Page 35 of Liar For Hire (For Hire 1)

She glowered at him.

Carl nodded and left them alone.

“Now then, Ms. Waverly.”

“God, my name is Janessa. You don’t have to keep calling me Ms. Waverly.”

“Janessa. See? We can be friends, can’t we?”

“No.”

“To answer your question, you’re insurance so Declan will cooperate.”

“And like I told you, he’s seeing Roxie.”

“He can’t be allowed to marry her.”

“Why not? She’s one of you.”

“I see I’m going to have to explain a little more to you about our ways.”

“I’d rather you not.” She didn’t want to hear it because it made her think of how criminals killed their captives once they had seen their faces. If Patrick told her any more about his people, he might think she knew too much and want her dead.

Patrick shrugged. “Suffice it to say I’m feeling chatty.”

She hugged herself, thinking hard about an escape route.

“When the prince takes a mate, his mate automatically obtains equal leadership rights.”

She forgot about escaping for the moment. “You’re talking about Declan. Roxie called him a prince before, and now you are. So you’re saying when Declan marries, his wife becomes a princess?”

“If there were still a king, yes. As it is, our people have been without a leader for a long while. They’ve been scattered for twenty years.”

Twenty years. That’s when Declan left them.

“If Roxie becomes Declan’s mate, she will have the right to become queen, and as one of us, she wouldn’t hesitate to take that position. I can’t let that happen. So you see, it has to be you. You have to stop Declan from marrying.”

Her mouth fell open. “Wait, hold on. You’re saying if he m-marries me, all bets are off. I don’t have the same rights as Roxie?”

He hesitated, and she watched his gaze slip away. Whatever he intended to say it would be a lie. “No, as a human you don’t have the right to take lead, even if you were Declan’s wife. However, I’m confident that Declan won’t marry you no matter what.”

Her chest constricted, and pain tightened her throat. She’d never been made to feel so inferior in her life. Not that she wanted to be with a man who wasn’t human. Yet, as she searched her heart, she knew she still loved him. Even learning he was a shifter hadn’t killed her feelings.

“I have zero reason to cooperate with you. If Declan wants to marry Roxie, I’m not going to stand in his way. And I hope he does ruin your plans because you don’t deserve to lead anyone with your manipulative and self-serving attitude. If you didn’t handle it in twenty years with Declan missing, I doubt you’ll get it done now.”

He surged to his feet, brimming with offense. “You know nothing about us.”

“I know enough to know you’re the coward, not Declan. You can’t get them to follow you without trying to subdue someone who doesn’t want anything to do with you. What happened? Did you find out he still has loyal followers after all these years?”

“Shut your mouth!”

“Why don’t you shut yours?”

He raised a hand, and she ducked, flinching against the slap she expected to come. Instead, he curled his fingers into his palm. “Stay here and think about what I’ve said. It would be in your best interest not to go against me.”

She wanted to throw something after his stupid head but didn’t dare push him too far. The way he looked when he started to hit her scared the crap out of her. No, it was better to keep quiet and plot her escape.

The door opened again after Patrick left, and Carl walked in to set a tray on the table beside the couch. She ignored the food.

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