Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Taurex studied her profile.
“You know she said that because you told her we had an acknowledged mating.”
“I told her we were fated mates,” she said, frowning.
“That is not the same thing as mates,” he argued.
Terra shrugged.
“She didn’t seem interested in the fine print.”
Taurex’s frown deepened.
“Terra, you swore to something that was not true in order to secure my release.”
“It wasn’t completely untrue,” she protested.
“You rejected the mating,” he pointed out. “You told me you did not want the Bond”
Terra gave him an exasperated look.
“I know that, Taurex, but the detective told me you could go to prison for the rest of your life!” she exclaimed. “She said there was a law that would protect you if you were defending your mate or your mate’s family. What exactly did you expect me to do? Sit there and say, ‘Well, technically I panicked a few weeks ago and told him I didn’t want him, so go ahead and lock him up forever’?”
Taurex felt his heart tighten in his chest.
“I do not expect you to lie for me.”
“Well, it’s too late now!” she snapped.
“What happened to Orlov was my choice. You did not ask me to kill him,” he said. “I don’t like that you lied to save me.”
Her chin went up and she got that stubborn look in her eyes again.
“You killed him because he kidnapped my children. And I can lie if I want to.”
“I killed him because he threatened innocent younglings and because he would never have stopped hunting you.”
“That’s my point!” she exclaimed. “You killed for me—the least I can do is lie for you!”
Taurex shook his head.
“You owe me nothing for what I did.”
“I know I don’t, but I did. And for the record, I didn’t have to make up very much. You did tell me I was your fated mate. We did have some weird mental connection the first time you touched me. You did protect my children like they were your own. So yes, I lied for you, and I would do it again!”
Taurex narrowed his eyes at her, but Terra was staring determinedly through the windshield. There was clearly considerably more to this story than she was telling him, but one thing had suddenly become painfully clear—she had claimed him as a mate out of gratitude only. The thought made his heart sink.
He had been careful after rescuing the children not to allow her gratitude to become confused with desire, and now she had placed herself in an even more difficult position because of him. She had lied to human authorities and publicly declared a relationship she had already rejected, all because she believed she owed him for saving Cody and Lisa.
“Terra,” he said quietly.
Something in his voice made her glance at him.
“What?”
“You need not continue this deception.”
Her brows drew together.
“What deception?”
“The claim that you are my mate.”
She stared at him for a second and then looked back at the road.
“I kind of have to now. I swore to it.”
“I will not permit you to bind yourself to me merely because you fear legal consequences,” Taurex told her.
“I’m not binding myself to anything,” she said.
“The detective believes we intend to marry.”
Terra nibbled her bottom lip.
“Well…yes. That part got a little out of hand.”
Taurex’s chest tightened.
“Then we will correct it.”
Terra whipped her head around.
“What?”
“When the authorities contact us again, we will explain that there was a misunderstanding. You were under emotional strain because you feared I would be imprisoned, and you exaggerated the nature of our relationship.”
“No, we will not,” she said firmly, frowning at him. “And I don’t want to hear anything else about it.”
Taurex opened his mouth to protest again but the look she gave him was so full of foreboding that he shut it again quickly. Apparently Terra was determined to go through with this lie, no matter what risk she incurred.
He just wished that her lie was the truth.
At last, he spoke again.
“Where are we going?” Because they had left downtown before and were now driving through the residential area of Tampa Heights.
“My house,” she said shortly.
He frowned.
“Why?”
Terra gave him a look.
“Because my children have been asking about the Bull-man approximately fourteen thousand times a day, my mother thinks I’m an idiot for letting you go, and I am not having this conversation while one of your horns is hanging out of my Honda.”
Taurex stared at her.
Terra glanced back at him, and there was something in her expression he hadn’t seen in weeks. Something warm…something nervous. Something that made hope try very hard to rise in his heart despite his efforts to crush it.
“Besides,” she added, “if we’re supposedly getting married, we need to plan the wedding.”
Taurex’s heart seemed to stop for a moment. She really meant to go through with this! She wanted them to plan a fake Joining ceremony just to back up her lie to the human authorities.