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

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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

that you haven’t told me. I know that I fucked up.

Despite the roughness to his voice, his words are calm

Ava Clearing the Air

I nod.

you,” I whisper, finally feeling some of

angry with

to punch Clayton

“I wasn’t–he didn’t-”

joke,

really sound like he’s joking,

him in doubt.

kisses my fingers again. “Ava.

on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early

willing to give me a chance?”

I nod, again.

I know that we’re both pushed together by this bond, but I want 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 choose me even if

37

Clearing the

between us. I want there to be

and no

send a quiver of longing straight through my body, and

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 you into a situation where you were alone, vulnerable, and in heat. I’m the

the anger. Okay?”

little like a puppet on a string. I don’t

hurt you a lot. You 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 more than obligation toward our fate, Ava. I want your

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

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Clearing the

words are sweet, but his actions are stirring a

that’s far

“Lucas-”

skin, and his groan sends quivers straight into the very core of me. I shift beneath the blanket, wondering how we’ve

want to keep that promise, I’m going to have to walk away from

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

at my wrist, pulling back with a sigh, and I feel empty