Page 84 of Rejected By a Wolf

With a sneer, Sophia said, “What a prick.”

Chapter Fifty-One

Antonio Payne

Antonio blinked, taken aback by Sophia’s casual comment. He admitted that he had essentially failed at finding a way for them to separate from each other during the full moon and yet she didn’t seem to care that he had. In fact, she only seemed to be angry, and that anger wasn’t even directed athim. It was directed at Casper.

Believing she might not have exactly grasped what he was trying to tell her, he said, “Sophia, I’m not sure you understand. I have no way off this island tonight. We’re going to be together tonight. On the full moon.” And gods, he’d be lying if he told her he didn’t want to be. Even now, with the moon not yet risen, the thought of plunging deep into her body all night lit a fire, both untamed and ferocious, in him.

He wanted nothing more than to spend tonight with her. Yes, his beast was usually a problem, but he was starting to realize how much control he now held over his beast, his control having dramatically improved over the course of the week.

In the past, an event as crowded and stimulating as this one would’ve roused his beast quite quickly. Antonioexpectedto lose control while of himself this week, but he had decided the risk was worth the reward.

A reward I no longer want,he thought, knowing he no longer wanted to revive Giselle. He only wanted to begin a life with Sophia.

But his beast had only roused once this week. The more he was around Sophia, the less he struggled with the monster that taunted him day and night, endlessly, over the last two centuries. Somehow, Sophia’s presence calmed the beast inside him.

With this realization, he no longer worried that he might hurt Sophia tonight. He knew he wouldn’t. However, he had told her she had no reason to worry about tonight, promising her he’d handle it.

Hedidn’thandle it. Now, he was going to take this fey’s maidenhood from her whether she wanted it to be taken or not.

Gods, he felt like such a piece of shit.

“Antonio, did you hear me?” Sophia’s voice pulled him back to reality.

“Sorry. Lost myself there for a moment.”

“Stop doing that.” Her tone was stern, her stance tough. If she was worried, she didn’t show it. “I understand what this means. We’re more than likely going to be spending the night together if we don’t figure something out soon.”

Antonio’s throat bobbed. “We won’t figure something out.” There wasn’t any time to.

“If we really wanted to, we could probably find Cauladra or Conall somewhere in the palace and ask them to split you away from here.”

No, we couldn’t, Antonio thought. After the stunt he pulled back in the arena he doubted King Valaris would allow him anywhere near that palace. Debating whether or not to tell her what he had done earlier, knowing there wasn’t a chance in hell he’d get into that palace, he suddenly became incredibly aware of what she had just told him.“Ifwe really wanted to?”

If.

She nodded, an unexpected spark of excitement gleaming in her eyes. “Do we need to ask for their help? Do you think you’re going to hurt me?”

“No. I could never hurt you.” He didn’t believe his beast, who had slaughtered hundreds in the past without hesitation, could hurt her either. She had met his beast,kissedhis beast, and his beast had kissed her back.

She was safe tonight, he knew this. But what did that matter? He made her a promise he couldn’t keep.

It seemed like he couldn’t keepmostof his promises to her, which made him an incredibly shitty mate.

Am I not good enough for her?He wondered. It only took one look at the blazing fire in her eyes - burning with a fiery hunger for him - for him to conclude that he wasn’t. But that knowledge, though hurtful, didn’t change anything about his plans for her. Whether he was good enough for her or not, there wasn’t a chance in hell he’d let her go.

“Then why are you so worried?”

“I promised you wouldn’t have to worry about tonight.”

“And I’m not worried. So, promise kept.”

Her words took his breath away. Again, she managed to surprise him.

Fierce emotions consuming him, he couldn’t stop himself from tracing his thumb along the length of her lower lip. Those supple lips of hers - lips he was sure to devour soon -mesmerized him. “You’re not?” He could barely speak above a whisper.

“Are you?”

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