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Lord va'Rin strokes his chin thoughtfully. He is silent for a long, long moment. "I was assured she had no feelings for you."
Who would tell him such a thing? We have carefully concealed our relationship from Herrix and Akris, but that was because Bee did not want our intimacy to reflect poorly on my training. "Did Novis say such a thing?"
"No, it was a male named Riffin—"
I growl before he even gets the words out. "Is he the male that said I loved privacy and wished to be far, far away from Bee?"
Lord va'Rin continues to stroke his chin. "You think he lied?"
"I think he wants Bee for himself."
"And who do you think she wants?"
"Me," I growl. "I am the best for her." I want to pour out all the ways I am the best mate for Bee, but this male is not the one I need to convince. I need to talk to Bee. I need to see if she truly wants me gone, or if her too-cheery smiles are her way of hiding how she feels.
She has been excessively smiley lately, now that I think about it.
"Then talk to her," Lord va'Rin says. "And if she wishes to be involved with you, have her contact me and let me know. And if you do not wish to go to the coast…" His smile grows cunning. "I know who can fill the spot perfectly."
I like the way this male thinks.
22
VICTOR
Instead of waiting for Akris to return, I follow Bee's scent through town and pause in front of a building next to one with a sign written in human. I sound it out—gee n rah sto re. Oh. A store. A place where they sell things. And Bee is next to it—she'll like that. I move past the building and its strange scents, heading for the door that has my mate behind it.
I step inside and into an entryway. Waiting in the entryway is Akris, his mouth pressed into an unhappy line. Before I can ask, I hear voices. They mingle with the scents, and I pause, waiting.
"Riffin is here," Akris says unnecessarily. "Bee insisted on talking to him."
I nod and move closer to the wall. I don't enter. I listen instead to the sound of my female arguing with her former “boyfriend.”
Riffin's hated scent is everywhere. Of course it is. He's wasted no time in moving in on my mate. More than that, I can hear his voice as he says something, and Bee responds. The walls here must be thick, because I can't make out their words. So I press my ear to the wall, because I want to hear everything.
"I thought you'd be pleased," Riffin is saying. "This office is what you wanted, isn't it? But you don't look happy."
"Just…go away. I'm really not in the mood."
"Because of that creature?"
"He's a person, not a creature." There's a strange note in Bee's voice. "And I'm fine. But please leave."
"You're not fine." Pure annoyance is in Riffin's tone. "You look as if your world has ended. Surely you're not sad that he's leaving?"
"So what if I am?"
She is? My heart thuds. Perhaps she cares for me, too. Perhaps all of Bee's smiles have been nothing but her hiding her feelings, as I wondered.
"Why? I'm willing to take you back. I'm willing to try again, Bee. You and I—"
Bee makes an outraged sound. "There is no you and I, Riffin! I don't love you. I love Victor. Him leaving hasn't changed that."
She loves me? The ache in my chest eases, replaced by joy. My Bee wants me.
"You can't love him." Riffin makes a disgusted sound.
"I can and I do. He's wonderful and smart, and clever, and so very tender."
"Do not tell me of his tenderness! I can still smell your cunt, you know. I should be revolted that touching him makes you react. Do I need to be more savage? Is that what it is?"
I curl a fist in anger, and the only reason I don’t shove my fist through the thick wall to grab at Riffin's throat is because Bee laughs. Her laughter is sweet and pure and light. "You're just as clueless today as you've always been. It's not “savageness,” as you like to call it. It's because Victor listens to what I say. He pays attention to what I need…which is something you'll never learn. And it doesn't matter, because…he's leaving." Her voice hitches, and I can hear the pain in her words. She sounds hoarse, as if fighting back tears. "It's…it's for the best."
"Is it? I've half a mind to go to Lord va'Rin and tell him your feelings for—"
"Don't you fucking dare," Bee's voice turns dangerous. "I will not have you ruin this for him! He has worked so hard to be trustworthy, and if you tell anyone about me and Victor, that'll ruin things. It'll cast doubt on him. They'll think he's just 'tamed' because of me, and I won't ruin this for him." Tears threaten her voice. "He deserves the very best…so you keep your mouth shut."
