Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 137004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
“It would have been a lot easier if you’d just died from that bullet,” she replied.
Suddenly it all became clear. “You were the one who hired that lone wolf.”
“I want Dante, and you’re in my way. As Glory and I had a common interest—getting rid of you—we decided to band together.”
Jaime frowned, incredulous. “How can you band together with someone who also wants him?” Glory gave Jaime a pitying smile. “No, honey, I don’t want Dante. Not really. But nobody gets to disregard me the way he did. It seemed a fun idea to put my brothers on his tail. Then I saw him with you and realized that an even better mode of revenge would be to scare you off. That was all I’d really wanted. But instead, you attacked me. You drew blood. What kind of dominant female would I be if I let the shifter community believe that a submissive wolf could take me? I’d be targeted for the rest of my days. That can’t be allowed.
“Once everybody hears how my brothers, my cousins, and I all penetrated the Phoenix Pack’s defenses and I killed their Beta female, I’ll be basically untouchable. And admired. And wanted by just about every alpha male around. Maybe I’ll even earn myself a position as Alpha female of a pack. Imagine that.”
Jaime’s tone was dry. “I can’t. It’s too unrealistic.”
“Glory, just get on with it already before the others come,” urged Bitch Face, glancing around.
“Your relatives aren’t going to keep them distracted for long.”
“You do realize that if I’m killed, it’ll kill Dante too, right?” Jaime asked Bitch Face, who waved a hand dismissively.
“The bond isn’t complete, Dante will easily survive it. Especially when he has me to pick up the pieces. He still loves me, he never stopped. But he’s too honorable to admit it and leave his mate.”
The woman was insane. “What is your damage?”
“I still can’t work out what it is about you that made him move on,” she said, looking at Jaime like she was a bug. “You’re nothing like me.”
“What, you mean someone who would betray a guy they’re partially mated to and then relish the idea that this guy is hung up on her?”
Ire flashed across her face. “There was no way I could’ve resisted that pull to go to Blane.”
“Bullshit. Being partly mated to Dante meant there was no way you could have felt that pull.
You cheated on him because you wanted to, because you’re selfish and wouldn’t know the meaning of loyalty if it bit you on your conceited ass.”
“You never would have kept him anyway, you know. Dante needs someone like me. Someone who won’t fight his need for control despite being a dominant female.”
“You and Blane aren’t together anymore, are you? That’s the real reason you’ve showed up.
You thought you could get Dante to take you back.”
Bitch Face growled. “He was mine before he was ever yours.”
“Now, see, that’s where you’re wrong. He’s been mine since the second I was born. It just took a while for us to figure it out.”
Her smile was ugly. “Just think how easily he’ll recover from your death when he finds out about Leif. Dante would fight to stay alive for his son.”
Jaime gave her an “Oh please” look. “He’s not Dante’s, and we both know it. He would have scented the pregnancy before you skipped off with Blane.”
The dumb bitch blushed. “Dante will still raise him as his own.”
“Sure, sure. I almost feel sorry for you. I say almost.”
“All right, all right,” interrupted Glory. “As much as this is fun, Laurie’s right—the others will soon get here. Let’s get this over with, Jaime.”
Jaime really didn’t like that Glory was so confident that she’d win. “You didn’t say pretty please.”
She smirked. “Since you’re already badly injured, I’ll go easy on you.”
“Your kindness overwhelms me.”
She shot at Jaime like a bullet out of a gun. If her senses hadn’t been so attuned to Glory, Jaime might not have been able to sidestep her in time. Just that one simple dodge left Glory skidding along the ground in an effort to halt her forward momentum. Jaime smiled sweetly at her.
Glory came at her again, this time with a series of backflips. Heaven knew what she intended to do once she’d reached her. Jaime didn’t wait to find out—though she was curious. Her timing just right, she darted at her so that in that small millisecond when Glory’s body was upside down—
midflip—Jaime wrapped an arm around her waist and slammed her down, face-first, onto the ground.
To Glory’s credit, she recovered quickly, jumping upright, flexing her facial muscles, and wiping away the blood that trickled from her nose.
“You’re fast,” Glory admitted through her teeth.
“Please don’t follow that up with some sort of cheesy line like, ‘But are you fast enough?’”