. Which I wanted to do alone, but he wouldn’t move from this spot, so I had no choice but to be near her. But if you want to temporarily banish me, fine. Go for it.’ It was a dare.
Ripper’s shoulders lifted and fell. ‘Consider it done.’
CeCe sucked in a breath, staring at him in complete shock. Her eyes welled up, but anger carved lines into her face. ‘Like I give a damn. The two men I love don’t want anything to do with me. No punishment you dish out could hurt worse than that.’ She stiffly walked away, her head down, her shoulders bowed.
If Emberlyn was a more forgiving person, she would have felt sorry for the girl. Maybe.
‘Get this,’ Logan said to Ripper. ‘She actually came over to offer me a relationship – and in a way that made it clear she thought I’d pounce on it.’ He shook his head, a sigh easing out of him. ‘A couple of months ago, I would have.’
‘So you told her no, then?’ Ripper asked him, threading his fingers through the back of Emberlyn’s hair.
‘I did,’ Logan replied. ‘She didn’t much like it. She suggested that Emberlyn had used magick to make you and me turn on her – like she hadn’t managed that all by herself.’
‘What?’ Ripper growled, his gaze snapping down to Emberlyn. ‘What else did she say to you?’
Nibbling at a slice of potato, Emberlyn flicked a hand. ‘Nothing notable.’
‘She told you she loathed you,’ Logan reminded her.
‘And I don’t care, so it isn’t notable.’
Ripper tugged at her hair to tilt back her head so their gazes met once more. ‘I care that she’d dare speak to you that way.’