Page 77 of Rejected By the Shifter King

Chuck leans forward, invading my personal space. “I could teach you so many things, babe. Show you what you’ve been missing. I’ve got a place in the Hills, king-size bed, mirror on the ceiling. You’d love it there.”

“Oh.”

It’s all I can think of saying. I just wanted to be polite. But this still ends up backfiring—

“Am I scaring you?”

—because now he’s looking at me like he wants to scare me evenmore.

“I know I’m pretty big. No, I’m alotbigger than you. But you don’t have to worry. We can make it work. I promise I’ll be gentle.”

He winks after saying this, and I guess I really am a lot more innocent than I realized...since I’m not sure what he’s winking about?

“You know the reality showFangs Suck?I was a guest there, andman.Those blood-drinking chicks dug me. They really did. You’ve seen it, right?”

I shake my head.

“I think I have it in my phone. I’ll send you a clip if you give me your number now.”

“Oh, that’s not allowed—”

“Even better. That’s when the fun starts, babe. When we start breaking rules, and then later, when we’re alone, we can break what’s between your—”

His words cut off with a startled yelp as two massive shapes literally lift him out of his chair.

Was that security?

Make thatpretersecurity, since they’re moving so fast I can barely track their motion as they carry a-still-seated Chuckandhis chair through the emergency exit. The door slams shut, cutting off his protests about knowing people, lawsuits, and his father’s connections.

What just happened?

I’m still frozen in shock in my seat when someone quickly places a vacant chair in front of my table, and the next man—wait, there can’t be any next candidate yet.The bell hasn’t rung, and so who in the world—

Oh.

I finally remembered to look up, and I think...I think I’m having hallucinations.

Rub, rub, rub.

I open my eyes, but it’s still there, so...

Yup, still hallucinating.

I’m about to rub my eyes one more time when the hallucination actually speaks—

“Nous nous revoyons.”

And the voice...

Unmistakably real, painfully familiar, and that’s why I know, even if though it should be impossible...

Hexius Mercier.

Six years have passed since that day he rejected me as his bride, and...I just don’t know what to feel about him.

Back then, all I knew was that he was this French billionaire in need of avirginbride.

Back then, I was still so young, my world so terribly small, and so whateverPappoúsaid for me was law: real, true, unbreakable. It was only afterwards that I learned that the people you’ve lived with your whole life...