“Well, okay then.” As much as I hated the thought of not being able to claim her as my Mate in front of everyone, I knew her initial reaction was the safest; I couldn’t do anything to endanger the team, not any more than she could.
I couldn’t choose between my Mate and my team…could I?
“Lila.” I lifted her chin with my hand. “Look at me,dkaar.”
“What does that mean?” she blurted, then winced. “I’ve been meaning to ask.”
I hesitated, wondering if it was worth the heartache. But I would always be truthful with my Mate, even if she couldn’t be my Mate. “Beloved. It meansbeloved.”
Her blue eyes had gone round. “Oh. That’s…beautiful.”
My lips twitched. “Lila, we’ll get through this exhibition tomorrow, okay? We’ll skate the best damn show, raise money for the kids, and make the Terrorsandyour father’s company look great. Then we’ll sit down with Maddie and the legal department and figure out what to do. Yeah?”
I didn’t like how long it took her to nod, but eventually she did. “I don’t think—” Her voice caught. “I think, until then, we should…”
Don’t say break up. Don’t say break up.
“Pretend?” I offered hopefully. “Pretend to keep our distance?”
“Yes.”
My heart clenched at the thought of staying away from her, even for twenty-four hours, but I would pray it wouldn’t be permanent.
Her hand still on my cheek, Lila stretched up on her toes as if she would kiss me, then froze, winced, and backed away. Every part of me ached to reach for her, but I made myself let her go.
“I’ll…I’ll see you tomorrow,” she whispered, eyes anguished, before she turned and hurried away.
I curled my hands into fists, my claws digging into my skin, because the pain was easier to focus on.
As she ran from my life, a small voice whispered into my heart:How can you claim you’ve been honest with her if Lila doesn’t even know she’s your Mate?
Kardok
Thursday night wasthe longest one of my life.
I never thought my apartment could feel so empty. I never thoughtIcould feel so empty. I clung to the desperate hope that if we could just get through this exhibition, Lila and I could figure out how to fix this.
That didn’t stop me from tossing and turning.
At one in the morning, I went down to the small gym in my complex, and I ran ten miles on the treadmill. It didn’t calm my mind—or myKteer—but after a hot shower I was at least able to fall asleep.
I woke too early, and too angry.
My anger was directed at the League, at the human world that said orcs were good enough for their entertainment but not their daughters, and at myself.
By the time I finished breakfast, that anger had shifted to someone else: Rex Fairbanks, who seemed to represent all of that shit. He’d raised Lila to think her perfection reflected on him, and he probably didn’t want her Mated to a wicked, wild orc like me. Hells, he was probably the one to tip off the League! A real estate tycoon like him wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize one of his contracts.
It wasn’t until I was in my car that I realized I wasn’t driving to the complex. Instead, I’d headed toward Fairbanks Enterprises corporate offices, and I wrapped that anger around me as I stalked into the lobby.
The receptionist’s expression lit up when she saw me. “Kardok! Can I get your autograph?”
I was momentarily taken aback but rallied. “Mr. Fairbanks. Is he here today, or at the ice complex?”
She blinked flirtatiously. “He’s here. Want me to see if he’s taking visitors?”
“No need,” I growled, my tusks gleaming menacingly. “He’ll see me.”
As I strode toward the stairs to take them three at a time, I heard her call, “Fourth floor, but I’m calling ahead.”
