“I can get you out of GI,” she said. “You could get a cushy job guarding the Alpha or his family. It’s what you wanted, right? What you thought you were signing up for?”
That’s what Vrost had initially told him. That he would be part of the training group for the Lycan Security Force, and he would be spending the rest of his time here standing in the background looking tough or opening limo doors. Compared to what Remy had him doing all his life, it sounded like a vacation. “So, you could have me transferred?”
“Yes. And who knows? If Lucas likes you enough, he could shorten your service.” She huffed. “I’m sure someone like you could make that work.”
“Someone like me? You mean an opportunist.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “If it walks like a duck …”
So that’s what she thought of him? She’d already made up her mind that he was a selfish prick, but a prick she could use. “You obviously don’t have a good opinion of me, but you’re willing to let me fuck you.”
“I told you what I want,” she said. “And what I can give you. It’s up to you to accept or not.”
“I wouldn’t make a good father.” Jesu. Him? No, it was a bad idea. He didn’t have a clue how to be a father.
She snorted. “I don’t need you to be there for that.”
“So, I would get you knocked up and just conveniently disappear?”
“Sounds like every guy’s dream,” she shot back.
“You have a high opinion of yourself, if you think that way.” The words flew out before he could stop them, but he couldn’t help it. Hurt flashed across her face for just a second, but it was enough for his wolf to slash his insides in anger. Not that he needed the reminder that he was a bastard for saying that. “You could be wrong. Are you willing to test the theory that we are True Mates?”
She ground her teeth. “To get what I want, I’d do anything. Surely you can understand that.”
He did, but … a child?
“I’d take care of everything,” she added. “You wouldn’t have to do anything. In fact, I’d prefer it if you weren’t in the pup’s life. Or mine. I don’t want or need a relationship, so I’m not going to trap you into anything or ask for child support. I won’t tell anyone you’re the father. It would be the perfect arrangement. You get what you want, and I get what I want.”
She was right. His brain was telling him to take the bargain. It was the perfect arrangement, and he wouldn’t have to fight anymore. Not to mention, he could finally get her out of his system by having sex with her. His body, too, was telling him yes. “I don’t think so.”
“What?” She looked truly surprised, like it hadn’t occurred that he would say no.
“I said … no.” Lord, why was it hard to say that one little word?
“Oh.” She straightened her shoulders, then walked around to her desk before sitting down. “All right then.”
That was it? She asked him for pup, and when he said no, she was just dismissing him? “What are you going to do now?”
“Does it matter?” She didn’t even bother looking up at him. “You know your way out.”
Her curt dismissal stung like a hundred paper cuts, and he could only nod and turn on his heel, then stalk out of the office.
His wolf growled at him, unable to understand what happened, only caring that he was walking away from her. He couldn’t explain it to the animal; merde, he couldn’t even begin to process it himself, what just happened. All he knew was that the emotions inside would explode if he didn’t get out of here, and if that happened, he didn’t know what he would do. He needed to get away now before he marched back in there and told her he’d changed his mind.
Chapter Five
Delacroix told himself that he had made the right decision. That she would offer up such a bargain was preposterous anyway. He’d never even dreamed of having children himself; the truth was, he hadn’t thought he’d make it past the age of twenty, as the “errands” Remy sent him on became more and more dangerous. To bring a child into the world …
But then again, there was another voice inside him asking, so what? Mika was a capable woman and would surely love and spoil any child of hers. It wouldn’t be an irresponsible decision. With his past indiscretions, he could have gotten any woman pregnant and none of them would have been half the mother she could be. And then there was the thought of fucking her. Being deep inside her, and driving into—
Immediately, he put a stop to those thoughts. Merde, was he really thinking about this? He hit his forehead on the table.
“Yo, D, everything okay?” Jacob cocked his head at him from where he sat across the cafeteria table. “Dude, did you sleep at all last night?”
How could he sleep these past two nights? Any spare moment he had were plagued with thoughts of Mika, wondering what her lips tasted like or how soft the skin would be between her thighs. And when he did manage to get any sleep, all he did was dream of her. That scent haunted him, even while he was dreaming, and it was driving him crazy. “I’m fine,” he snapped. “Just tired.”
Jacob raised his palms in the air. “All right, no need to bite my head off. Sheesh.”
He pushed his tray away, not really feeling hungry. “Have you ever heard about True Mates?”
“Yeah. Sure. My parents are True Mates,” he said nonchalantly.
“And …”
“And?”
He needed to know, and Jacob was possible the only person he could ask. “Do they really … is it true that they just need to do it once and—”
“Ew, gross!” He made a gagging sound.
