Page 98 of Traded

“Thanks.” His hands find my knees, rubbing them as I take a sip. My hands are still shaking. “Have you heard anything from him?”

“Probably won’t for a while.” Liam shakes his head. “It’s already hit social media.”

Setting my tea down on the floor at my feet, I reach into my pocket for my phone and scroll through. Bile creeps up my throat at the shaky footage. Carter is on top of Boone, yelling in his face, and the caption readsCarter Reynolds drops the glove on Boone Mercer at Titans press conference.

A dozen more recordings follow, all of them from different angles and all of them talking about the fight. Tossing the phoneto the couch, I sink my head into my hands. “Looks like Valerie Adams has her story.”

His hands grow tight on my knees, gripping them. “She wouldn’thavea story if you hadn’t given her one.”

At the biting, cutting words, my head yanks back in disbelief. “What? What exactly about any of this is my fault?”

What thehell? I stare at him, taking in the tight line of his jaw, the grip he has on me. “Oh my god. You do actually believe this is my fault. You’re going to need to join the dots for me here, because I had nothing to do with what happened on that stage.”

I try to shove his hands away so I can pull my legs up, but he doesn’t let go. Liam pulls me forward instead, until our faces are close together. “Mercer wouldn’t have said that ifyouhadn’t made him think that he could. You know that, right?”

“Let me go.” My hands wrap around his, pulling at them, but it’s like trying to move a freight train with my bare hands. My eyes dart around the room. But there’s nobody else home. Just me, and Liam, and the tone of my voice climbs sharply. “Seriously, Liam. That’s bullshit.”

“I don’t think it is,” he says quietly. His thumbs are still rubbing in circles that no longer feel remotely comforting. “I warned you in Chicago, but you didn’t listen, did you?”

“I’m going to bed.” The shaking in my limbs grows as I try to stand up, to pull away. To do anything. “This is ridiculous. We can talk about it tomorrow.”

“We’re going to talk about it now.” His voice is hard. “Sit the fuckdown.”

My ass hits the couch hard. I press my back against the leather, breathing heavily.

“I saw you with Navarro earlier.” He watches every flicker of my face. Swallowing, I stare back at him, trying for impassive as the back of my eyes begin to burn. “Shaw, too.”

“I was assigned to them.” I plead with him, trying to make him understand. “I didn’t ask to be given them, Liam. I was doing my job.”

“I’ve tried to ease you into this gently.” I try to pull away when he grabs for my wrists, holding them in place. “I’ve done everything I can to make this easier on you, Rosie. You think it’s nice, putting a fucking bark on you just so we can have a peaceful life? Or keeping at a distance from my own fucking scent match in case you get upset? You think I want to do that?Do you?”

He presses his forehead to mine when I don’t say anything, whispering words that strike my skin like flint. “I tried to coax you into this gently. But you’re still running around, doing whatever you want and putting our pack at risk. Carter’s season is unraveling because ofyou, and I will not stand by and let that happen because he has this fucking unwavering blind loyalty where you’re concerned.”

My fingers shift across the couch, searching for my phone.

This—this is not safe. I need help. Licking my lips, I search for something, anything, to make him back off. “You’re not making any sense. You said you wanted me as part of this pack. You’re acting like I’m—I’m some sort ofthreatto you!”

My voice cracks. “I’ve done everything you wanted. I stepped aside, I stepped back, I made myself smaller. There is nothing more that I cando. Do you want me gone? Is that it?”

“No.” His eyes close, and I feel his exhale on my lips. “Fuck, Ro. Of course I don’t want that. That’s the last thing I want. Look. The bark is… there’s obviously too much grey area. You shouldn’t be getting friendly with our biggest fucking rivals. Look what happened tonight. And I’ve tried the carrot with you, haven’t I? I didn’t punish you in Chicago, but you’re still acting out.”

His eyes slide open, and all I see is steel. “I think we need to try the stick.”

My fingers curl around thin, cool metal, and I suck in a breath. “The… stick.”

“Consequences.” Liam reaches for my face, touching my chin, keeping it turned toward him. “Actions have consequences, Ro, and you need to learn that. This is a reflection of your behavior, not mine.”

Punishment.Physicalpunishment.

“This is insane.” Yanking my chin from his hand, I look around the room. Mentally calculating the steps toward the hall, toward the elevator.

“I don’t take any pleasure in this,” he says tightly. “I wanted to avoid it, Rosie. But you couldn’t help yourself. Always pushing it. You wanted a reaction from messing around with the Aces, and now you’ve got it. Maybe next time you’ll think twice.”

He pushes back from me, getting to his feet. Liam extends a hand to me. “Come on. Sooner it’s done, sooner we can all move on.”

I look from his outstretched hand to his face. Something resembling a laugh, torn and twisted and broken, curls up my throat. “You’re serious.”

“Don’t make it harder than it needs to be.” His eyes are flint and stone. “I’m delivering a punishment as your alpha, Rosie. This is normal.”