Page 84 of Love Bites Extra Hard

But there was no going back. No getting out.

Which left me…

Well, stuck.

I had to live with him.

He wasn’t going to let me go.

Which meant I had to figure out who he really was.

“I don’t want revenge,” I said, and immediately had everyone’s attention again.

They lived for my life’s drama at the moment. We all knew it. As much as we didn’t like drama in our own lives, we loved hearing about it.

“But I need a way to figure out who he really is, before I can trust him,” I admitted. “If he was pretending this whole time…”

“Then you might need a way out,” Zora stated.

I nodded. “But if he wasn’t…”

“Then you’re pretty much in love with him already,” Clem said, her lips curving slightly.

She was right.

I had feelings for him. Strong ones.

So I didn’t want to use a devious plan like some of them had with their mates. I didn’t want a sex war. Or a game that existed to convince a stubborn vampire to feed on me.

I just wanted my friend back.

And that was the problem, wasn’t it?

Because he wasn’t my friend. Not really. He was my fated mate.

And that was so much bigger. And so much scarier.

fifteen

AVERY

Eventually,we went back to the other side of the lake and said our goodbyes. None of my sisters’ mates tried to hug me, which seemed like a good call considering the way Talon was looking at me.

Stella had a handful of scales tucked against her bare abdomen as she padded across the sand to join us, leaving Evan on the lake’s beach. He stared at the water, not looking back.

I assumed the scales were Talon’s, and eyed them. Usually, I felt my odd possessiveness over them as soon as I saw them. Though it wasn’t truly odd, if there was magic in them that could heal me and whatnot.

No possessiveness hit.

I didn’t feel a thing.

“I thought you were done losing scales,” I murmured to Talon.

“I am.” His voice was low. Gritty. A little angry.

“Then what are…” I trailed off, watching Stella glance over her shoulder at Evan. There was something like longing in her eyes when she turned back. “Fuck.”

He clenched his jaw.

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