Page 66 of Spies without a Face
He turned away with a sneer. “What’s wrong with striving to be better than you are?”
“When it goes too far and brings pain to you and others.”
He winced. “Is that all you think of me? Bringing you pain?” He wiped the expression off his face and replaced it with a more decadent one. “I also brought you pleasure.”
I pushed my hair over my shoulders, choosing to ignore his lascivious tone.
“Why do you think we can pick up where we were after all this time?”
“Because we were good together. We can forget about the past and start over.” He offered his hand. “Come with me.”
“Where?” I didn’t have any intention of going with him but the more information I had, the better.
“I have many places where we can go. I’ve learned so much about magic and can show you. We could become the most powerful couple in the magical world.” He raised a fist. “Think of what we could accomplish together. No one could stop us.”
Yes, his passion was still there—but it wasn’t for me. “It’s always about power, isn’t it?” I stepped backward.
He gave me a cool, appraising gaze. “Are you choosing him over me, Pandora?” Marius slanted his head toward Austin’s house.
That was over. I heaved in a deep breath and thrust my chest out as I exhaled. “I’m choosing me.”
AUSTIN
After Lucas and I left the pub, I returned home. A sliver of hope buoying me that Pandora and I might have a chance.
Until I glanced over to her house. Her shades were open, and her lights were on. She wasn’t alone.
She was with that guy—the one I’d seen there more than once. The guy with dark hair who went around wearing a black cape like he was some sort of wizard or vampire. They appeared to be in an intense conversation.
My heart crashed to the pavement and with it all my hope. My bear wailed inside, demanding I go over there and confront this man—she wasourmate.
I sucked in a clipped breath. She made her choice. We can’t force her to be with us.
If she wanted to be with another man, I had to accept it, no matter how it tore my heart to shreds. Maybe that’s why she’d ended things. I’d escalated things to a super-serious level by telling her she was my mate. She wanted independence and didn’t want to be tied down with one man.
I forced myself to enter my house. When I walked up the stairs, it was in a slow-motion daze. She rejected me and chose another man. It repeated in my head like a mantra. When I entered my living room, Tuxy trotted over. I slumped to the sofa, and he jumped up beside me.
“Hey, little guy.” I rubbed his chin and then stroked the soft fur of his back. “Bad news. Remember Pandora, the beautiful witch next door who watched you for a little while? Well, I’ve fallen for her. Only one problem—she doesn’t feel the same way for me. In fact, she’s with another guy next door right now.” My voice caught as I finished that sentence, the ache spreading inside like a third-degree burn.
Tuxy purred beside me and nudged my hand for more head rubs.
I acquiesced. “I don’t think I can stay here tonight.”
No, I definitely couldn’t. I couldn’t stay in this house knowing she was spending the night with another man right next door. The agony would be too much to bear.
I glanced around. My living room was quite empty with not much more than this sofa and a coffee table, the room of someone who didn’t stay anywhere for long.
Since I didn’t have much to pack, it wouldn’t take me long to do so. What I needed tonight was just a change of clothes and some toiletries. I didn’t know where I was going and might even end up staying in my car. Or I could sleep outdoors in bear form with my thick fur and hide to keep me warm.
As I packed a bag, Tuxy followed me. What would I do about him? He’d be fine for the night; possibly out of sorts without me there but I’d be back to feed him breakfast. I didn’t have a plan for where to live next, and a twinge of guilt flickered inside. He might have been better off at the cat shelter. He could have been adopted by now. But I couldn’t give him up. He chose me, and I wouldn’t let him down.
And I didn’t want to. We were buddies now, a bonded pair.
“I’ll figure something out for us, Tuxy.”
It wouldn’t be here in this house. And not even Salem. No way could I spend another day in this city. It would just be another stop in my rearview mirror. Another place I didn’t fit in. But this time was worse than ever…
I’d be leaving Pandora behind.
