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)
‘Jesus, are you still going on about that fucking triad?’
She flinched. ‘You don’t have to speak of it with such disgust. If there’s anything you should be so put off by, it’s a witch. You’re out of your mind to be even associating with Emberlyn Vautier! She’s a lunatic! She’s—’
‘Marked as mine,’ he finished, the words rough and low, ‘so watch what the fuck you say.’
She snapped her mouth shut, shaking her head. ‘Something’s wrong here. You would never roll in the sack with one of her kind. Maybe she bespelled you or something. If a Rabid can be trapped in a state of bloodlust by magick, then a person could also be trapped in a state of sexual lust.’
He couldn’t help but pull a face at the ridiculous notion. ‘For shit’s sake, CeCe, just go.’
‘I’m trying to help you!’
The door behind him creaked open, and then . . . ‘Sounds more like you’re trying to convince yourself that I’m no threat to your triad dream,’ said Emberlyn.
Shit. Ripper glanced over his shoulder. His witch casually propped her hip against the doorjamb, cool and calm, regarding CeCe with a mix of boredom and pity.
He half-turned, about to usher Emberlyn back inside.
‘We’re having a private conversation here, if you don’t mind,’ CeCe snarked at her.
‘If you wanted to keep it private, you shouldn’t have raised your voice. I don’t have werewolf hearing but even I heard you just fine.’ Emberlyn folded her arms. ‘If you have something to accuse me of, you can at least do it to my face. It’s only fair.’
CeCe straightened her shoulders. ‘You did something to him.’
Emberlyn’s lips kicked up. ‘I’ve done quite a few things to Rip.’ Her tone was pure sex, and it made CeCe’s eyes blaze.
‘You put some sort of spell on him! He would never otherwise touch you!’
‘You really do believe that,’ Emberlyn sensed. ‘Only because you want to believe it, but still.’
‘I know I’m right!’
‘I know you’re eaten up with jealousy right now. You think of Ripper as yours; think of yourself as the woman in his life. The only one he ever let close.’
CeCe’s upper lip curled. ‘Don’t talk like you know me.’
‘Why? You talk like you know me.’ Emberlyn pushed away from the doorjamb. ‘I don’t know if this will really sink in – you seem to be a person for whom logic isn’t always required – but it’s safe to say that Ripper doesn’t consider himself yours. He wouldn’t have covered me in his scent, let alone sexed me up, if he did.
‘I don’t point that out to be a bitch, only to highlight that you’re both on different pages. I realize that might be hard to accept, I do, but try. Because it can’t possibly be worse than living in denial.’ She coolly sauntered back inside.
CeCe glowered after her. ‘Hey, where are you—’
‘No,’ Ripper bit out when she went to storm past him.
CeCe’s nostrils flared. ‘You’re fine with her speaking to me that way?’
‘All she did was give you a dose of the truth. I’m hoping you’ll listen to it. Now go.’ He growled when she went to argue. ‘Don’t test my patience any more than you already have.’
CeCe dragged in a breath, clamped her lips shut and stormed off.
Only once her car had crossed the boundaries of his land did he return inside. In the kitchen, he found Emberlyn stood at the sink facing the window. ‘She’s gone,’ he said. ‘I’d apologize for her behavior—’
‘No need.’ Emberlyn turned to him. ‘You didn’t do anything wrong.’
Studying her calm expression, he realized . . . ‘You’re not even angry at what she said, are you?’
Emberlyn only shrugged.
He stalked to her. ‘You’re so used to people laying accusations at your feet that you’re not even bothered she claimed you’re using magick to control me. It pisses me off that you’ve had reasons to become so used to it.’
‘A lot of things are pissing you off tonight.’
‘We can add something else to the list.’ He gestured at the spotless kitchen. ‘You said you’d wait for me before you started cleaning up.’
One slender brow lifted. ‘Did I?’
‘Yes, you did.’ He snapped his teeth, gently grazing her chin. ‘You lied.’
‘I didn’t lie.’ A haughty glance. ‘I simply changed my mind.’
‘You do that a lot.’
Mischief danced in her eyes. ‘You’re not used to it yet?’
He planted a hand on the counter either side of her, caging her in. ‘I’m more used to it than I care to be.’
‘You’d be bored if I gave you your own way in everything. Not that you’ll ever admit it.’
Truthfully . . . she wasn’t wrong on either count.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
‘Personally, I think you should go slap her,’ Paisley declared with a haughty sniff as they stepped forward in the line.
‘There are four “hers” over there,’ began Emberlyn, glancing out of the bakery window. ‘Which one are you referring to?’