Page 26 of Cruel Mate

Before she could protest again, he grabbed a spare pillow and blanket from the trunk at the end of the bed and laid it out on the floor.

“Go to sleep, Layla, before I put you to sleep myself,” he threatened. How he would do so, he wasn’t sure, but what he did know was that he had multiple ways, some fun and some not so fun. He almost welcomed the challenge.

“Has anyone ever told you you’re an asshole?” Layla asked, glaring at him with green fury blazing in her eyes.

“Once or twice,” Zander said as he dropped down onto the floor. He had slept on worse surfaces than that.

Layla huffed and rolled over to face the wall, huffing again as she crossed her arms.

Determined not to be outdone, Zander rolled the opposite way and huffed loudly himself. Yet the joke was on him; angry and frustrated, he lay awake for hours, just wishing he had jumped on her when he had the chance.

Never in his life had he felt quite so sexually frustrated. He was almost certain if he looked down his shorts, his balls would actually be blue. Layla was the worst torture he had ever endured.

Chapter 10 - Layla

That was odd. Layla couldn’t understand where the gentle, caring, even protective Zander had come from. But she knew one thing—her wolf had reacted in the most surprising way of all.

Though she had been dead set against whatever game he was playing, her wolf had lapped it all up. And what the beast had decided, Layla didn’t like one bit.

He can’t be…

It was impossible. What her wolf was suggesting couldn’t be. She and Zander loathed each other. Being forever connected to someone like that would drive Layla insane.

Her ex had been bad enough. He had played these games, acting all kind and sweet to get what he wanted, but it ended the same way every time, with cursed words and bruises.

Zander has never hit me, Layla reminded herself as she tried her hardest to sleep.

It couldn’t have been more than half an hour since Zander took himself over to his makeshift bed on the floor, but Layla had tossed and turned the entire time. And every time she turned in his direction, she couldn’t help but stare at him and watch the way his body moved up and down as he breathed.

From the sound of it, he was long asleep, and that only infuriated Layla more. How could he sleep after the confrontation they’d just had?

Stop it, Layla, don’t lose any more sleep over a man! She snapped at herself. She had done that one too many nights already.

She forced her eyes closed, slipped her hand beneath her head under the pillow in an attempt to make it a little more comfortable, and tried to force herself into sleep.

That’s when it happened.

The pounding on the door made Layla almost jump right out of her skin. She sat bolt upright in bed, heart hammering in her chest.

A glance sideways told her she was alone. Shit! Where is Zander?

Her knee was still throbbing. She had nowhere to run. She wasn’t even sure she could properly defend herself with such a banged-up leg.

But she had little choice but to clamber, naked, to her feet when the door caved in, practically bursting right off its hinges.

Layla recognized the man who came flying over the threshold all too well.

“Christian!” she exclaimed as he rushed at her, his hands outstretched.

Bile rose in Layla’s throat as her ex gripped hold of her by the face and turned her gaze up to his. “Here you are, Layla, I’ve been so damn worried about you!”

Before she could stop him, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. A confusion of emotions ran through Layla. She hated her ex, but the smell of him was like home. It was almost comforting.

That was, until his hands dropped from her face to her upper arms and his claws started to dig into her flesh. He shook her aggressively as he demanded, “How dare you worry me like that? Where have you been?”

Layla tried to pull away, but Christian’s hands were like vices on her arms. He held her there fast, and she knew from past experience there was no escape.

When his nostrils flared and he started to scent her, she knew she was done for.

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