Page 44 of Wolf's Rejected Mate

“Royce, see if you can’t find a decent place for lodging in this gods forsaken hamlet,” he told the driver.

“Yes, Mr. Corpus.”

I arched an eyebrow. “You’re staying, then?” I asked hopefully.

Ash chuckled. “For a day or two—provided there’s actually a proper hotel in this dusty ass town. But once you’re set up, I’m heading back to MacShire.”

Chapter21

Abby

If my insomnia had been bad before, it was chalked full of anxiety on this night. I’d noticed how long Ash’s Range Rover sat in front of the house after I’d ordered them out, but panic set in when Elijah didn’t re-emerge after several minutes.

And when the vehicle zoomed away from the curb, I felt the wind knock out of my lungs entirely.

Screw him. I don’t need him and his BS about my friends. Good riddance.

I tried to play that refrain in my head for a while, but it only turned to anguish, and I eventually found myself outside in the moonlight, shifting into my animal body, sprinting along the desert landscape, yearning to break out of my skin entirely.

I ran for three straight hours, but even as the pale gray light of dawn broke out over the horizon, I could not shake the apprehension that had stalked me from the moment the word “trafficking” had left Elijah’s lips.

It wasn’t until I got home that I realized what it was that was causing me so much distress.

I wondered if there could be some truth to what Ash had told my mate.

What if there were other aspects of the business that I had no idea about? What if Orson was doing stuff that I had no idea about?

He wasn’t my partner. I was just some stray he’d rescued off the street because he had the hots for me, and I had taken that charity with so much gratitude, maybe I wasn’t looking at the bigger picture.

Damn you, Elijah! Why are you making me question everything?

But it wasn’t my mate I was angry at. I was mad at myself for not questioning more.

Orson stood outside on his cell phone when I went to pick up my deliveries for the day, and I carefully avoided looking at him. I skirted out the back door before I was forced to speak with him, but instead of heading out to my usual drops, I detoured to his house on a whim.

This isn’t one of your finer ideas, Abby,I told myself, letting myself in the high, back gate leading to the enclosed patio.

Etta basked on a pool chaise, her small, tan legs extended, oversized sunglasses covering her face. At eight o’clock in the morning, a frothy drink already sat in her hand, half-finished, and for a moment, I envied her life. I could have had that for myself, drinking cold cocktails by the pool as some kept female if I’d just swallowed my pride and let Orson take care of me.

If only I had eyes for anyone but Elijah.

Etta saw me as I ambled through the gate, already second-guessing my brazen move, but I couldn’t think of anywhere else to go. Asking Orson point-blank was out of the question. Etta was my only hope of getting any sort of answer if there was any truth to what Ash had said.

“Abby!” she shrieked, sitting up in surprise, pure joy coloring her face. “What are you doing here?”

Shame hit me at her unadulterated excitement. I wasn’t really there to visit her, but she looked like a newly adopted puppy.

“Is this a bad time?” I asked innocently.

“Never!” she chirped, patting the chair beside her. “Come and sit with me. I’ll get you a Clever Clover.”

I shook my head.

“I can only stay a minute,” I said. “So no drink for me. I’m on my way to make my runs, but I thought I’d pop by. I haven’t been around much lately.” I offered her an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I’m being a bad friend.”

“Don’t be silly, babe,” Etta said sweetly. “You’re busy and overworked. You know, I told Orson that you’re doing too much, and he needs to take it easy on you. I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts lessening your load now.”

I balked at the prospect.

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