And because Jasper had almost died, I’d felt even more guilt.
Which only made me hate Liam even more.
But it was all just a manipulation tactic.
I wanted nothing to do with Jasper’s voice.
I hung up the phone right in front of Liam.
His face did a double take.
I tossed my phone in my purse, “Don’t worry, I signed the contract, so I’m yours now. I’ll do
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whatever you want.”
But instead of looking happy, Liam frowned even harder.
“Are you trying to butter me up? Beatrice, what do you want this time?”
That reminded me of how I used to act
whenever I wanted something.
Always forced by my dad.
Either to get investments for Hawthorne Inc.
Or favors.
<
I stood on my toes and kissed Liam.
“You got me, I’m buttering you up.”
“This time, I want you to take it easy on me. Last night you were kind of rough on me.”
4
I really didn’t expect this.
Just those words.
And this 6’3″ werewolf was completely flustered.
He bent down and scooped me up in his
く
arms.
His voice was full of panic.
“I hurt you? Why didn’t you say something? How are you doing now? Do you need to see a doctor?”
There was no way a doctor would have been
able to help me.
Liam carried me to the bed.
And stood up stiffly, “You should rest today.”
Then turned to leave, but I grabbed his shirt, “Where are you going?”
く
“Work.”
“We just signed the contract, aren’t you
gonna spend the day with me?”
Then, Liam’s face did that weird thing again.
“You want me to stay home?”
“No.”
His face went “I knew it!”
I held back a laugh, grabbing Liam’s tie, “I
want us to go out. Like a date.”
But before we could leave, Veronica showed
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<
up at the house.
I guess not answering that phone call had set them off.
Veronica saw me and said, “Beatrice, Jasper
tried to kill himself!”
Before I could react.
Liam tensed.
I knew what he was scared of.
I squeezed his hand, said a calm “Oh.”
Veronica must have thought I hadn’t heard
her, “Jasper’s still in the hospital. It’s because
of you!”
“That’s a stretch.”
“Jasper took the pills last night, If you hadn’t betrayed him, he wouldn’t have tried to kill himself.”
“So, you’re saying I shouldn’t have betrayed Jasper?”
I looked at Veronica, still smiling.
“Every single thing Hawthorne Inc has or uses
is because I betrayed him. Otherwise, you
wouldn’t be living it up as the Hawthorne
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<
princess right now.”
Veronica didn’t expect that.
She glanced at Liam.
Her face was red.
This was my sister, who’d been coddled since
birth, had never known humiliation.
She shot another look at Liam.
“I didn’t mean that, you said you hated
werewolves, that they’re brutal.”
“Yeah, you should sign the contract with
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<
Liam.”
I cut her off, then a smile formed, “Oh, sorry, I
forgot, it’s not that you don’t want to, it’s that
Liam isn’t interested.”
Then, Liam laughed.
Then cleared his throat, hiding a cough.
Veronica’s eyes welled up with tears.
Her face was red.
This sister of mine, who’d been coddled since
birth, had never known humiliation.
She turned and left.
Without Veronica, the room felt empty again.
I thought about what Veronica had said.
And changed my mind.
“Liam, I think that…..”
Liam’s smile fell, “You want to go to the hospital to see Jasper?”
I nodded.
Liam smiled to himself, like he’d known this
would happen.
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“I’ll have the driver take you.”
“Aren’t you coming?”
“Me?”
“Now that I’ve signed the contract, me going
to see another shifter by myself probably isn’t a good idea, right?”
I moved closer to him, “I want you to go with me, can you?”
Liam grabbed his keys off the table.
“I’ll go get the car ready.”
