Page 42 of Bound

I won’t even have to pack. I don’t own anything.

His eyes seem cold now, his sensual mouth a flat line. “No.It’s too dangerous. I have to work. I won’t have time to do my job and watchafter you.”

Tears form in my eyes, and I run to him. I stayed here forhim. He’s infuriating and I still want to be with him. It might be pathetic,but I need Beck. “Please let me go with you. I don’t know what to do here. Idon’t know how to do anything.”

It goes against everything I am, but I beg. I don’t want tobe left behind with an amnesiac and a farm falling down around me. I want Beck.He’s been the rock I’ve clung to ever since I found myself on this plane.

Beck gently pushes me back, his rejection plain. “You’ll befine. Bond with Cian. He’ll take care of you.”

I don’t think that’s happening any time soon. Cian can’ttake care of himself. Cian can’t remember who I am for more than five minutes.“You promised you would take care of me.”

Beck shakes his head. He looks so arrogant. “That’s what I’mdoing. When I finish this job, we’ll have enough gold to fix up the place. Wecan hire a housekeeper so you won’t have to work.”

“I don’t mind working.” I hate the fact that I’m crying, butI can’t seem to help it. “I’ve worked all my life, but I don’t know what to dohere.”

“Nor should you,” he replies as though it’s a foregoneconclusion. “You’re a bondmate. You shouldn’t be doing housework, and youshouldn’t live in a cottage that’s falling down around you.”

Frustration makes my eyes squeeze shut. “Shouldn’t I decidewhat I want or don’t want?”

“You don’t know enough to decide yet,” Beck explains with adismissive wave. “Back up. We have to leave now.”

I back off as Dante hops on the cycle in one graceful move.

“I left you my computer.” Dante nods in my direction. “Ishowed you how to use it, remember? Look up bonding, and it will give you adescription of how to get Cian to bond with you. It’s connected to the web onthe Vampire plane. You should be able to find any information you need.”

I nod, feeling utterly dull. Beck is really leaving, and hehasn’t kissed me good-bye. Hell, if I hadn’t woken when I did, he would haveleft without seeing me at all. I take a deep breath and try to come to termswith the fact that I have, perhaps, been wrong about him. He hadn’t trulywanted me. Men can feel lust for women they don’t care about. He explained itat the time. His brother is dying. They need a bondmate, and I’m the only oneto be found. Is it such a surprise that, having done his duty, he would want tobe away from his unwanted wife?

All that other stuff, all the stuff about caring about meand never cheating on me was lies. It’s not the first time some guy told mewhat I wanted to hear to get me to do something. I have to give Beck a littlecredit. At least he did it to save his brother.

“I’ll be back in a few weeks.” Beck looks slightly concernedfor the first time. He slides off the bike and comes to stand in front of me.He towers over me, but this time his massive size doesn’t make me feel secure.“You’ll be fine.”

He moves to touch me, but I step back. He’s trying to keepme in line. Being physically affectionate with me has worked so far. It’s notsurprising he would try it again. “Sure.”

He reaches out and pulls me into his arms. “Meggie, don’tcry. It will be fine. We need money. I have to work. I told you I spent thelast of our gold on the tournament.”

I stand stiffly in his arms, knowing better than to try tobreak free. I would only make a fool of myself, and I’ve done enough of thatlately. “Fine.”

He sighs and seems reluctant to let me go. His hands find myhair. “I’m sorry about last night. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”

I shrug and wish he’d go ahead and leave. “I won’t botheryou with it again. I didn’t understand.”

I know he is fighting something. I’ve just been wrong aboutwhat he’s fighting. He doesn’t want to have sex with me. I’m convenient, andhe’s male. He needs sex, but he obviously found the experience distasteful. Healways shut down the bond. Now I know why. He doesn’t want me to know how hefeels. It should have been obvious even without the bond. After all, he choseto sleep in a barn rather than sleeping with me.

And yet I felt his need the night before. It broke over melike a wave crashing on a beach. I saw pieces of his soul. There’s a kindnessin Beck that didn’t mesh with his current cruelty. He loves his brother. Herisked his life to save me. At times, I’ve felt a genuine affection come fromhim. The confusion has me in knots. But in the end he can’t possibly want me ifhe is willing to leave me.

He smiles, a slight uptick of his lips. “You don’tunderstand our ways, yet. It’s going to be fine. You’ll see.”

“Sure,” I reply because he seems to want a response. I can’tsee that anything will be fine.

He reaches out and tilts my head up. A lazy, warm look comesover his handsome face. “May I kiss you, wife?”

It’s the cruelest thing he can do. I push away from him.“Don’t call me wife. Call me your bondmate or whatever, but I’m notyour wife.”

His eyes flare at the challenge. “You damn well are, and youbetter not forget it.” He takes a deep breath and gets back on the bike. “Don’ttry leaving, Meg. I’ll find you, and I won’t be happy when I do.”

He pats Dante on the shoulder. The bike levitates roughlyten feet off the ground, and they take off.

“Where the hell would I go?” I ask to no one in particular.