“I’ll be the best partner ever.” She trails her finger over my shoulder. “Always making sure your needs are met, that you’re happy and satisfied. I’ll be nothing but compliant.”
I tense at her touch and bite back my response. I don’t want any of that.
My eyes cut across the grand hall where they rest on Ryker as he laughs away with Oscar and a few members from one of the packs in the district. My teeth grind together at the sight. No doubt he’s trying to sweeten people up to make them believe he’s not a dangerous being. He knew what he was doing when he got all of these people together.
“Celia!”
We both glance at the couple approaching us; as they start talking, I excuse myself for a breather. I need a minute to try to compose myself for the rest of the evening, but it’s going to be impossible.
How can I act like everything is okay when I’m sickened by the entire situation?
I grab another champagne, glance around the grand hall, and subconsciously start looking for Evan. My heart thrashes inside me as my wolf becomes desperate to have him in our sights again. Even the soft scent of him. It’s almost like it’s the only thing that will calm me down.
I walk around until I pause by the window that faces the patio garden. Within seconds, I locate Evan. My fist tightens around my glass when I find him talking to some guy outside. He nods and smiles up at him with soft eyes.
They’re only talking, and yet it fills me with rage.
As the guy walks away back to the manor, Evan glances over at the building until he spots me in the window. My nostrils flare as I attempt to slow my breathing, but it feels like an earthquake is going off inside me.
Evan glances away and twists his body from me. My heart sinks.
“Caleb,” Ryker calls over to me. “What are you doing?”
I clench my jaw and look at him beneath hooded lids. “Having a quiet moment.”
Ryker’s brows pinch tightly. “Celia is over there by herself. Is that any way you treat a woman you’re trying to impress?”
Like how you treated my mother?
I clear my mind immediately before he tunes in. “I’m going,” I mumble.
As I walk away, a hand wraps around my wrist and tugs me backwards. I stare up at my father as he stands parallel to me.
“You better make this work, Caleb,” he says under his breath. “I’ve been waiting long enough, and you don’t want to see me when I’ve run out of patience.”
Nausea grips my sternum as I flick my eyes between his. It’s never about what I want. Only what he wants. I snatch my wrist back from his grip and turn to leave without saying anything.
Celia’s eyes light up as she spots me approaching, and I wish I had another set of blue eyes on me instead. Ones that soften like they did to that guy outside, but when he looks at me, all he sees is hatred, and I never wanted him to look at me like I’m the bad guy.
“Hey, you,” she coos with a wink. “Where did you go?”
“Bathroom,” I lie.
Celia flutters her lashes at me. “Oh, that’s okay. Just don’t leave me next time, don’t want anyone snatching me up.”
I force another smile as she links her arm through mine, and I pretend to listen when all I can think about is him.
20
EVAN
Idon’t know how long I wait, but I don’t care.
Hearing the noise of the party going on behind me has my eyes fixed forward. My thoughts race, and I can’t help but scold myself for letting him impact me like this. I grit my teeth to try and calm down. The skin on my arm begins to itch, and I quickly wrap my hand around the fabric on my wrist to stop the sensation. It’s like experiencing rejection without the words, and it floods me with a thousand negative thoughts.
“Hey.” I hear a voice behind me. I glance over my shoulder to find Charlie’s hazel eyes under those brown locks. “You waited.”
I nod once. “I did.”
