Page 100 of His True Beloved

No, just to let out that horrible smell.

My fingers tickled my nose, clamping them shut.

“It’s time to talk, Chrissy. Let’s get this over with.” His recognizable voice had me slide across the wall until I hit the bed. I needed to sit down. I was far too emotionally fragile for this, but the adrenaline building would soon give me the snap I needed.

“What the hell do you want, Wyatt?”

Ah, there’s my spunk.

“It hurts me you speak to me that way.” He put his hand to his chest. The defeated voice almost made me wince. Maybe my heart was still bruised because at one time I loved him, or thought I did. That was when I was human, but my love for Sebastian was much stronger.

Wyatt stepped away from the shadows, the moonlight shining through the curtains. He had his tossed dirty blonde hair, his green eyes, and his athletic body, which was bare of any shirt. I could see it now, how he drew me in when we were in high school. Wyatt was the perfect catch, the jock, and I was the nerdy artist that kept her head in the sketchbook.

Wyatt never really wanted me. I was just a payment to him. To suck me dry of whatever sexual desires he wanted, I was payment to him. Then again, why did he wait so long as he did to have me? Did he actually respect my wishes not to have sex for so long, or did he just douse me with memory powder and feed on me all along?

The thought made my stomach roll.

“Let me explain myself.” His skin turned darker to an ashen dark gray. Wyatt’s eyes turned from those green eyes to black, small black horns protruding from his head and… that tail. His fangs lengthened; his body now rigid with some areas of almost scales on his body. He reminded me of a snake on two legs.

“I don’t see why I should. I was nothing but a payment, anyway.” I ground my teeth. “Did you douse me in memory powder too? Did you fuck me more than I remember? I only remember the one time, and I swear to Hades himself if you did, I’ll make sure you suffer.”

Because there is a damn assassin in the house hunting for your ass.

Wyatt shook his head, along with his tail, his face turning to mortification. “No, Sunshine, never! I would never do it without your consent!” he said, panicked.

Oh, really now?

“I find that hard to believe.” I crossed my arms. “You cheated on me for who knows how long.” I waved my hand dismissively. “I see us”—I pointed between the two of us—“as done, you need to leave before you get in more trouble.”

Because somewhere in my heart, I don’t want to see him hurt, as sick as it sounds.

At one time, I was happy with Wyatt. He took me to the circus, amusement parks, and romantic dinners. It was the perfect cover to lure me in. Maybe fall for him in the end, so I didn’t fight being with him, but him making me fall for him was the worst crime of them all. He broke my heart.

“Please, give me ten minutes,” he pleaded. His tail fell to the floor, his knees sinking into the carpet.

Holy hell.

“I need to tell you the entire story. Let me get this off my chest. I know you are bonded, mated. It’s too late for us, but at least let me explain.” He whimpered.

This is an odd turn of events.

“You have three minutes.” I held up my fingers. “Then I’m going to scream.” I stood, putting Bob on the bed. Feeling my strength return to me, I also felt a powerful pull to the corner of the room near the window. My heart fluttered, and as if answering my question, another small breeze entered the room.

Sebastian was here.

“Talk,” I spat. “This is your only chance.” Wyatt gulped, remaining kneeling on the floor.

“In the beginning, you were a payment,” he mumbled. “The witches that stood with your father downstairs before being taken away, they summoned me to help pull at your father’s magic,” he explained.

“Sperm donor,” I interrupted. “He is not my father. Justin is.” My face burned, and I cupped my cheek. That was the first time I really said that out loud, to admit to another person that I considered him Dad.

“I understand.” Wyatt bowed his head. “Broderick was a worthless piece of shit to do that to his daughter.”

“And yet you took the payment.” I scoffed. “You wanted me.” Wyatt shook his head, his claws gripping the carpet.

“I had to. I had to ground myself to a human, someone I could bond with to remain here. Demons need a body to be anchored to to stay on Earth. This can be done by bonding to their mate or a chosen one. Demons can last up to fifty years on Earth before we wither away back to the Underworld. I needed you, but then I fell for you.” He patted his chest. “I watched you all those years as you grew, fell in love with you before you even knew me.”

I scoffed, turning my head. Keeping my arms crossed, I waited for him to continue. This was some creepy nonsense. Watching me all those years, staying hidden in the shadows. Another part of an invasion of privacy.

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