Page 49 of Chev's Mate

It will crush Vanessa.

I read through the articles, my anger spiking as my assumptions are proven correct. People are cruel, and I curse when I accidentally break my phone. It crunches in my hand, and I let out a quiet groan as I slam it onto the seat beside me.

Then I swipe it off the golf cart altogether, letting it tumble to the ground.

Vanessa is mine, and I want her.

I’ll righten things during my interview tomorrow. Then I’ll have the news reporters saying these vile things fired. They’lllose their jobs and their livelihood, and if they continue to badmouth my mate, they will also lose their lives.

I do not care.

Vanessa exits the building, and I plaster a smile on my lips as I wave her over. I don’t want to alarm or frighten her with my anger. She offers a timid wave as she approaches, her arms full of paperwork.

“How was your day?”

She shrugs, and I can tell she hasn’t seen the articles. That’s good. I need her to stay far away from them. I will break her phone if need be.

She begins telling me about her day, and I do my best to remain focused. My heart pounds as we near her house, and I grab her hand as I park. Vanessa pauses, staring down at where we connect. I think she can tell something is off with me, and I take a moment to collect my thoughts before speaking.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” I say.

Her pulse begins to race, and she worries her bottom lip between her teeth as she stares up at me. She looks nervous, but I’m sure my expression matches. Still, I want her to hear this news from me.

“A photo of us was leaked,” I say. “People know you’re my mate.”

Silence. It’s long and painful as it stretches between us. What’s she thinking?

Vanessa shuts her eyes. I wait, running my thumb over the back of her hand. Several minutes pass, and my desperation grows. I need to know what she’s thinking. When Vanessa finally opens her eyes again, her expression is unreadable. She’s hidden her emotion behind a blank face.

She’s shut down.

“What are they saying?”

Chapter Twenty

CHEV

I DON’T KNOW how to answer Vanessa. I refuse to repeat the words.

She stares up at me, waiting. I’m beginning to panic. I’m not going to repeat the lies and assumptions. They will do no good.

Her phone is sitting on her lap, and without thinking, I snatch it up and crumple it in my fist.

I’m mildly aware this might scare her, but instead of fear, I see only defeat in her reaction. She knows why I did that, and her chest expands with breath before she slowly lets it out.

“I see.” Her voice is quiet. “Would you like to come inside?”

“Yes.”

Vanessa climbs out of her golf cart, and I quickly follow. This is the first time my mate has invited me inside her house, but I feel only dread. She’s inviting me inside because she thinks I need more time to tell her what’s being said. I have no intention of doing so.

It doesn’t matter what people are saying.

Vanessa unlocks her front door and steps inside.

“Sorry about the mess,” she says, moving to the side and gesturing for me to enter.

I’m still in disbelief that she’s invited me into her home, and a tiny thread of excitement weaves through me as I step inside and look around. This place smells so strongly of her, and I fight with my bear when he threatens to make his mating noises again.

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