Tangled

92 Ava Clearing the Air (1)

92 Ava: Clearing the Air (II)

My stomach churns, and I get through the rest of the words as quickly as I can. “My heat was uncontrollable, and I had sex with the alpha there. He took care of me and Phoenix kidnapped me when I was shopping with his sister. No, we aren’t mated, but we aren’t strangers, either.”

There.

It’s out.

I peek at Lucas to see his reaction, but he’s just sitting there, his eyes unfocused.

It’s obvious that he’s taking some time to process everything.

My eyes drop to our linked hands, and I wonder if I should pull away before he does.

“Huh,” he says, and squeezes my fingers.

Of all the responses I’d been expecting, that one isn’t on my list.

“Lucas?”

13.27 C

17

92 Ava: Clearing the Air (II)

He smiles at me, a lopsided little one. “I’m going to need a little time to process all this. I don’t understand how you can go into heat without a wolf, for one. But I’m not angry, Ava.”

I narrow my eyes in suspicion. “That doesn’t seem right.”

to xx

He sighs. “I’m… disappointed. In the situation, in how I put you there. In the way things could have gone but didn’t, because of me. I’m angry at myself, and I have

I don’t want to

us yet. I know that there’s a lot more that you haven’t told me. I know that I fucked up. And I’m not going to do it again, not

eyes are intense. Despite the roughness to his voice, his words are calm and unhurried as he

Ava Clearing the Air

I nod.

feeling some of the

isn’t angry with

punch Clayton for touching what’s

“I wasn’t–he didn’t-”

joke,

sound like he’s joking, so I stare at

him in doubt.

and kisses my fingers again. “Ava. I

Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the FɪndNøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in

to give

I nod, again.

I want you, heart and soul, with everything

37

Ava: Clearing the

between us. I want there to

and no

send a quiver of longing straight through my

about how some other guy touched my mate. I’m the one who lost the right to call you that. I’m the one who pushed you into a situation where you were alone, vulnerable, and in heat. I’m the one who

the anger.

a tear escapes, feeling a little like a puppet on a string. I don’t know how else to respond except to nod mindlessly at his words.

you a lot. You need to have your -chance to be angry with me. Don’t feel obligated toward me, toward

presses another kiss against my fingers, before turning my

13.27

the Air (II)

sweet, but his actions are

that’s far from

“Lucas-”

sends quivers straight into the very core of me. I shift beneath the blanket, wondering how we’ve gone from emotional admissions two seconds ago to this.

kiss after kiss into my palm. “But if I want to keep that promise, I’m going to have to walk away from you right now. Fuck. My wolf is going insane. He doesn’t want to talk anymore. He’s been crazy about you since the beginning.”

my other hand, gently touching his ‘disheveled

nips at my wrist, pulling back with a sigh, and I