“All taken care of?” she asked when Nikki slid the now-empty cart back behind the desk.
“Yup,” Nikki huffed. She slumped forward, forearms resting against the desk, while she scowled at nothing.
Amber gave her a knowing look. “Thinking about the Jasper situation again?” Amber asked. She had always been good at reading Nikki’s thoughts.
“How did you guess?” Nikki asked.
“Because you have that angry expression on your face that you only ever get when you’re thinking about him,” Amber said matter-of-factly. “I don’t think I have ever seen you so angry at anyone, and that includes Sier.”
Sighing, Nikki glanced down at the desk. Her index finger ran along the wood, tracing an invisible image. “That’s because Sier never pretended to be anything other than exactly what he was,” she said. “A manipulative, conniving, evil person. Jasper at least pretended to care.”
“I don’t think Jasper’s that bad,” Amber said. “But yeah, I get where you’re coming from.”
Shaking her head, Nikki slumped further forward. “I just wish there was something I could do,” she murmured.
“I spoke to a few people for you,” Amber said. “It doesn’t look like there’s much anyone can do. Once a shifter decides on their mate, that’s the end of it. It’s the old traditions.”
Grimacing, Nikki nodded. It was what she had expected, but that didn’t stop that tiny kernel of frustration from flaring up again. “Great,” she muttered.
“When’s the ceremony?” asked Amber.
“Saturday,” she muttered. “Far too soon for my liking. I tried to postpone it until the next century, but he wouldn’t listen.”
Snorting, Amber said, “That does sort of defeat the purpose of this specific marriage.”
“It’s just this whole thing is absolutely ridiculous,” Nikki groaned, leaning forward on her elbows, hand tangled in her hair.
A patron appeared at the desk, ending their whispered conversation. Nikki smiled while she scanned each book and handed them back, reminding the woman of the due dates and the library’s late policy before waving her off. Once the woman was out of earshot, the two turned toward one another once again.
“Why the hell shouldn’t I be able to get a say in any of this? How is he allowed to just pick a mate against their will? God. I thought it would be better here, you know?”
Amber chewed the inside of her cheek, mulling over her response. She’d always been the kind of person to wait and think out her response before saying anything. Right now was no exception.
“I mean, I don’t think he’s going about it the right way,” Amber agreed. “But it does seem like he’s trying to protect you. That doesn’t mean he’s not being a bit… extreme.”
Nikki snorted. “Bit of an understatement.”
Amber chewed the inside of her cheek, glancing around. “I think he’s trying to help,” she finally said. “And I think that’s sweet. Is he being an absolute idiot about it? Probably. But don’t you think there might be some logic to what he’s saying?”
“Glad to know you don’t think I can handle myself, either,” Nikki muttered.
Shaking her head, Amber said, “That’s not what I’m saying at all, so please don’t put words in my mouth. You told me what happened with Lucas. It seemed like you had him at one point.”
And then I threw it all away,Nikki thought, though she kept it to herself. She didn’t know what had happened that night, what about Lucas had made her freeze in panic, and all of her training had flown out the window. It was equal parts frustrating and humiliating.
Amber was still speaking. “But guys like Lucas are going to keep coming back over and over again until they get what they want, no matter how strong you are or what you do. I mean, you remember what they were like. It wasn’t like they were going to listen to any of us then. They aren’t going to listen to us now.”
Nikki took a moment to process this. Amber had a point. That didn’t stop the frustration and helplessness that had been threatening to consume her anymore.
“I don’t like people dictating what I can and can’t do,” Nikki said, scowling.
“I know,” Amber said. “And believe me when I say I’m pissed off for you. I’m just trying to come up with some way of looking at it on the bright side.”
Letting out a puff of air, Nikki ran her fingers through her hair. She might have said more, but at that moment, a man appeared at the desk, clutching a couple of books. He smiled.
“Hey, Nikki,” he said, handing over the books.
“Hi, Vincent.”
