Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 129691 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129691 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 519(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Drina double-blinked. “I … I don’t know.”
“I think, then, it’s a case of the latter. If you really loved him, there’d be no doubt in your mind.”
“Maybe you’re right.” Drina grabbed her glass. “He said I didn’t really know him; that you can’t love someone you don’t know.”
“I think it’s easy to convince ourselves we love someone who we don’t know, because we can attribute qualities to them that aren’t truly there.” Bree downed her shot, feeling a nice little buzz enter her system. “If you really knew this guy—like really, really knew him—you might feel differently about him.”
“I don’t think so. I might not truly love him, but I do care a lot for him.”
“If he’s told you he isn’t interested, why chase after him? Why not find someone who will let you in; who sees a future with you?”
“Because I don’t know how he truly feels. He sends me mixed messages.” Drina sighed and rubbed at her forehead. “I think we both know I’m talking about Alex here, right?”
Bree only inclined her head.
“Sometimes he’d turn me away when I went to see him after the mess with Giles. Other times, he’d let me in; agree that we could talk. We ended up in bed together a few times. This hasn’t happened since he started dating you—he has not cheated on you. But before you … well, he blew hot and cold with me. I never knew where I was with him.
“Once, he said that he only kept his distance from me because he thought I might go back to Giles. But another time, he said I should go back to Giles. It was like the closer I got to him emotionally, the more he felt the need to push me away. Or, at least, that’s how it felt.
“You’re thinking I’m bullshitting you; that Alex wouldn’t have kept us sleeping together a secret. But he said that we had to keep it to ourselves until Giles had moved on. I know Alex never promised me a relationship or anything, but it didn’t feel that all he wanted was sex. And then he started dating you and … I can’t help but think he did it to push me away again. Obviously, I could be wrong. Guys do weird shit like that, though. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come to you about this.”
Bree folded her arms, resisting the urge to follow her cat’s lead and snarl at the little bitch. “Why not? Your purpose was to make me doubt that Alex feels anything for me; to make me worry that he might not ever be able to fully commit to me. You couldn’t have done that if you’d talked to one of the other omegas.”
Drina’s mouth bobbed open and closed. She was, what, surprised by Bree’s forwardness? She shouldn’t have been. It was common knowledge that Bree didn’t dance around crap.
“I’m not saying he doesn’t feel anything for you,” said Drina. “But you’ve got to admit, he struggles with commitment. He doesn’t know how to bond with others. Doesn’t know how to let them in.”
Bree cocked her head. “I guess I should pity you.”
“I’m sorry?”
“You have so much trouble accepting that he didn’t want more than a fling that you’ve convinced yourself he can’t bond with anyone. That’s sad. Also shitty to him. I bet it really got to you when you heard he and I are together. It made you face that you’ve been lying to yourself. And now you’re lying to me. I don’t like it.”
Drina’s mouth firmed. “Oh, you’re so sure I’m lying?”
“Yep. Alex isn’t the most ethical creature, but he wouldn’t sleep with someone whose head is as messed up as yours is right now. You’re vulnerable and confused; he’d never take advantage of that. That’s not the kind of guy he is.”
“Maybe you don’t know him as well as you think you do.”
“And maybe you should give up trying to plant seeds of doubt in my head. It’s a waste of time.”
“You just don’t want to face the truth.”
“Oh, sweetie, I’m the only one here who’s concerned with the truth. Did you know that every time you lie there’s an ‘off’ note in your voice; one that rings with deception? You need to improve on your lying skills.”
The bitch leaned forward, her mouth set into an ugly twist. But then she froze, finally sensing what Bree herself had already sensed.
Drina’s head slowly turned. She offered the male standing in the doorway a shaky, awkward smile. “Um, hi—”
“What in the everloving fuck are you doing here?” Alex growled, stalking into the kitchen.
“You told me I needed to get help from one of the omegas,” she said, rising from the stool. “You even inadvertently suggested that Bree could be a good person for me to talk to.”
“Don’t give me that shit. This is no different from you turning up at my apartment. Only this time, you’re trying to get my attention through my woman. That is far from fucking acceptable to me. I want you out of here. Now.”