Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 129756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 649(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 649(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
“Improvised? You put out a fucking contract on me, Dean.”
His jaw hardened. “I need her, Mila. I’ve needed her since the moment I first saw her in a vision. I spent years looking for her. Years. She’s mine; she should be with me, where she belongs. Not with some goddamn asshole who can’t recognize his own true mate even though she’s right under his fucking nose.”
Stepping farther into the room, Dean sneered at Joel. “Never once asked yourself why you were so drawn to Mila, did you? Adele didn’t want to switch back to your pride, you know, Mila. He pushed for the transfer, not her. And we all know it’s because part of him needs to be near you. Even now, when he finally knows the truth, he won’t demand to have what’s rightfully his.”
Dominic snarled, his neck corded, his muscles straining against his skin. “Mila will never be his. She’s mine.”
Dean frowned at him. “You have a predestined mate somewhere—”
“Mila is my mate,” Dominic stated, itching to pound his fists into the fucker’s face, just as his wolf itched to maul the living shit out of him. “Doesn’t matter to me what fate intended. I decide my own fate, and I chose Mila. She’ll always be my choice. So you can imagine just how badly I want to slit your fucking throat right now.”
“Well, we’re about to put your devotion to the test. We’ll see how much you really want her after she fucks her true mate right in front of you.” Dean smirked at Joel. “You want that, don’t you? You might not like that you want her, but you do.”
“Not gonna fucking happen,” Dominic rumbled.
Joel’s nostrils flared. “I love Adele—”
“She’s not yours to love,” snapped Dean. “And you can’t deny that you want that female over there who was made especially for you. Yeah, you want her. And now you’ll take her right here.”
Mila glared at him as a cold anger twisted her insides. The guy had obviously hopped onto the crazy wagon at some point. “You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I am,” said Dean. “The only reason I didn’t kill him long ago is that the abrupt snapping of the imprinting bond could lead to Adele’s death. But I heard what he said just now. There’s a strain on the bond. It’s fragile. If the bond quite simply fades and crumbles to nothing, it won’t hit her so hard—she can survive it.
“Now that you both know the truth of who you are to each other, it won’t take much to make his bond with Adele fade. The mating urge would then kick in straightaway, and you and Joel will be driven to claim each other. Then Adele will be free of him. Joel, grab that chair and sit in it,” Dean instructed. “Good.” His eyes snapped back to her. “Now strip, Mila.”
“Fuck you,” she hissed. Her cat bashed at her, wanting the freedom to attack.
“No, you’ll be fucking Joel. And if you don’t, I’ll fire the gun that I’m pointing at Dominic’s head.”
Which was no doubt why Dean hadn’t already shot him, she thought—he knew that threatening Dominic would gain him her cooperation. And while she’d do just about anything for Dominic, she wouldn’t do this. It wouldn’t keep him alive. Dean didn’t plan for anyone other than himself to walk out of this room alive. He just wanted to make sure the imprinting bond between Joel and Adele was severed.
Her only real chance of saving Dominic would be to take her chances and lunge at Dean. He’d have to aim one of his guns at her to defend himself, which would then free either Joel or Dominic to move. Sadly, though, she’d be highly likely to get shot. Again.
“You’re wasting time, Mila,” said Dean.
Dominic lifted a brow. “You think I’ll just stand here while my mate fucks another guy?”
“Well, you can either stand still or be shot in the kneecaps.” Dean shrugged. “Either works for me.”
“So what, you think Adele will ride off into the sunset with you?” Mila shook her head. “She’ll consider this a betrayal.”
“No, she’ll see that I was right and that all it really took for you and Joel to claim each other was simply having the opportunity,” Dean argued. “She’ll see it was inevitable and that I saved her pain in the long run.”
“No, she’ll see that you’re fucking twisted—she won’t want anything to do with you.”
“I’ll take that chance. If I don’t, I lose her anyway. Now strip.”
“Hell fucking no.” Her whole body jolted as Dean fired a bullet at Dominic’s feet before quickly aiming the gun at his head once more. “Son of a bitch.” Her cat hissed, spat, and generally lost her mind.
Nostrils flaring, Dominic narrowed his eyes at the little fucker. “I’m going to kill you, you know,” he said conversationally.