Chapter 264
Under the dim lighting of the restaurant’s washroom, Duke’s voice was low and edged with a dangerous growl.
“Carmen, do I look like the kind of male who gets used and tossed aside?”
His words cut straight through her, leaving her momentarily speechless. The bond between them thrummed–hot, demanding, relentless–making it impossible to think clearly.
+8 Pearls
The truth stung. Last night, she had been the one insisting on drinking, pushing past her limits until the liquor burned away her inhibitions. Most of the night was a haze, blurred by alcohol, but one image stood in stark, humiliating clarity: herself, straddling him, moving with a hunger she couldn’t disguise.
She winced inwardly.
Spirits above… she’d been starving.
Starving enough to throw herself at a male she’d once assumed was completely uninterested in females–worse, her mate. Heat scorched her cheeks, and she turned her head away, unable to meet Duke’s piercing gaze.
“I… I didn’t mean to.”
Duke’s lips curved in a humorless smile. He remembered all too well her slurred confession–how she’d told him she’d fallen for him the moment they met. No wonder she’d been so reckless in bed, no wonder she had tasted of pure, unrestrained desire.
Truth be told, last night had been unlike anything he’d ever experienced. The raw passion, the way their wolves had all but tangled in the bond–it had lodged in his mind and refused to leave.
And now? The female who had set his blood on fire wanted to pretend nothing happened.
Unacceptable.
Without warning, Duke dipped his head and claimed her mouth in a hard, searing kiss.
Carmen froze, eyes going wide. She was about to push him away when footsteps and voices echoed from the washroom entrance. Her pulse spiked. She shot him a warning glance–someone was coming.
Duke didn’t release her. In fact, his hand slid boldly beneath her shirt, fingers brushing heated skin as if daring her to react.
The footsteps came closer, accompanied by the shrill gossip of two unfamiliar female voices.
“…!I swear I just saw Riley.”
“Wasn’t she locked up?”
“Looks like she’s out now.”
“Who would’ve thought the Mooncrest Academy’s star scholar would end up a killer? Guess you can’t judge by appearances. Back then, she acted all sweet and quiet. What a fraud.”
“Ha! Being smart doesn’t help now. She’s just another criminal. In high school, she was so full of herself–turned down the class heartthrob like he wasn’t worth her time. Bet she regrets it now.”
“You mean him? He’s doing great these days–he’s a sales manager at the Duskgrave Corporation. I wonder how she’ll feel when she finds out at tomorrow’s reunion.”
“Oh, she’s not in the reunion group chat, so she probably doesn’t know. Should we invite her?”
“Yes! I want to see her face when she realizes what she missed out on.”
Their laughter rang sharp and cruel before fading as they walked away.
Every word had reached Carmen’s ears–and Duke’s.
Her wolf bristled, claws itching to rake into those two petty females. She would have stormed out right then and there if
4.47 PM PP
Chapter 264
e
+8 Pearls
Duke’s arms hadn’t still been locked around her.
When the footsteps finally faded, she hissed through clenched teeth, “Let me go, Duke.”
He didn’t loosen his grip, his face buried against her hair, inhaling her scent like an addict feeding a craving.
Frustration flared, and she drove her knee sharply upward.
“Ungh!” He doubled over slightly with a low groan, the bond between them humming with his mix of pain and desire.
“Carmen, are you trying to murder your own mate?”
She ignored him, shoving the door open and storming out. Her voice
“Those two bitches talking behind someone’s back–stand the hell still and face
But by the time she reached the hall, they were gone.
was a snarl.
me!”
Still seething, she stalked toward the restaurant. As soon as she stepped in, she spotted them–two overpainted, smug–looking females–standing in front of Riley, their smiles dripping with venom.
Her hands curled into fists. Every instinct screamed at her to put them in their place, but with Riley and Mia watching, she forced herself to smooth her clothes and rein in her wolf.
By the time she crossed the floor, the pair had turned and walked away.
“Riley,” Carmen said, voice still tight with suppressed fury, “what did they just say to you?”
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