Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 151489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
He nipped her finger, making her snatch it back and scowl. “This isn’t just any Alpha. This is the asshole who was a complete and utter bastard to you throughout your entire life.”
“I’m not sure why you’d want to be in the same room with him ever again after the way he just tossed you aside because of the latency,” said Ryan, clearly in protective mode.
Taking in the sympathetic faces, Taryn sighed. “I take it this means you all know about my relationship – or lack thereof – with my dad.”
Rhett pointed at Marcus. “It was him who told us all.”
“Only because you were all talking about her like she was Warner’s golden girl. His treatment was far from golden.”
“Which is why I don’t want you near him,” Trey said to Taryn. His wolf was in full agreement.
She smiled sweetly and scraped her nails lightly down the column of his throat. “As cute as that is, it doesn’t make an ounce of difference.”
Again he wanted to argue with her, wanted to protect her from harm just as his wolf did, but now that Trey had come to know more about Taryn, he understood that how he handled this now would be very important. Throughout her entire life, people had seen it as their right to undermine her and disrespect her. If the male she had mated did that, it would hurt her deeply. Even his wolf understood that part of his job as protector was to protect her emotionally – something he hadn’t been doing very well so far. So, groaning, he nodded and didn’t let it show that her beaming smile had any effect on him.
“It’s good to see you’re starting to understand that I have a will of iron.” Seeing Dominic’s face scrunched up in agony, indicating that it was obviously killing him to hold back, she sighed tiredly. “Whatever the dirty line is, get it out of your system now.”
Dominic shrugged innocently. “It was just that you said you liked watermelon. It got me wondering…If I was a watermelon, would you spit or swallow my seed?” Some chuckled, some groaned, and Trey scowled at him.
“Okay, okay, I got a better one. If your left leg is Thanksgiving, and your right leg is Christmas, can I visit you between the holidays?” More people chuckled than groaned at him this time. Trey, of course, growled.
“Where do you hear these lines?”
“Some I’ve heard from other guys. Some I’ve read on the internet or heard on T.V.”
Trey glared at him. “Well you can stop using them on my mate.”
Dominic gave him an apologetic look that couldn’t have been more false. “I can’t help it, she’s like a dictionary – she brings meaning into my life.” This time everyone groaned. “Oh come on, that wasn’t that bad.”
The next few hours went as usual for the pack of an evening – they ate together in the kitchen, they watched T.V. together, Taryn and Greta exchanged more insults. But there were two major differences. One, Trey stayed with Taryn as opposed to closing himself in his office. Two, for some unknown reason, Tao didn’t appear to be talking to her.
It wasn’t until just before she was ready to head to her room that she managed to catch a moment alone with Tao in the living area. “Would you like to tell me why you won’t even look at me?”
As if she hadn’t spoken, he rose from his seat on the sofa and started to leave the room.
She jumped up and placed herself in front of him. “Oh no, there’ll be no walking away. You tell me what it is I’ve done.”
Sighing, he ran his hand through his hair. She didn’t think he was going to answer but then he abruptly snapped, “You shut me out, Taryn.” Gentling his tone, he continued. “I thought we were close. Close friends, I mean. And you totally shut me out. What’s worse is that the person you opened up to is the one person who didn’t deserve to have you confide in him like that.”
She could understand why he might feel a little hurt. They had become good friends. Her wolf wasn’t so understanding about his tone and was growling inside Taryn’s head. “Today is my deceased mom’s birthday.” His mouth dropped open. “I actually hadn’t told Trey. He found my box of memories and realized for himself.”
“But he was still the person who brought you out of that daze. Him. Or do you just like being eaten out so much?”
Hands on her hips she invaded his personal space. “Who do you think you are speaking to me that way?
He stepped back and raised his hands. “I’m sorry. I just don’t understand why you’d let him use you. All he’s done since the beginning is brush you off and now that he’s decided he’ll treat you like a mate you’re just going to give in to him just like that? You deserve better than that.”