Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
He flinched, dropping his hand. “Ouch. I deserve that, but ouch.”
“Whatever.” I brushed past him. “Where’s the medicine? I’m leaving.”
Paxton rose up and crossed to the picnic. If I was in a charitable mood, I would’ve told him it was perfect. A soft, cushy blanket rimmed with candles and laid out under the stars was the perfect first date. He nailed it.
And he’d never hear that from me.
“Here.” Paxton reached into the picnic basket and pulled out a small vial. “This one is yours, and this”—he pulled out another vial—“is mine.” Paxton put both in my hands. “Take them.”
“What are you doing?” I thrust his vial back. “You need this.”
“And I’ll have it when you forgive me.”
I rocked back, brows crumpling. “What? What are you talking about?”
“Keep it, Daze. When you’ve forgiven me— When I’ve earned it,” he stressed, “then I’ll take it, but not before. You think I’m not serious about doing anything to get you back? Well, this is me being serious. This is real.”
I stared at him, the vial, then back to him. “You’ll be in horrible, agonizing pain, Clarke.”
“As much pain as you felt when Orion burned the letters?”
My face shuttered closed. “No.”
“Well then, it’s no less than I deserve.” He sat back and began setting the food out. “And you won’t have to worry about me cheating and sneaking the meds from Nyx behind your back. If this is what it takes to break the plastic man, and give you a mate worth bonding with, I’ll do it.”
“You’ll die,” I dropped, tone blank. “Your wolf will die trapped inside you—too weak to even howl. You can’t possibly think being with a woman you barely know is worth all of that.”
Hard, unflinching orbs pinned me through. “What exactly do you think is waiting for me out there that’s better than a lifetime with you?”
I stiffened, swallowing hard. Why did he keep doing that? How was he doing that? Castor said something so similar to me the second time I tried to break up with him, telling him that he was better off finding a girlfriend he didn’t have to hide.
“You think there’s someone out there that’s smarter, kinder, prettier, or more frustrating than you? Because I can burst that delusion for you right now, baby. There’s no one else, and there’s never going to be anyone else, Daze.
“I was born to be with you.”
I let out a slow, shuddering breath, my eyes squeezing shut. Gods, I missed that man more than air. No one else could ever replace him in my heart, so why even try?
“Clarke, just take it.” I set the vial down next to him. “Everyone may call me a psychopath, but that doesn’t mean I want to watch you drown while I stand on deck, dangling the life vest and evil-villain cackling.
“I don’t need to torture you to forgive you, because I’m never going to forgive you.” Sincerity laced my words. “Don’t kill yourself for nothing. This is another game rigged for you to fail.”
To my shock, he chuckled. “You can stop testing me, Volana. We both know you are the kind of psychopath who’ll kick back on your yacht, laughing while I splash, and flail, and beg. So stop fishing to see if I’ll take an easy out. I’ll get that nasty potion when you’ve forgiven me, and not a day sooner. Deal?”
I eyed him, and the hand he held out. I actually wasn’t testing him to see if he’d quit on the first chance... but I was still low-key impressed that he didn’t.
Because who was I kidding? What I was most mad about is that I didn’t think of this torture plan first.
“No,” I said, crossing my legs and sitting down. “I’m not making any deals with you or agreeing to anything. You don’t get to turn me into a prize to be won.”
I felt his eyes on me as I grabbed my plate and dug in. The food smelled too good for me to hold back any longer.
“But,” I continued, “if you want to keep showering me in gifts and attention—making a fool of yourself while your brain melts in your skull—that’s your own business. Far be it from me to stop you.”
He chuckled. “Understood.”
“Gods, this is good,” I moaned. “Any drinks?”
Paxton pulled out two ice-cold Maltas right on cue. I popped my lid off with my teeth and downed half the bottle.
“So,” he put forth. “We’ve got food. We’ve got a show.” Paxton gestured to the sprites. “Should we move to the sparkling conversation portion of the evening?”
I ripped out a belch that shook the trees.
“Sexy.”
“How about we move on to the silence part of the evening?” I returned, slathering that tasty bourbon butter on every inch of my steak.
“I can’t seduce you silently. I’m good, but I’m not that good.” Paxton lay down on his back, stretching out next to me and resting his hands under his head. “Hmm. You said you didn’t know the real me, so why don’t we do that? You can ask me whatever you want. If I answer honestly, I keep my clothes on. If I don’t answer, I strip off an article of clothing.”