He threw the packet I handed him onto the table, and a few people near us turned to look.
He took hold of my arm and pulled me to him angrily.
“Did you fuck her?” he asked.
“No,” I said as calmly as I could and reached up with my free arm to hold his face. I leaned forward and kissed his lips. It was a peck. Barely anything. I experienced indigestion.
He pulled back, his face blank. I’d never kissed him before. At all. I refused. Wouldn’t. Never. But I needed him to think of something else, anything else—needed to show him he didn’t have anything to worry about.
He pulled me back to him, his stubble scratching my skin, his thick tongue pushing inside my mouth.
“Harriet?” Darren asked.
Ashford released me.
I felt like everyone in the room was watching me. Judging me. Like they all knew I was kissing someone other than Cole.
“Hey, Darren, you met my omega while she was with that aunt of yours,” Ashford said, his arm around my waist. “I was just getting reacquainted with her; it’s been so long, and we have a lot more catching up to do,” he said.
“Cole just called and told us to get back,” Darren said.
Ashford released me, and I stumbled forward towards Darren.
“You'd better say your goodbyes, Harriet. You’ll be home soon, and I’m not going to let you get away from me again,” Ashford promised. “Will you be at Samar’s game next month?” he asked Darren as he walked past him.
“I’ll see you there,” Darren said.
He watched Ashford disappear into the crowd and turned back to me, rushing forward.
“Are you okay?” he asked me, no judgment in his voice, no disgust on his face, and that made it a thousand times worse.
“Can we go back?” I asked him.
“Of course,” he answered.
Chapter twenty-five
Did She Want Him?
Cole
Iwatched as she caressed his cheek, soothing over where he had been slapped the previous night.
They talked, smelling candles, Harriet showing him incense.
They were so close, acting like lovers.
I almost believed it. It turned my stomach. It couldn’t be.
Harriet had said he…
Hannah had once told me that sometimes people can’t help but love the person who hurts them the most.
He had saved her life, claimed her, and offered her protection.
Did she care for him? Love him even? Despite…
I called Darren.
