Page 88 of The Packaged Deal
I hold up my index finger and thumb, just a little bit apart. “Yeah, just a bit.”
“Do you feel passionate about anything?”
I frown at the magazine. “I feel passionate about a lot of things. Especially things I don’t know yet.”
“We can help you figure out what you want to do.”
“Uh, uh,” I say, not believing him.
Adrian sighs, his shoulders sagging. “Sven has to come back.”
“It's getting a bit offensive that you think you can only be with me if Sven is here,” I point out. “Why is that? I can believe in you and me, Kandi and me, and the three of us together, but you can ONLY be in this with me if Sven is here?”
Adrian snaps his jaw shut.
“What?” I growl.
“I’m just thinking it might be safer to not speak,” Adrian says.
I give him my coldest smile. “Perhaps think about how offensive it might be if I told you I won’t be with you unless Kandi is with us.”
Adrian sags. “You don’t understand who I am and what I’m like.” He grits his teeth and looks away from me. Shame makes the air sour.
“So tell me,” I bark at him.
His eyes glow with temper, and his fingers curl on the armchair.
“I’m called the Lone Alpha. The man who is single-handedly one of the most feared alphas in Silver Falls. My tongue is too sharp, my sense of humour too dark, I have no tolerance for stupidity, and I think most people are stupid. Basically, I don’t like people, and people don’t like me.”
“The only exception is Sven?” My voice rises at the end of the question.
“Yes. He is the only exception.”
I stand up; he follows me. I turn so I’m facing him and stab a finger into his chest. “It's good you only have one idiot in the world who understands you. It would be really fucking sad if there were two.”
“I’m glad as well!” Adrian snaps.
“Well, good. I hope you both enjoy each other. Alone. As always, because your nose is too big to see what’s standing right in front of you.”
Adrian’s mouth opens, but his face gets slack, and he stares at me. “Jade.”
“Oh, no, don’t ruin it all now, Alpha. Keep running your mouth and having your pity party. I’d hate to rain on your parade. You’re big and scary. Everyones hates you. Poor, poor, Adrian.”
“Everyone does hate me.”
I roll my eyes. “Would you like a side of worms?”
“What?” he asks, confused.
“I don’t hate you. I like you a lot. More than I have words to say. I don’t right now. At this moment, I’d love to shout my way into your brain and watch it pour out your ears. Listen to me very clearly, Alpha. You are mine. I like you. I’m not afraid of you. You and I will be perfect together because you can brood, and I can talk people’s ears off. Whether Sven is with us or not, you and I could be happy. I don’t want to be your consolation prize for winning Sven!”
He doesn’t like that. The idea of Sven not being here. I don’t really care. But I see the moment the rest of it sinks in.
“Same goes for you, Kandi. You either want me or you don’t. You can’t want me at the provision that Sven will be here. I've got too much pride for that.”
I fold my arms under my breasts and stare at the two of them. But they’re silent, so I huff, grab my magazine, and stalk out of the room. Stubborn, emotionally stunted idiots!
Sven is a whole other issue. The fear in his eyes was real after he kissed me. He fears something, but it’s not me. It’s not Adrian, and it’s not Kandi, which leads me to think it's something to do with him.