Page 63 of Red Fire
“The male is blind in one eye. He has a nasty scar across his cheek and another all the way down his left thigh. No female will even look at him now, let alone take him as a mate. You did that. Isn’t that right?”
“I regret my actions,” I say. “I apologized for what I did.”
The colonel pulls in a breath. I can’t see his facial features, but I am sure that they will be disapproving.
“You used excessive violence against the male, who was badly injured and trying to protect your chosen, Aspen.”
“No, I never touched Aspen.”
“Only because Chase protected her. Isn’t that true?” His voice is hard. “He has always been a good male.”
“No, I would never hurt a female. If I had attacked or even attempted an attack on Aspen, I would have received more than just two years of banishment. I would really appreciate it if we could talk about Octavia…the human. With all due respect, Colonel, I’ve served my time. I am truly sorry for what happened.”
“I’m sure you’d like nothing better than to sweep what happened under the rug.” He slams his hands on the table. “That would be convenient for you, wouldn’t it?”
“I don’t want to sweep anything under the rug. I told you that I regretted my actions. I feel guilty for what I did every single day; that’s why I haven’t returned to the city.”
“Are you sure it’s not because you still feel out of control because you want to harm Aspen? Because you like forcing yourself on females?”
“No!” I snarl. Then I rein myself in. He wants me to lose my temper. “I don’t want to harm Aspen. I never have, and I never will. I should never have hurt Chase. Where is Octavia? Where is the human?”
He laces his fingers together on the table in front of him. “I’m sure you would love to know.”
“I would. I care about her.”
“Care about her?” He sniggers. “Really?”
“Yes!” I growl; I’m getting seriously irritated. Partly because I’m letting this prick get under my skin. But mostly because he’s an asshole. I can tell that he has already convicted me of something I didn’t do. Not this time.
“Is it true that you raped the human?”
“No!” I snap. “I would never.”
“Really? You’ve been living out in the jungle like an animal for three long years. No one would blame you if you sampled the goods. I mean, the human practically fell in your lap, didn’t she?”
“I would never take a female without her consent. Not. Ever.” He is trying to frame me. He hates that I hurt and maimed his nephew. It’s clear that he doesn’t think I’ve paid enough. He wants to see me beheaded.
“Come on. We all know what happens to males out in the jungle. They turn feral. We have guards patrolling to keep them out of the city.”
“Do I look feral?” I yell, instantly regretting it.
“I don’t think I need to answer that, do I?”
“I didn’t hurt the human. I helped her. I—”
“I know exactly what you did. You offered your services to see her safely out of the jungle, and in return—”
“In return, nothing. I didn’t ask for a thing.” I sound exasperated. If this male has his way, I will lose my head before the end of the day. I will die as a male with no honor. My family will be ostracized and all for doing the right thing, for trying to help.
My mind goes to thoughts of Octavia. Of her smile and her beautiful eyes. It goes to the taste of her lips… What I wouldn’t give for one more taste.
I would help her again, even knowing what I do now. I’d stay and wait, too. I’d do it for her a thousand times over.
“Are you listening, Creed?” The colonel hits the table again to get my attention.
I nod.
“Good. I think you made it very clear what you were after, and the female was forced to oblige. You may not have held her down or hit her, but it was still force.”