Page 142 of Rejected By the Shifter King
A collective sigh rose from every woman in the vicinity. Camille pressed on, “But what about those speed dating participants who expressed interest—”
“They can look at her,” Hexius said with terrifying calm, “and they die.”
As he strode away, leaving a courtroom full of swooning women in his wake, Camille faced her camera with flushed cheeks. “There you have it, folks. How would it feel, to be so loved by the Leopard King? This is Camille Dubois, signing off.”
****
ISINK LOWER IN THEcafeteria chair as literally everyone turns to stare at me. My face is probably redder than the tomato soup Spencer’s eating—or trying to eat, since she’s too busy laughing at me to actually consume anything.
“‘I love her. It is enough,’” Maryah quotes in a dreamy voice, clutching her chest dramatically.
“Stop it,” I beg, covering my burning face with both hands.
“Never,” Spencer laughs. “Did you see the reporter’s face? I thought she was going to faint right there.”
“Or proposition him,” Anastasia adds wickedly. “Though his whole ‘look at her and die’ thing probably killed that impulse.”
Like, seriously, I still can’t believe this is my life now. Two months ago, I was getting my heart shattered in a speed dating event, convinced I’d never be loved. Now I’m mated to the Leopard King, who apparently goes around telling reporters he loves me on national television.
My phone buzzes with a text.
Hexius:On my way. Five minutes.
My stomach does that stupid flippy thing it always does when I know he’s coming. You’d think after two months of being mated, one month of living together, and countless nights of...well, you’d think I’d be used to him by now.
Butnope.
“I know that look on your face,” Spencer says with a snicker.
“What look?” I protest.
“The ‘my ridiculously hot preter husband is about to walk in and I’m going to forget how to form words’ look,” Maryah supplies helpfully.
“I do not—”
The cafeteria doors open, and my protest dies in my throat because stars above, how is he even real?
“Ladies,” he greets my friends politely, but his gaze never leaves mine. “Samira.”
He says my name the way he always says it these days. All low and smooth and sexy, and his French accent isstillto-die-for. I want to sound just as sexy, but when I finally speak—
“Hi.”
The word comes out all squeaky, and Hexius swoops me up in his arms while my friends laugh.
Hexius glances down at me as he carries me out of the cafeteria. “What?”
I shake my head. “Nothing.”
Hexius waits until we’re back in our suite before speaking again. “You forget,” he says gently.
“Forget what?”
“I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t need to read your mind to know what you’re thinking.”
Riiiight.
A sheepish smile forms over my lips. “I’m sorry. I’m just...I guess I’m still not used to how open you are about your feelings. Six years ago, you couldn’t even stand to look at me, and now...”
