Read Online Scorpio Sons 4: Chase: (SF/Shifter Romance) by Nhys Glover - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nhys Glover
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kill that challenger. I can’t let that happen. What we do here is too important for that.”
It was almost as if he was talking to himself, justifying to himself why he had to claim her as his mate. There was no mention of affection. No talk of anything but the cat’s needs and wants.
Something inside her died. Some small, fragile seedling of hope that she could still be loved, after everything she’d done or had done to her, finally died. Even when her logical, pragmatic self had tried to strangle it, that seedling had struggled on for years. Now, finally, this man had succeeded in crushing it into the ground.
She pushed steadily on his chest and he let her go. “If I’m not here you get to go back to being your old self. I want to go home, Chase... Mr Scanlan. I want to leave and never come back. I don’t want to be anyone’s mate. I don’t think I could physically be anyone’s mate. You just have to cross me off your list and keep looking. You’re right, I am damaged. Too damaged for any of you.”
“It’s too late,” Chase said softly, leaning in to graze his lips across her cheek again. “I think I knew it from the moment I saw you outside my hotel room. I wish it could be different. I wish I had better control of my cat. But it can't be different because I haven't got that control. I'm so damned sorry…"
“You can’t keep me prisoner here,” she choked out, knowing full well he could do just that. It had happened before.
“I’ll give you anything you want. The kind of life you’ve probably only dreamed of. Clothes, money, shoes... I don’t know what women want. Anything. If you want bigger, more luxurious living quarters, you can have them. Not having to work at that hotel, you can spend your time doing what you want... studying, helping our cause, on-line shopping... anything. Fuck, I don’t know. I never thought I’d be having this conversation. Never!”
He slammed his fist into the wall next to her and she shuddered, fighting down the scream that sprang into her throat. His anger wasn’t directed at her. Somehow she knew he wouldn’t hurt her now. That moment of danger was gone. But a worse danger threatened her.
“I gave up being a prostitute when I was fourteen, Mr Scanlan. You can’t buy me.”
This time it was his head that slammed into the wall. She cringed as if the pain was her own.
“I won’t touch you. I’m not paying for your sexual services. I just need... My cat just needs you here, with me. I can’t think straight when you’re not near me. My meeting today? A fucking write-off. Walking away while you talked to Alyssa? Nearly drove me crazy.”
Chase paused and rubbed his fingers through his short hair, drawing in deep cleansing breaths. His heavy brow furrowed more deeply than it should on such a young man. Somehow his tie had loosened and his shirt had become untucked. He looked drunk and unsteady on his feet.
When he started talking again it was a little more calmly. “Having watched the other Sons who have found their mates, I know what can and can’t be done.
“Alyssa and Colt. This is the first mission he’s left her side. He’s using everything he has to keep on task, but he’s always on the phone, checking to make sure his Lyss is okay. If I’d let her go to LA, like she wanted, Colt would have torn a piece off me for putting her at risk. And I mean that quite literally.
“Connor has to rein in his cat so Alice can fake an affair with Cameron, another brother in London. They’ve already fought over her once, god knows what will happen if the play-acting between Alice and Cameron gets serious. For the first time, I truly understand the pressure I put him under by agreeing to let Alice seduce Rothmen. The thought of you being alone in a room with any man, especially a Guild member, drives me insane.
“Maybe holding it together, putting up with the pressure for short stretches is possible, once the bond is complete. Or it might simply be that
It was almost as if he was talking to himself, justifying to himself why he had to claim her as his mate. There was no mention of affection. No talk of anything but the cat’s needs and wants.
Something inside her died. Some small, fragile seedling of hope that she could still be loved, after everything she’d done or had done to her, finally died. Even when her logical, pragmatic self had tried to strangle it, that seedling had struggled on for years. Now, finally, this man had succeeded in crushing it into the ground.
She pushed steadily on his chest and he let her go. “If I’m not here you get to go back to being your old self. I want to go home, Chase... Mr Scanlan. I want to leave and never come back. I don’t want to be anyone’s mate. I don’t think I could physically be anyone’s mate. You just have to cross me off your list and keep looking. You’re right, I am damaged. Too damaged for any of you.”
“It’s too late,” Chase said softly, leaning in to graze his lips across her cheek again. “I think I knew it from the moment I saw you outside my hotel room. I wish it could be different. I wish I had better control of my cat. But it can't be different because I haven't got that control. I'm so damned sorry…"
“You can’t keep me prisoner here,” she choked out, knowing full well he could do just that. It had happened before.
“I’ll give you anything you want. The kind of life you’ve probably only dreamed of. Clothes, money, shoes... I don’t know what women want. Anything. If you want bigger, more luxurious living quarters, you can have them. Not having to work at that hotel, you can spend your time doing what you want... studying, helping our cause, on-line shopping... anything. Fuck, I don’t know. I never thought I’d be having this conversation. Never!”
He slammed his fist into the wall next to her and she shuddered, fighting down the scream that sprang into her throat. His anger wasn’t directed at her. Somehow she knew he wouldn’t hurt her now. That moment of danger was gone. But a worse danger threatened her.
“I gave up being a prostitute when I was fourteen, Mr Scanlan. You can’t buy me.”
This time it was his head that slammed into the wall. She cringed as if the pain was her own.
“I won’t touch you. I’m not paying for your sexual services. I just need... My cat just needs you here, with me. I can’t think straight when you’re not near me. My meeting today? A fucking write-off. Walking away while you talked to Alyssa? Nearly drove me crazy.”
Chase paused and rubbed his fingers through his short hair, drawing in deep cleansing breaths. His heavy brow furrowed more deeply than it should on such a young man. Somehow his tie had loosened and his shirt had become untucked. He looked drunk and unsteady on his feet.
When he started talking again it was a little more calmly. “Having watched the other Sons who have found their mates, I know what can and can’t be done.
“Alyssa and Colt. This is the first mission he’s left her side. He’s using everything he has to keep on task, but he’s always on the phone, checking to make sure his Lyss is okay. If I’d let her go to LA, like she wanted, Colt would have torn a piece off me for putting her at risk. And I mean that quite literally.
“Connor has to rein in his cat so Alice can fake an affair with Cameron, another brother in London. They’ve already fought over her once, god knows what will happen if the play-acting between Alice and Cameron gets serious. For the first time, I truly understand the pressure I put him under by agreeing to let Alice seduce Rothmen. The thought of you being alone in a room with any man, especially a Guild member, drives me insane.
“Maybe holding it together, putting up with the pressure for short stretches is possible, once the bond is complete. Or it might simply be that
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