Page 7 of Healing His Darkness
Don’t let her go.
Shut up asshole you’re the reason we came out here after her to begin with. Get out of my head. Ever since that fucking handshake, my beast has been yelling in my head about her being ours. Well fuck that shit, I’ve been there done that, got the black heart to prove it.
Keep lying to yourself.
“You just acted like you were being led to the gallows for your execution when I asked if you were sure. I mean if you don’t really want to give me a ride I can just go inside and wait for my dad or one of my brothers.” I’m about to correct her when she starts to walk back towards the bar.
Stop her. Mate. Ours.
“George, wait.” Panic starts to seize me for some unknown reason. I don’t want her going home with anyone but me, I want her close. Reaching for her, I feel the same electrical feeling I had when we first shook hands sending needles spiking all over my body.
“Shit, I’m sorry. Look I’m not very good with stuff like this.” She stands there looking at me like she has no idea what I mean by that. I run a hand down my face, frustrated with myself. I’m usually a lot smoother with women, but with her I feel like a damn untried boy.
Bite her, claim her, make her ours.
“I’m not good at being friendly with women. Shit, that didn’t come out right. What I mean is...” Before I can finish my sentence, she pipes up shocking the hell out of me.
“You aren’t used to being friendly to women you aren’t fucking. Yeah, I could see that.” From the look of disdain, she’s giving me, she’s dealt with someone just like me. There’s a part of me that wants to track down whomever it was that hurt her and make sure he can’t ever hurt her again. What the hell is wrong with me? This isn’t me; I don’t want to protect women from some guy who hurt them. I’m the guy who gives them a good fuck, leaves them wanting more, and then walks the fuck out forever.
“Basically.” I don’t even try to deny it. She’s read me like a book, she knows exactly who and what I am. Good, then she’ll avoid me while I’m here. It’s for the best, fucking her could hurt my dad’s relationship with her dad. He seems happy here and I don’t want to cause a rift there if I can help it.
“Look, I just want to go home, soak in the tub, and watch this day fade into a distant memory.” Whoever it was that she saw earlier today really set her on edge. I wondered if it was the same guy who hurt her, but then I remind myself it’s none of my damn business.
Ours. Mate.
No asshole she’s not our mate, our mate left us, remember. Summer was our mate, and when she walked out on us, she didn’t even look back. So shut the fuck up about George being our mate, that shit isn’t possible.
“Is something wrong Rooster? You’re twitching a little. You're not going to shift, are you?” There’s a hint of panic in her voice when she asks the last part. That’s when I realize that she’s human, being in the bar with all the different shifter smells I didn’t pick it up. Outside in the open air, free of all the mixed smells I can definitely tell she’s not a shifter. That doesn’t make sense though, because she’s Clay’s daughter. Clay’s a gorilla shifter, there’s no way George is his daughter if she’s human. Anger at being lied to courses through my veins, because I hate being fucking lied to.
“You’re not his daughter.” It’s not a question it’s a statement, and George staggers back a little like I just slapped her. Her eyes glass over as the unshed tears start to pool.
“He’s my dad in all the ways that matter, asshole. Fuck you!” She starts to stomp off again, tears streaming down her face. Seeing her crying feels like someone punched me in my gut with a pair of brass knuckles. My animal isn’t happy either, he’s prowling inside of me. His tail is swishing back and forth, anger oozes from him.
Fix this. Fix it now.
“Shit, George.” Running after her, I snag her elbow before she makes it to the door.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that in a bad way. I just...shit.” How do you unfuck yourself from a situation like this? I have no damn clue, because I usually don’t care. But with George I care, I care too damn much right now.
“You didn’t realize I was human.” She scoffs, her hands back in her hips as she faces off with me.
“So, the fuck what, I’m a human, it doesn’t make me any less his daughter or hers.” She sniffles, dashing tears from her eyes. Reaching down I take her hand in mine, damn does it feel right to hold her hand.
“You’re right, I’m an asshole.” She doesn’t pull away from me and I take that as a win right now.
“I’m an asshole who says stupid shit and hurts beautiful women because he doesn’t know how to talk to them.” She laughs a little and I grin like a fucking maniac because her laugh is like mana to my soul. It soothes the beast inside of me.
Beautiful mate. Bite her.
Shaking my head, trying to get the asshole inside me to shut up, I pull her towards me. Bad idea, such a bad idea, because as soon as our bodies are lined up everything inside me shifts. I can’t help myself when I bend down and run my nose along her neck, inhaling her scent. She smells like peaches and coconut; a deep rumble erupts from my chest and she steps back.
“Sorry he tends to get a little excited, but he won’t hurt you, ever.” I pull her back to me; the need to taste her so strong it’s taking every ounce of willpower I have not to lick her neck. What the hell is wrong with me?
“I’m used to the growls.” She says with a breathy moan as I go back to running my nose along her neck to behind her ear. Jealousy sparks at the thought of her hearing someone else’s growls against her skin like this.
“Mine.” I growl out before I can stop myself. Releasing my hold on her, I take two steps back.
“That shouldn’t have happened.” The hurt in her eyes is almost enough to make me take her into my arms, but the hurt turns to anger in the next instant.
