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

don’t want to leave with you thinking that this changes anything on

my knuckles that has my belly fluttering. “I know that you haven’t chosen 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 when you’re right

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

the Air (II)

I nod.

of the

angry

have to punch Clayton for touching what’s

“I wasn’t–he didn’t-”

joke,

really sound like he’s joking,

him in doubt.

fingers again. “Ava. I fucked up, right?”

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you willing to give me

I nod, again.

more than that. I want you, heart and soul, with everything inside of you begging to be mine. I want to know that you would

37

Ava: Clearing the Air

no bond between us. I

no secrets, and

longing straight through my body, and

can’t have that if I’m going to run around like a feral wolf, snarling 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

all the anger. Okay?”

escapes, feeling a little like a puppet on a string. I don’t know how else to respond except to

need to have your -chance to be angry with me. Don’t feel obligated toward me, toward us, just because I took you out of that place. I want

warmth flushing into my cheeks as he presses another kiss against my fingers, before turning my hand over to nuzzle his mouth against my open

13.27

Ava Clearing the Air

words are sweet, but his actions are stirring

far

“Lucas-”

core of me. I shift beneath the blanket, wondering how we’ve gone from emotional admissions two seconds

going to push you,” he murmurs against my skin, pressing 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

my other hand, gently touching his ‘disheveled hair. “Don’t

his amber eyes. His wolf is here, straining for control. Lucas nips at my wrist, pulling back with a sigh, and I feel