In order to reach Thedia though, she’d need money. While Tanner paid her weekly, she might have to give out a few bribes along the way. For that, she’d have to sell some of her jewels.
Believing that was the best solution, she searched for local jewelers online and found two. The problem was that they’d probably run into Tanner at some point and tell him what she’d done. It might be best to confess that she had the jewels and why she needed to sell them, but at the moment, Tanner didn’t seem to be in a very receptive mood.
Tell him, her leopard urged. If you want your mate in your life, you have to be honest.
You’re right.
The question was when to tell him. The door to his office opened, and Tanner strode out. “I’m needed at the construction site. If I’m not back by five, drive yourself home.” She swore his tone was colder than any her mother had used. “Use my car. I’m flying.” He tossed her the keys.
“Thanks.” I think.
Because Tanner was a good man, he’d eventually realize that she hadn’t committed some major crime and should be forgiven. All she’d done was withheld information. Too bad that one action destroyed what little trust they had. Damn.
Seeing the hurt in Ella’s eyes nearly killed Tanner, but her lack of trust ate at his soul. Lying was corrosive and highly damaging to any relationship. He might have fibbed to Sasha about having visited Ella on weekends, but the fact they were mates had been the truth. And to think he believed that Ella could do no wrong. He’d been such a fool.
Tanner strode to the Conrad Hotel, took the elevator to the top floor, and then made his way to the rooftop where he took off for the construction site. He hadn’t been called away. That had been a lie, but he needed to get out of the office.
Your lies don’t count when it suits you? his dragon asked.
Shut up. I need to think.
She is your mate. You can’t deny that. She lied in order to be with you. Doesn’t that count?
I know, I know. I’ll figure something out.
Tanner needed some time to think—without his horny dragon interfering. He, too, might have fled her mountain top if he’d been forced to mate someone he despised, but she should have confided in him. And his wasn’t a big lie. While Clint hadn’t called him, as the owner, he wanted to check the progress of the build every few days. If he had stayed in the office, his dragon might have insisted that Tanner forgive Ella. And he would have caved.
Don’t you worry. We’ll get through this, his dragon said.
I can only hope.
The flight to the park didn’t distract him enough to calm him. Tanner landed on the edge of the site and hoofed it the rest of the way. No matter what he focused on though, all he could think about was that scum Moran and how he’d demanded Ella go back to Thedia with him. It was no wonder she ran away, but to keep that fact from him hurt. Bad.
Once at the park, he located Clint, whose open mouth and wide eyes were uncalled for. It hadn’t been that long since he’d come to the site to inspect it. Hell, he’d just been there with Ella.
“Boss, is something wrong?” Clint asked.
“Why would you think that? I am in charge of this construction.”
Clint glanced to the side. “Sure. Whatever you say. Do you need anything?”
A distraction. “No. I’m just going to check on a few of the sub-contractors to see if we are on time.”
“We are,” Clint said.
Tanner had come there to get out of the office. “Good to know.”
Not wanting to explain what happened, he left the construction trailer and walked toward the zipline course. He hadn’t meant to go there, but he couldn’t help it. As he neared, he could almost hear Ella’s shouts of joy as she sped down the wire. Damn. What would it take to get her out of his head? Just because she was his mate didn’t mean she could pretend as if their lives were not connected. There was only one solution: focus solely on work and only work.
For the rest of the day, he spoke with most of the workers and a few vendors that were around. Clint was right. Everything was going smoothly, probably due to Clint’s efforts.
When it turned dark and the machines shut down for the day, Tanner wasn’t in the mood to go home. Ella would be there, probably wearing some sexy outfit that he wouldn’t be able to resist. To keep from being tempted, Tanner decided to fly to Edendale. Slade or Jace might be able to give him some advice. Was he being reasonable? Or had his ego taken over?
After he told Clint not to expect him tomorrow, Tanner took off. Normally, he enjoyed the hour flight to the next province, but he wasn’t in the mood to find beauty in anything right now.
Even though it was after dark when he arrived in Edendale, he thought Slade or Jace might be in their main office. They were workaholics like he was—or at least they had been until they met their mates.
Tanner landed in an open field behind the office property. When he walked around to the front, the office was dark. A bit of jealousy shot through him at the thought that his two partners were probably home enjoying their mates and children.
Pushing aside his messed up situation in Plux, he shifted and took off again. Their homestead—for lack of a better word—was only a five-minute flight away. Since most of the men, and a few of the women, were dragon shifters, they had a spacious area in which to land.
Because Tanner believed Slade’s mate, Poppy, had magical
