Page 56 of Pack Rivals, Part One

"Yes." His jaw tightens and it's clear he couldn't have lied even if he'd wanted to.

"Why?"

"It's a long story."

"You said you want to make me yours and you can't even tell me that," she says with irritation. "That's why it went wrong between me and the demon ex, by the way." I raise my eyebrows. Demon? I'm going to need to look this guy up. "Secrets."

"I didn't say it was a secret. I said it was a long story."

"Do you hate your ex?" Nate asks.

She hesitates, then replies, "Yes," with as much venom as Axel.

"Want to tell us that story?" Nate asks, throwing another grape into the air and catching it in his mouth.

"No."

"Want me to rearrange his face?" Nate throws a second grape into the air, ducking his head to catch it this time.

Bea laughs, her face softens. She has no idea that Nate is serious.

It's as she's laughing – her cheeks rounding, her eyes crinkling, the sunlight catching in her caramel hair and transforming it golden – that it hits me again. This familiarity.

I know her. I know her from somewhere.

14

Bea

The next dayI wake feeling like a bus slammed into me. My body aches all over and my heart, well, I'm not sure what the hell that's doing.

The bed squeaks as I turn over, groaning. It's like I'm hungover; my brain thumping violently against the insides of my skull and my stomach sloshing with acid. I didn't touch a drop of alcohol yesterday, not even the mimosa Silver ordered. I sipped water and did everything I promised myself I would. Yep, I told those men I'm not ready for dating, I kept my hands off them and I sidestepped every advance they made.

But oh dear lord, it wasn't easy – even without all the crazy hormones crashing around my body it wouldn't have been easy – and now I suspect my body is paying the price. It seems I can't sit pretty sucking in all those delicious scents, keeping my body buzzing, and not suffer the crashing comedown the next day.

It makes me even more determined to keep my distance.

I don't think that will be hard. I'm sure I'm simply the latest new shiny thing to cross their paths. I'll hold their interest for a moment, then they'll be on their way. Besides, I'm not even that shiny. Karl would look at my drab clothes and dull hair and remind me of that frequently.

"Breakfast!" Courtney calls from the kitchen and the smell of coffee brewing somehow provides the motivation I need to roll out of bed and stumble to the kitchen.

"Woah," my cousin says, as I flop down onto a chair. "Rough night? Did you sleep badly?"

"I slept like a log." Have done since I got here. It's strange. I thought I'd miss the presence of Karl in my bed. I haven't slept alone in years and yet having the bed to myself, no matter how small, has been a luxury. "I think it's all the hormones."

Courtney throws me a sympathetic look and slides a mug of the blackest coffee my way. "Drink this. It'll help."

I lift it to my lips and blow across the surface as Courtney plops two toasted bagels in front of us. "I'm not going to feel too sorry for you."

"You're not?" I ask, lathering a ton of butter onto my bagel followed by a heap of peanut butter. No more wedding diet for me.

"Nope. Do you know the last time I was asked out on a date?" I shake my head. "Never. I've never been asked on a date."

"Bullshit," I say. Courtney is gorgeous with shiny caramel hair and dark eyes. I wouldn't be surprised to hear she gets stopped regularly on the street and asked for her number.

"Okay, it is bullshit. But it was so long ago, I'm pretty sure it no longer counts. And here you are with two dates in one day with six different men."

I swallow a bite of my bagel. "Oh god, I sound like a …" I pause, "you know what."

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