Page 32

Azura

“ I mean in a fight,” I mutter. He raises his eyebrow.

“That’s what I meant.” He remarks. Wait, no, he… “Is your mind always in the gutter, or do I simply get to you?” Of course, you do. You damn annoying Rossi.

“Don’t get so full of yourself,” I scoff.

“Am I wrong?”

“If I want my mind to be in the damn gutter, I have every right to keep it there. I don’t need anyone’s approval,” I retort, annoyed when he cages me between the worktop once more.

“Even if it involves me?”

“Yes, because it’s my mind. So, whether I imagine you naked, or in a pair of neon pink boxers, that’s my mind, my choice.”

“Oh? So, if I imagine you naked, that’s totally okay?”

“Why? Do you?” I challenge.

He doesn’t reply, his eyes trailing over me before they slowly flick up to meet mine, and I know I have gotten my answer. I see him swallow, his eyes darkening when they skim to my lips. My entire body is reacting to his closeness. Even with the bond that is hanging on by only a thread, only in need of a few words from me to break, I can still feel the intense pull that comes with it…

“You broke up with Nikki,” I blurt out. Wow, nice going, Azura. His eyes snap to mine, and I feel him tense slightly. He suddenly moves back and turns his back on me.

“That’s none of your concern.” His voice is hard, and I feel a pang of pain wash through me. So does he blame me for that? “I came here to apologise and that’s what I’ll do.” His voice is low as he turns back toward me, his gaze falling to my neck. “I’m sorry for marking you, and for rejecting you. I never should have done either.” Those words cut like a knife, but I do my best to hide the emotions that are threatening to drown me.

“Both?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. His eyes meet mine and he nods.

“Yeah, both. I was clouded by my anger, and I was fighting myself, and so I’m fucking sorry for fucking up your life with what I did. I’ve already begun working on tracking down this ex of yours and once I have… you can return home.”

“Got it.” I feel as if I have been thrown into a pool of icy water. “So, since you regret it all, I guess you regret fucking me, too,” I spit, feeling my anger rising.

“No. Why should I regret that?”

His arrogance makes my anger flare. Who the fuck does he think he is? I scoff, closing the gap between us and shoving him. My heart is thundering, and my head is beginning to squeeze as pressure begins building. I am losing control of my anger.

“Why not? Because that didn’t have any fucking consequences?” I ask icily, glaring up at him. If only you fucking knew. I want a reaction; I want him to lose his shit so I can lose mine.

“Calm down,” his icy-calm reply comes.

“Don’t! Don’t tell me to calm down. Do you know how I felt after being fucked, marked, and then rejected? My wolf is still weakened! I don’t feel her as strongly as I used to! I was in so much pain that I fainted, and you left me! I gave you everything, yet you were okay to fuck me even though you had a woman, making me feel even worse!” He isn’t reacting, not even stopping me from attacking him. I continue to shove him, wanting to see him stumble. “Do you know how I felt when I had to beg someone to give me a phone so I could call my brother? Do you know how it felt to see the rage in his eyes and begging him not to fucking find you because of who you are?” His eyes flash but he says nothing.

“If you really regret marking me, then go mark someone else so I can have this off me!” I scream, shoving him. “At least let me live my fucking life without having this scar as a fucking reminder of you!”

Needing a way to unleash my anger, I extract my claws, ready to plunge them into my own neck and rip off his mark, but before I can even dig my claws into myself, he has grabbed my hand, closing his large hand over mine, and turns me. Pulling my back against his chest, his other arm tightens around my waist as I thrash around, my heart thundering.

“Hush…” His voice is low, and even as I struggle against him, he refuses to let me go.

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” I hiss, trying to elbow him, but, unlike Emmet, he is far stronger.

“Listen to me, little she-wolf… I only meant I didn’t regret the rest of that night because it was fucking perfect. But marking you… like you said, I ruined your life, and I know I did. I fucking did… and I regret the rejection because of the pain I put you through… I’m sorry, I’m fucking sorry. I want to be a better person than them, but I fucked up, too… I’m no better. This has nothing to do with you.”

I still in his arms. You’re wrong… it has everything to do with me. Nothing can break my spirit, but I am teetering on the edge of despair. I don’t know what I want… but earlier… when I knew he had broken up with Nikki, I had subconsciously held out hope…

“It has everything to do with me… because of who I am, right?” I say quietly. His face is so close to mine, pressed against the side of my head, and I feel broken. He remains silent for a moment. “You regret rejecting me because of the pain… but you still wouldn’t accept me, correct?”

He stays silent and I have my answer. I sigh, pulling free from his hold. This time he lets go of me and I turn, looking up at him blankly.

“Just leave, Leo. Your apology... isn’t enough. Give me back my life, take this pain away, and remove this mark from my neck. Otherwise, you can fucking go to hell.” My voice is calm, yet it is laced with venom.

He doesn’t speak, and I can’t read his emotions. His gaze dips to my neck for a second. Our eyes meet before he turns away without another word. He leaves the apartment. The door shuts behind him with a small snap that seems to ring in the empty apartment. I turn away, gripping the worktop, my heart thundering as I try to control my emotions. Regretted marking me… Dickface .

I walk over to the sofa and sit down slowly. It is my own fault for even allowing myself to lose control of my emotions. I don’t know how long it takes for me to calm down, but it is dark outside. I stay sitting there glaring at the table. I unlock the phone he has given me, my hand shaking with uncontrollable rage as I find Dante’s number.

‘I want the necklace.’

He comes online immediately, and I stare at the phone, my heart raging. I see the message change to ‘read’ but instead of replying, his call is incoming. I answer, raising the phone to my ear.

“I want the necklace,” I repeat, my voice sounding menacing.

“Okay, My Temperamental Miracle.” I’m no fucking miracle. “You are. You sure are one of a kind,” he teases in his deep, husky voice.

“Don’t try to get in my head, Dante. I’m not in the mood.”

“I’m not getting in your head, I can’t read minds. I just know what you would say.

“I’m angry, Dante. So angry,” I reply quietly.

“I know.”

“Don’t use that shit on me. I want to rip his mark off my neck, I want to leave from here, and I want to -”

“I know but don’t act in anger, Azura. We often say things that may not be perceived the way we want them to be. Look deeper.” I close my eyes.

“You understand me, right, Dante? It hurts. He makes me want to fucking give up,” I whisper, tucking my legs up under my chin.

“Since when can anyone make the Westwood Devil do anything?”

“Easy for you to say,” I mutter.

“You’ve got this. Besides he can’t be so bad if he can get under your skin like that.”

“He’s irritating and damn annoying. Arrogant and so… well, let’s just say a typical Rossi.” I am feeling calmer talking to someone.

“Well, we are pretty irresistible.” I roll my eyes, and a pleasant silence falls between us.

“So still not seeing anything about your future mate?” I ask. He lets out a throaty chuckle.

“I don’t know if I have one… you know how my wolf and I are. I don’t know if the same rules apply.”

“I don’t think the Goddess would deprive her Demi-God of a mate,” I say softly. I feel sorry for Dante. He holds so much on his shoulders. He often knows things to come, and I wonder how much pain and sadness he has foreseen…

“Well, as long as she doesn’t turn out as terrifying as you, I’m all good,” he teases.

“So funny.” I smile though. “Thanks for ringing, Dante. I needed it.”

“Any time. I’ll always be there for you.”

“Hey, I’m older, okay? You mean to say I’ll be there for you.”

“Nope, I meant exactly what I said. Now, go be a good girl and watch some TV or have a bubble bath. Whatever you girls do to calm down.” A bubble bath does sound good…

“Yeah, well, we aren’t men who go hitting things when angry…” Didn’t I just do that? He lets out a small, knowing chuckle.

“Whatever you say.”

I thank him before ending the call and decide to have a bath and text the girls. I just need to calm down…

Two hours later , I am so much more relaxed. The tub has a heating system, and the water never goes cold. I have some music on, and I feel much more at ease. I even had a good chat with Sky and Kat; sadly Song didn’t answer, so it was just us three.

Wanting to feel good about myself, I pull on a pretty lingerie set. Honestly, I need to thank whoever chose this stuff, but the memory that it is paid for by Leo leaves a sour taste in my mouth, so I push the thought aside.

I am just moisturising my legs when I’m sure I hear something. I tilt my head, lowering the music. There, I hear it again.

“Leo?” I ask, grabbing the bathrobe that I had tossed on the floor earlier. I put it on, leaving the bedroom only to see none other than Emmet standing there, looking beyond pissed. His aura is swirling around him, and unmasked rage contorts his face.

“So, you went and fucking snitched, and because of your fucking misconception, Leo suspended me from my position as Delta until further notice,” he growls. In a flash, he is in front of me, grabbing my throat as he slams me against the wall…. “Oh, and guess what? Leo’s gone with his kid. He won’t be home for a while. Who are you going to run to now?”