Page 330 of Hate Mates

Stalking Athena Johnson and her date was not on my bingo card for tonight. But what choice do I have? I might not like the girl, but I’m intrigued all the same.

She huffs dramatically, falling back against the leather seat. “I’m not a vampire, Matteo.”

“Coulda fooled me,” I mutter.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see her shift to face me. “Why the hostility toward me? I have done nothing wrong to you apartfrom being attracted to you. Does that warrant such hate toward me?”

“Don’t act innocent Athena. Your little glares haven’t gone unnoticed. You hate me just the same.”

“I only act that way because of how you treat me. You look at me like you would enjoy watching the life drain from my eyes as you strangled me.”

“Maybe I would,” I throw back flippantly.

Athena scoffs, throwing her hands in the air. “Fuck you.”

“In your dreams. I would have to be unconscious before you got anywhere near my cock.”

She laughs but it’s humorless. “Don’t challenge someone who enjoys it. I live for the chase, and the thought of making you eat crow...” Athena trails off, and I don’t miss the excitement in her voice. “Well, let’s just say I will have fun getting myself off to thoughts of it tonight.”

“Thought you had a date?” I throw back instead of dignifying her with an answer.

“I do. But contrary to what you think, I don’t fuck men on the first date.”

Laughing, I say. “You expect me to believe that? Jesus Christ Athena, you may as well walk around with a sign sayingopen for business.” It’s a low blow, but the reminder of her out with another man tonight has me seething.

“I’m not a fucking whore.” Now she is the one raging. I can practically feel her vibrating with anger next to me. “Stop the car. I can walk the rest of the way.”

“No.” My tone leaves no room for argument.

“Yes. I don’t want to be in this vehicle with you any longer, Matteo. Let me the hell out.”

Glancing at the road, I see we are less than a mile from the Johnson estate.Piccola vampirocan walk the rest of the way for all I care.

Pulling the vehicle to the side of the road, I hit the brakes and turn off the engine. My eyes stay glued to the windshield as Athena unbuckles her belt, opening the door and climbing out.

“You’re a fucking asshole. And I hate you,” she screams at me before slamming the door shut.

No one would ever get away with speaking to me in that way, but this time I will let it slide, considering I did insinuate she’s a whore.

Watching her closely, I smirk as she rushes away from me. She doesn’t look back as she walks away, and I don’t move.

Instead, I sit and stare until she disappears.

Then I start up the SUV and slowly hit the gas to follow her.

Chapter Six

ATHENA

Cursing his name with every nasty word to ever exist, during the fifteen minutes it takes me to walk home, I finally make it to the metal gates of my family mansion.

Punching in the code to the side gate, I blow out a weary breath when the lock clicks, pushing through it in the next second. I’m over today. It slowly progressed from good, to bad, to worse, my mood plummeting with every minute Matteo turned his wrath on me. I don’t know what I did to deserve his ire, but it was there in the car, so tangible it suffocated me.

He called me awhore.

Maybe not in as many words but it was exactly what he meant. Despite defending myself, it was in that moment I knew it was in vain. Matteo had made up his mind about me. And no matter what I said, it wouldn’t change how he perceived me.

I was done.

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