He doesn't want anyone here to find out about me. I may be his fated mate, so he felt obligated to protect me, but that doesn’t mean hewantsme.
Devastation hits me like a wrecking ball, shattering my hopes and dreams like they were made of glass. I knew better; I really did. But some stupid part of me stubbornly refused to accept what the people in my village have been saying my entire life. That nobody wants to be saddled with a defective myst. I let all their backhanded comments roll off my back and told myself that I wasn’t the problem, it was the way they viewed the world.That one day I’d find the place I belonged, surrounded by people that don’t focus on every way I don’t measure up, they just seeme.
But even the Fates weren’t able to convince this man to give me a chance.
Slowly, the devastated pit in my stomach morphs into embarrassed indignation, and it’s practically a relief.ThatI’m used to dealing with. It’s easier to be angry, and like hell am I about to cry over a man that’s willing to throw me away.
I may be desperate to be loved, but I have enough self-respect not to beg for scraps. If he doesn’t want me to stay here? I’m not about to try to convince him to change his mind.
“Understood.” Pivoting on my heel, I storm toward the door. If I run into anyone, I won’t blow up his perfect, happy family. If they ask, I’ll just tell them the truth. He saved me on his last job and didn’t know what to do with me. Then I’ll walk to the nearest town and ask for a ride and regroup. That was the plan all along anyway; hitch a ride with Ever and her mates to Mercy Ridge and start actually living a real life instead of hiding away in the supernatural underground compound I was raised in.
“What are you doing?” Crossing the distance between us in a few quick strides, Vic takes hold of my upper arm.
I shoot him a glare. “I can’t stay here, remember? So I’m leaving.”
His nostrils flare as he draws in a deep breath, his free hand curling into a fist at his side. “And draw the interest of anyone that saw you walking out of the guild hall? Absolutely not. I’ll take care of everything, don’t worry.”
My scoff sticks in my throat; I’m too pissed off to even feign humor. Take care of everything but me, he means. No, his fated mate is the thing he has todeal with.
I try to pull away, but that damned silver mist blurs his features and threatens the strength of my stomach as the floorfalls out from beneath my feet. Misting may look cool from the outside, but when you’re the one being transported? It sucks ass. This trip seems to take an eternity, and the longer I’m stuck with only Havoc’s grip grounding me, the more nauseous I get. Finally, blessedly, my feet touch solid ground.
“Seriously?” I demand. I swear, he made that trip take twice as long as the previous ones on purpose, and it takes everything I have not to throw up on his shoes. For one brief, petty moment, I actually consider it to spite him.
He doesn’t answer me. Hell, he doesn’t even look at me, turning to Arson instead. “You'll get her settled in Mercy Ridge?” At his son’s nod, Vic offers a terse, “Good.”
Finally, he deigns to look at me again, simply staring like he’s committing my face to memory before disappearing in a silver haze without so much as a goodbye.
Chapter 2
Kiara
SIX MONTHS LATER
Maybe he’ll choke to death on that obnoxious cloud of cologne. Then I’d be free to raid his wallet before I abandoned ship with his-
“Are you even listening to me?” tall, pale, and tragically basic snaps. My gaze whips back to the suit-clad financial consultant, a practiced smile falling into place. Better he thinks I’ve got my head in the clouds than planning an aquatic jail break.
“Absolutely, sir.” Pretty sure I’m going to hell after all the lying I’ve done in the last twenty minutes, but at this point, bring it on.
Can’t be more miserable than the soul-crushing rejection I’ve already endured.
He gives me a look like he knows I’m full of shit, but his assistant thankfully knocks on the door and summons him away before he can call me out on it. “Please excuse me for a moment.” The second his office door closes behind him, I’m out of my seat and dragging it in front of the aquarium behind his desk, carefully removing the lid and rolling up my sleeve. As the warm water climbs up to my elbow, I curl my lip in a disgusted sneer.
“Hey there, baby. It’s okay, I’m gonna get you out of here. Promise.”
The tiny teal octopus that I’d heard this asshole bragging about the other day on my walk to work twitches, but continues to lie listlessly on the colorful gravel. Of coursehe does. Because as Igentlytried to tell the asshole that day, it’s a rare, supernatural breed that’s used toarcticwaters. His response?
“That’s why he cost me a fortune. But I’m making up for it with what the witches on Main Street pay for his ink.”
Standing on my tiptoes, I reach in as far as I can, the edge of the tank digging into my armpit. My fingertips skim his side, but I can’t reach far enough to scoop him up.
“Just a little farther,” I murmur, balancing on one set of toes to give myself that extra inch.
The tank creaks and I freeze, all of my weight balanced on the edge. The ends of my hair fall into the water, the bright purple darkening, and I cringe at how much I’m going to regret not tying it back when I get out into the winter air.
My fingertips slip through the gravel, rolling the little guy onto the palm of my hand with a relieved breath, victorious. I brace myself with the other and start pushing myself upright when the glass gives up on life, shattering beneath me. Face first, I smack into the cabinet the aquarium was sitting on before falling off the chair into a puddle of water and glass shards on the now-drenched carpet.
“Son of abitch,”I groan, rubbing my forehead, a bruise already starting to form.
