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We stood in front of each other, face-to-face, as he towered over me. I wasn’t a short woman, but against a male Alpha wolf? There was no contest for who’d be taller.
“I haven’t rejected you. You can’t be mated to someone else,” he said, seething. He clenched and unclenched his fists, exhaling heavily through his nose.
“Let’s step aside from the fact that you can’t seem to wrap your head around the fact that I don’t want you. Whatever this is”—I took a step back, gesturing between us—“it’s not real. Your vision is clouded by some instinct you haven’t learned to ignore. But this?” I pointed toward the door, then again toward the window. “This is our new reality. I’m not throwing out blame because that won’t get either one of us back home. This is our home now. And I’d rather survive, thank you very much.”
“So that’s it?” he asked through clenched teeth. “You won’t accept me, but you’re going to whore yourself out to the vampire king for payment?”
Crack.
The sound of my hand connecting with his face echoed in the room. I could have sworn Nova chuckled. But I didn’t. I stood with my chest heaving and my hand stinging from the brutal slap. My brain didn’t register what I’d done until after it was over.
Markus’s head had snapped in the other direction, and he returned his gaze to me slowly. Feral eyes met mine. There was the bully I knew. Ready to attack. Filled with cruel words. His body shook with unbridled anger.
“I put up with your shit in Fire and Fluorite because I had to,” I said, my voice low and menacing. “But don’t presume I’ll take it lying down now. Call me a whore again and see what happens.”
Whispers were creeping around in my mind, telling me I never should have saved his life. I should have killed him in the banquet hall. I should have taken Elias’s deal without throwing Markus into the arrangement. I should have saved myself, cared only about myself, and the world would have been rid of him. But that wasn’t me.
As I stared him down, his breathing calmed. He took a step back, darting his eyes away for a brief moment. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
I suppose that was an apology. Not a very good one, but it was more than I’d ever heard him say.
“Not that it’s any of your business what I do in my private life, but this is strictly a business arrangement. For appearances. That’s what I agreed to in exchange for protection. Elias has a reputation, but he’s known for keeping his word.”
I hoped.
“And I’m supposed to just stand by and listen to him talk about you as though he’s your mate? When you know damn well the bond is still between us because I can’t reject you?” he asked. His fists remained in a tight ball, but he was pulling the reins on his emotional reactions.
“Yes.” I crossed my arms, shifting my weight to one side. I considered him at that moment. The way he was trying to almost be . . . better. It was new for him. He was doing it because he wanted me to change my mind about us. That wouldn’t happen. But I could use it to my advantage. “Do you want to see me dead?”
Markus’s eyes flashed. “You know I don’t,” he said quietly.
“Then we do what Elias says. This is what keeps me alive. And you by extension,” I pointed out.
He turned to look at the fire, thinking. After a few moments, he nodded his head. “Fine.”
I released a tight breath. “Thank you.”
He returned his attention to me, an unknown emotion crossing his features. “I’ll do my best to control myself. But you can’t ignore me. I will change your mind about us. If I do this, you agree to spend time with me too.” I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off. “You can tell everyone we’re . . . friends.” He said it like it was a dirty word. I doubt he’d ever had a true friend in his life, and he certainly wasn’t mine.
My mouth fell open. How was it I’d ended up in a position to be blackmailed by two men? I’d spent my life avoiding people. Keeping to myself. I didn’t talk to strangers. I lived in the woods like a good shifter and read books. Made jewelry and threw knives. Went hiking with Nova and rock-climbed on the rare occasion I was feeling adventurous. I didn’t waste my time with dating or relationships. I could barely get laid as it was. But I was good by it. Content. And now I was getting screwed by two guys at once. The irony.
“I’m not changing my mind,” I said. “I don’t like you, Markus. I didn’t want to see you die, but that doesn’t mean I hold any affection toward you.”
“Do you agree or no?” he demanded, his face stern. He wasn’t going to let this go. He’d rather die than watch me with Elias and not get his shot. Like I was a trophy to be won. The thought made my blood boil, but I reined it in.
“As friends. That’s it. And only as time allows. I have to keep up appearances, and I don’t know what all that entails yet.”
He nodded. “You’ll change your mind about me.”
I sincerely doubted that.
“I can’t believe you’re manipulating me,” I said in disbelief, huffing a small laugh. “After I spared your life. Twice.”
“If that’s what it takes.” He smirked, the arrogance I knew well shining through.
“Get out,” I whispered, looking away to watch the dancing flames. “Our ‘friend’ time for today is up.”
Markus turned on a heel and exited quietly, not saying another word. If he looked my way, I didn’t know. My eyes had welled up with tears and there was no way I was going to let him see it.
