Page 56 of Fated to the Hunters
This time, Vince shot him a scathing glare and Mateo knew far too well what it meant.Shut up and get out.
“Just talk to her about how you feel. Of course she’s upset, but she’s smart enough to know that this would’ve happened at some point. She knows that it wasn’t your intention to pressure her.”
The words had barely left his mouth when a hammer whizzed by his head, missing him by an inch.
“That I expected of Ezra.” Mateo turned and picked up the tool that had left a dent in the wall behind him. “All I’m saying is that if she can handle him, she can listen to you too.”
Silence.
After returning the hammer, Mateo went inside, finding Ezra standing over the still-sleeping Scarlett. His fingers twirled a strand of her hair, but he was gentle enough not to wake her. There was a war within him that he still didn’t understand, and it made Mateo’s own head spin. Ezra wanted to touch her, take what was his but at the same time, that would scare her, and even Ezra disliked that. The simple thought of wanting her—needingher—was a whole new fight. Ezra didn’t want to fall for her and at the same time, would burn down the world to please her.
Mateo could feel the hate and the fear she brought to Ezra, not towards her, but towards himself. Ezra was well aware of who andwhathe was, and he’d stopped caring what others thought and expected of him. But Scarlett was different. He wanted to be everything she would ever want, but knew he could never give her that.
Retreating to his room, Mateo left Ezra to his own devices.
Chapter Twenty-One
Scarlett
Soft, gentle strokes along her jaw awoke her sometime later. When she opened her eyes, she found herself drowning in two swirling black pools—Ezra. Damn, his eyes were gorgeous. This was the first time she’d let herself look past his scary demeanour. The hard, chiselled lines of his jaw and the stern set of his face were powerless against his eyes. They gave way to something deeper within.
“You have slept all day, little r—princess.”
She couldn’t help but smile to herself at the self-correction. Before she could think, her hand reached for his face and her fingertips gently traced his rigid jawline. His eyes shut, and he curled into her touch. He hummed, a nearly inaudible sound that vibrated against Scarlett’s palm as it cupped around his cheek.
It was then that she realised that he was nothing more than a broken soul seeking someone who would love him for who he was. He was well aware of himself, so maybe part of his reticence had come from past rejections.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“Don’t ever apologise.”
“Why? Because you think they are for the weak?”
Ezra didn’t need to answer, the genuine smile brightening his face told it all.
“Maybe you should try it sometime.”
She pulled away from him and for a second, she could see him frown. Then he stood tall and looked down at her, his arrogance once again masking the soft spot she’d just discovered. Stretching her arms and looking around, she sat up and realised someone had covered her with a blanket. Mateo smiled at her from the kitchen, the fridge door standing open while he piled ingredients on the counter.
“Do you always cook?”
“Forces us to eat together too, the fucking cunt.”
“You don’t have to sit with the cool kids.” Mateo shrugged. “You and I both know that deep down you enjoy the food—and our company.”
“Such a dirty mouth, no wonder your family didn’t let you inherit a dime,” Ezra harshly countered.
“Bastard.”
Ezra fell onto the couch next to her. “So, little princess. When will you start cooking for me?”
“She doesn’t have to lift a finger if she doesn’t want to. She’s not your slave.”
“I’ll cook for you if you help me,” Scarlett said, seeming to surprise both of them.
Slowly—very slowly—he turned his gaze towards her. “I’ll consider it.”
“More than I’ve ever gotten,” Mateo grumbled from the kitchen. “Fucker never even considered helpingme.”
