Page 33 of Alpha Bond
Dammit, Law.
I should have known I’d fuck this up. I’m a fool around women.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “Forget I said anything. It was just an idea. I was wrong to suggest it.”
When she raises her head, her eyes are pure emerald fire when she fixes them on me. “That’s the first smart thing you’ve said in this whole conversation! You’re just like the others, Jagger Law!”
Fuck. She’s beautiful.
And with that, I’m pretty damn sure I have as much chance of changing her mind as all the others.
Which is no chance at all.
Chapter 14
Sierra
“Unbelievable,” I seethe, glaring at Jagger. “You really think that just because you’ve given me shelter, I’ll sleep with you?” Anger and frustration course through my veins, making the hairs on the back of my neck bristle. For the first time in days, I feel my wolf resurface and show interest.
Good! My wolf should be pissed too.
Or is she? Because I’m not quite sure what got her attention.
“Sleep with me?” Jagger interrupts. “Listen, Sierra…” he says as he rises from his chair. I tilt my head back to look at him…God, he’s huge!“Let me make this clear,” he continues, his tone clipped and masculine. “I don’t want you to sleep with me. Ever. We won’t truly be mated.” He pauses, allowing his words to sink in. I remain on guard, still hanging onto my fury. My heart pounds against my ribcage at what this might mean. Until I’m healthy again, I have nowhere else to go. If he demands this of me, what could I actually do?
“What’s this all about then? Why do you want to do this?” I’m not buying his story. I wrap my arms around myself, fighting off memories of Rack and his animals.
“It’s a way to get to a place where I can make a difference.” A muscle in his jaw clenches. “I can’t do that here unless I have a mate.”
I huff a breath. “And so you just decided that I’d fit the bill?” This is the part that floored me a little. “You barely know me. I’m just someone who landed on your doorstep. Why me?”
He looks at me for a moment, then sets a hand on his hip and runs a hand over his hair. It’s a gesture I’m growing familiar with. The short, dark strands prickle against his palm, and I wonder what that feels like. Probably warm and tingly.
What the hell?
Why would I think that?
“Are you going to tell me?” I press, hiding my discomfort at my wayward thoughts.
“Why not you?” he says eventually. “I don’t have patience for the complication of trying to make this work with someone else. You’re here. You need help. So do I. We both win.”
“What about Casey?” I tilt my head. The female has made no pretense about disliking me. Is it because she has feelings for him? It’s not the first time I’ve thought that.
“What about her?” he frowns.
“Wouldn’t she do it? Pretend to be your mate, I mean?”
He’s silent for a moment, and then he starts to laugh. “Casey?” His laughter deepens. It’s a nice sound. Deep and resonant. He laughs from his belly. Still, it doesn’t help that he’s laughing atme. “Casey would never… She’d…” He laughs some more. “No. That’s not an option,” he finally says. “Nobody would believe that for a second.”
“And there’s no one else?” It burns my ass that he finds my suggestion so funny. But I can’t believe a man like him hasn’t drawn female attention. As much as he’s just made me mad, I can’t deny his appeal. Tall, dark, brooding…not to mention a body that’s hard and honed in all the ways that I should not have been noticing. What’s not to like?
“No. There’s no one,” he says. “Surely you’ve noticed that there aren’t a lot of unclaimed females in our pack? Who else would I turn to?”
“Gee, thanks. Way to make a girl feel wanted.” I grimace. Not that I care, but he’s hardly selling this idea.
“This has nothing to do with wanting you, Sierra. It would be purely for convenience. I have no interest in you.”
Good!