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ETHAN
Lucia giggles at something I say, something that wasn’t even funny, and I feel dirty.
The more time I spend with her, the more convinced I am that she knew what Toby was up to all along. She’s not doing anything to root out the troublemakers, and other than having me here, doesn’t seem to care about making amends with Grey Ridge. There haven’t been any invitations extended to my pack to come visit us and build relationships.
“Are you okay, Ethan? You seem distracted.” Tossing her long blonde hair behind one shoulder, Lucia leans forward, resting a slim hand on top of mine. Propping her chin up with her other hand, she studies me, an expression of concern on her face.
“Sorry. I just can’t work out where we’re going to get the money to finish the hotel. You’re so calm, I don't know how you do it.”
It feels so wrong to say we, but I need her to believe I plan to stick around. She smiles as though I’m praising her for being so laid back when, really, I’m condemning her. Her complacency is destroying the pack she’s supposed to love.
“There’s no sense in worrying about it. Something will come through. It always does.” Taking a sip of her wine, she leans in like she’s letting me in on a big secret. “I’m hoping that I’ll be able to do some business at the conference this weekend. That should help.”
Struggling not to roll my eyes, I nod along. She’s deluded. Alpha Anderson would be disgusted by her negligence; part of me is glad Joseph seems to be shielding him from the worst of it.
“Are you sure that’s all it is?” She strokes her thumb back and forth over the pulse point in my wrist, holding my gaze as she waits for a reaction. “You’ve been distant ever since you got here. We haven’t even…”
Looking coy, she looks around the fancy restaurant nervously, like someone might overhear. This place is full of humans absorbed in their own conservations, not giving us a second glance.
“I guess I feel you’re keeping me at arm’s length. There are clearly other plans in the mix that I know nothing about, and I’m finding it frustrating that you don’t trust me enough to include me,” I venture. “It’s creating a barrier between us.”
Instantly, Lucia’s soft feminine smile hardens.
“How can I trust you? When you’re telling lies to me.”
Reeling, I pretend to be offended, but in the light of the romantic candles lit between us, Lucia’s hard stare doesn’t waiver.
“You’re lying about Belle. I know you were mates.”
How on earth does she know that?
“We’re not mates.” It pains me to say the words out loud, but the truth in them has Lucia’s harsh expression softening.
She tilts her head at me sadly. “I didn’t say ‘are’, I said ‘were’.”
How quickly her mood can turn is unnerving. She’s needling me to get a reaction, so I force my breathing to remain calm and my attitude not to go surly.
“Then why does it matter?” Cutting my steak with more force than necessary, I shove the piece of delicious meat into my mouth. I chew slowly, glad for the mouthful to stop me from saying something stupid.
“Secrets, lies of omission. It’s not a good foundation for a relationship.” Pausing with my fork halfway to my mouth, I lift my gaze to Lucia who’s observing me closely. “And that’s only if I believe your bond really is broken.”
Considering what she’s suggesting, she’s remarkably calm. It’s obvious that she’s not personally invested in me. There are no feelings here for her, and, fleetingly, I wonder if there ever were.
“We never marked each other.”
And I regret it now. If we had marked each other that first night, I’d never have left her side, and we wouldn’t be in this mess.
“That may be. But that doesn’t mean you’re not bonded.”
“Do you think I’d be sitting here if I was?” If she hadn’t rejected me, I’d still be buried inside her. We would never have left the bed. Shifting in my chair as my body reacts to just the thought of having my mate underneath me again, I scoff to hide my faster breathing.
“It’s amazing what we can do when we have to.” Lucia’s gaze is distant and I wonder if she’s referring to Toby. The story is that she rejected him after he challenged her father. Now, I think she probably rejected him only because he failed; if he’d won, she would have stayed with him. I’m certain of it.
“Maybe that’s why you followed her to Liv’s cottage. You just couldn’t stay away.”
Her tone is teasing, but she’s challenging me, daring me to lie to her.
“I did follow her. I needed to speak to her, to make sure she wasn’t here to cause trouble. Belle doesn’t like to be told no.”
