Page 17 of The Alpha's Bullied Rejected Mate
Still, he couldn’t afford this kind of mistake.
This mission was too important for him to let his personal feelings get in the way. There were more cases of demonic possession.
He’d already taken too long.
A mission was a mission.
Even if, for the first time on a hunt, he had to remind himself of that more than once.
He grabbed a black jacket from a hook on the wall and slipped the phone into his pocket. He withdrew his car keys fromthe bedside drawer, then stormed out of the room and into the night.
***
The moon was fully in the clouds now. Marcus knocked on the door for the second time. He was back at Aza’s apartment.
Had she retired for the night?
He stretched his hand into a fist again to knock for the third time when he heard the door unlock.
Aza stood in the doorway, surprise appearing on her features. She was still in the same clothes he had seen her in earlier. Well, he hadn’t been gone for thirty minutes.
But this time. She had let her hair down as it cascaded down her shoulders, and she had taken off her coat. She looked more relaxed. He inhaled a sharp breath. His plans to jam the syringe in her neck faltered. Again.
“I forgot to ask you something,” he began, steadying his voice. “I think I should repay you. For your help.”
“Oh no. That’s not necessary,” she said, almost too quickly. “Consider us even since you saved me earlier.”
“Oh no,” he replied in the same manner. “I insist.”
She hesitated. “I don’t think—”
“I would love to take you for dinner tomorrow. A thank you dinner. Nothing more,” he added quickly, unsure if he was assuring himself or her.
Tomorrow. He repeated the word silently to himself. He’d do what needed to be done tomorrow. No more hesitation.
“I can’t,” she said. “Riley—”
“You can bring him.” The words escaped before he could stop them.
Aza’s brows lifted. “It’s a school night.. Thank you, but I decline,” she said firmly.
The words struck him. She declined.
She declined him. He had never been declined.
What was he thinking? He had slipped up a lot tonight.
She was no ordinary witch.
She practiced dark magic, and his job was to get her.
Amission was a mission.
He repeated to himself for the third time.
Ava Nath was a target. Nothing more. And he was Marcus Vale; he never missed his targets.
“I also forgot to do something,” he added in an icy tone, one hand sliding into his jeans pocket.
