Page 40 of Payne's Envy

Blonde hair cascaded down my mate’s shoulders, concealing her breasts—I frowned as clothes appeared on her out of nowhere. Where did they come from? I didn’t get the chance to see my mate clearly.

“Tell me.” Her gaze hardened. “Do you know who you are?”

“Deathraka.”

“Who am I?”

“Joy.”

“Who are these two with us? What is my last name? What do I do? Do you know whatyoudo? Where were you last week? Last month? How old are you?” Question after question, I felt my face pinching as I tried to think.

Pain sliced through my skull, and I winced.

I didn’t know the answers. When I thought back, all I remembered was waking—no,runningwith my desire to protect and reach my mate. Beyond that,nothing. I sensed the anger and pain colliding within her. I felt her making a weapon out of it against me. As if I’d let her do that.

“I am your mate. You are my mate.”

“Payne…” She reached out, but it wasn’t me she sought. I didn’t like that, so I snatched her wrist and pulled her in.

“I don’t know who you call for, Joy, but I am your mate now.”

Tears filled her steel-blue eyes before she let her head droop. Her defeat caused great discomfort in my chest.

She pushed my chest and turned. Through her sobs, she asked, “What has happened? How do we fix it?”

“Calm down, Joy.” The cloaked figure stepped forward, and I growled.

“Don’t tell me to calm down. Something’s wrong with Payne. He doesn’t remember us or himself! What do we do?” She turned toward the other male.

My insides twisted.

“Ryan? How do we get him back? How do we get Payne to remember? Where’smyPayne?” Joy asked.

My heart raced with hers. And her pain and hurt were becoming mine as well. So much of her turmoil kept seeping into bones, making me feel like I weighed a thousand pounds. Seeing her so distraught killed me. I wasn’t sure why because I couldn’t identify my emotions. She spoke of another male. That was it! There was no one else but me.

“Enough, Joy!” I shouted. “I am your mate. Stop speaking of this Payne. He’s no more!”

Her head whipped around. Suddenly, she was in front of me. I saw no movement. One second, she was a few feet away. In the next, she was bent at my thigh with her head close to my cock. I didn’t care that others were around. My ball sack was heavy with the need to finally claim Joy. My cock jutted forward. Every impulse within me screamed to toss her over my shoulder and find somewhere to mate with her until she couldn’t walk anymore. Until she stopped talking about Payne.

It felt like I’d been waiting for a long time. Too long.

A painful whimper escaped her lips, and she gripped my thigh. “I told you. I always knew,” she whispered. “You were mine!” She stood, locking eyes with mine. “Was that it, Payne? You knew. You sensed what I was to you, and hated it so much you let yourself forget me?”

That last word came out breathless as the tears spilled.

“You forgot everything because of me. Huh? Was that it? Am I right? Hades, you didn’t have to go through the trouble. I was letting you go!”

If only I were stronger. Worthy. Impenetrable. Powerful enough to take the hits instead of her. So deadly she would never have to die again.

My brain splintered as the thoughts slipped through. Only I would never speak like that. I was never weak. So, those memories weren’t mine. They belonged to the old me. I didn’t want them. I refused anything that made my mate upset.

She shoved my chest. I latched onto her wrist, gripped her hair, and leaned over her until we were nose to nose. “I don’t know this Payne. Don’t remember my life before now. What I know is you. All I know isyou.If I was the pathetic male, the one who made you cry, I’m glad I’m not him anymore. Someone who could forget you is unworthy. I will be everything you need. Your protector, your lover. I’ll never let you down again.You can rely on me to be strong and protect you from harm.” No one would harm her again.

Maybe Payne let it happen, but I’d never hurt her like he did. I was a new male. I was Deathraka.

“He will remember again,” Ryan said.

“No,” I blurted. “I won’t.”

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