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“I don’t believe you,” Ree said.
Madison snorted in disdain. “Why do you think he’s gone? He had his fun and then he left. You’re just one in a long line of humans that he’s fucked and left, and I’m here to kick you out so I can get this place cleaned of the scent of human female. It’s disgusting.”
Ree didn’t want to believe them, but the evidence seemed overwhelming. Not only were they in Duke’s apartment, but he was gone. He’d promised not to leave her, and he had.
“Give me a minute to get dressed,” Ree said, trying hard not to cry in front of the angry lionesses.
“I’ll leave my friend, Emma, to make sure you don’t steal anything. Can’t trust humans,” Madison said. She left the room, and Ree wanted to crumple under Emma’s angry glare.
“Is this what you do, human? Fuck males you just met?” She chuckled. “I thought humans were pathetic, but I don’t think you could be any more pathetic than you are now. Just look at you – fat and weak. Tears welling in your eyes. It’s why a male like Duke would never mate a human. It’s against our laws, and he’s next in line to be alpha. Only a lioness will do.”
Ree tuned out Emma’s ranting, clenching her teeth against the sob that was welling in her chest as she dressed hurriedly and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. It was six thirty in the morning, and she had no idea how to get home since her sister had taken the car. She decided she’d call Mercy to pick her up once she got out of the bar.
Emma followed Ree out of the apartment and down the stairs, through the stockroom, and out into the bar. The bar was empty, for which she was thankful. Even though it was early morning, she thought she might run into Titus or another pride member. She didn’t think she could face anyone right then. It was far too humiliating.
Emma flipped the lock on the front door and pointed to the parking lot with a long, manicured fingernail. Ree ducked her head and walked out into the morning sunlight. The door slammed shut behind her and she winced, startled by the sharp noise. Lifting her head, she was surprised to see her car still in the parking lot.
Hurrying to it, she tested the driver’s side door and found it unlocked. Pulling it open, she looked on the seats and floor for the keys, wondering if her sister had left them. She suspected she got a ride home from Barron, but that didn’t mean she’d left the keys. Not finding the keys, she sat behind the wheel with a sigh and looked up, seeing the visor. She grabbed the visor and tipped it, the keys tumbling down into her lap. It was a miracle, and just what she needed to make a fast get away. She’d thank her sister later, after she’d had a good cry and gotten over her wounded feelings.
Without looking back at the bar, she left the parking lot and headed for home. Despite not wanting to think about Duke or the events of the previous night, she couldn’t help but replay them, wondering how she’d been such a fool. He’d seemed so damn sincere. She hadn’t planned on letting her guard down or spending the night with anyone, but she hadn’t been able to deny that she felt connected to Duke in a way that surpassed anything she’d ever felt before. It had felt good to trust him and believe him. She’d honestly been swept off her feet. But he’d never told her he was next in line to lead his pride. That was a pretty big part of his life to leave out.
She parked in front of her building and trudged up the stairs, unhappiness settling on her like a wet blanket. She’d been blinking away tears since she was woken up by the lionesses, but now, in the safety of her building and away from prying eyes, she could let go. As her key slid into the deadbolt, the sob tore from her throat and she could barely see through the blur of tears. Closing the door, she leaned against it and cried, letting out all the emotion she’d held close so she didn’t lose it in public. This would be the last time she cried for Duke. He hadn’t even bothered to say goodbye to her himself, or to admit he was a fraud and a player, so he didn’t deserve her tears.
“Ree?” Mercy’s voice came from the other side of the door, followed by two knocks. “Are you okay? Barron said he heard crying.”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t sound fine.”
“Are you going to leave me alone?”
“Not until you open the door.”
That made a half-smile curve Ree’s mouth.Sisters. Wiping the tears from her cheeks, she inhaled deeply and opened the door.
“Aw, babe, what happened?” Mercy asked, wrapping her arms around Ree’s neck.
Behind Mercy, Barron stood, muscular arms folded over his chest and a frown on his face. Ree squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to cry more. “It’s just that I’m an idiot.”
Mercy leaned away from Ree and frowned. “What about? Where’s Duke? Why are you home so early?”
Gently removing her sister’s arms from her neck, Ree gestured into the apartment. Mercy and Barron walked in, and Ree shut and locked the front door. Without saying anything, Ree went to make coffee and wasn’t surprised when Mercy followed. There was utter silence in the kitchen while Ree popped a coffee pod into the machine, set a mug under the spout, and pressed the start button. The sweet scent of coffee filled the air. After fixing it with milk and sugar, she stared down at the swirling liquid, and then turned to face her sister, telling her what had happened with the lionesses.
Mercy’s mouth was open, her eyes wide with surprise. “Barron?”
The man appeared nearly instantly, his arms surrounding Mercy in a protective embrace that made Ree’s heart hurt. “Yes, love?” he murmured. The scene was almost too intimate to watch, and they werejusthugging.
“I thought you said that Duke had picked Ree as his heart-match?” Mercy said.
“He did,” Barron said. “She’s wearing his mating mark.”
“Then why did a lioness from another pride show up and claim to be his mate?” Ree asked.
Barron opened his mouth, closed it, and then shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Is he really next in line to be alpha?” Ree asked.
With a nod, Barron said, “His father is the current alpha.”
