Tainted Romance

by Simone Elise

  ‘Say yes, sweetheart,’ I said into her mind and slowly licked her mark, knowing how sensitive it was to be touched.

  “Yes.”

  I smiled and pulled back. “Now that is settled, how’s your headache?”

  She frowned. “Gone.”

  “So is mine.”

  “You’ve had a headache?”

  “Yeah, and I’m starting to think it was yours to begin with.” All day I had dealt with this headache, and I should have realized it was hers. It only got worse every time I reached for her.

  “Sorry.” She looked extremely guilty. “I don’t know how I feel about you feeling my pain. Or reading my thoughts for that matter.”

  “Stop looking so guilty. I don’t mind.” I kissed her forehead. “And I love that I can read your thoughts.”

  “Could you read them last night?” She wouldn’t look me in the eye.

  “No.” I looked at her a bit longer. There was a reason behind her question. “Should I have been?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing you would want to know.” She pushed herself up. Sitting in the middle of the bed.

  I knew instantly. “Something happened with him, didn’t it?” There was a reason why he was looking so smug when he looked at me earlier. I thought it was because he had the upper hand again, knowing where she was. It was only now that she asked if I had been in her head, that something was off.

  She wasn’t going to tell me.

  I reached into her thoughts, only to hear her chanting lyrics over and over. She was doing that on purpose.

  “Allie, tell me what happened.”

  She groaned. “It’s like you both want me to pick between you!” She dropped back on the bed. “You are both pulling me in opposite directions.”

  “So, he wants you to what? Turn your back on me?” I never fucking liked him. Why couldn’t he just focus on his mate!

  Allie was covering her face with her hand. “I thought he just wanted me because I was safe. Now I don’t know.”

  It was going to kill me to ask, but I knew I had to. “Well, what do you want?” If she really wanted him, I’d somehow… fuck it… there was no way I could let her go.

  “He thinks I’m making a mistake with you.” She sat up, sighing. “Like we could never work.”

  “That’s what he thinks. What do you think?”

  “I think he knows me, and he knows me very well. He is right in saying I’m making a mistake.”

  And there was the truth. She saw me as a fucking mistake.

  “Because I know you. You mightn’t know me very well, but I know you. I know Zane Harris. You can’t do a commitment like this. I’m setting myself up for heartbreak.” She blew out. “I’m such an idiot.”

  My hand went to her face. “I’m not going to hurt you.” I looked into her eyes, seeing her feelings. She really thought I was going to.

  “History would tell me otherwise.”

  “The past is just that, Allie. I can’t turn back time and make it up to you.” I ran my thumb over her bottom lip. She looked so scared. “But I will try anyway.” Somehow, I’ll make it up to her. Everything I did. I’ll make it up to her.

  Her phone started vibrating and she pulled her eyes from mine. She didn’t answer it.

  “I guess there is blame on both sides,” she mumbled, rejecting the call. “I did lie to you about getting my memories back.”

  “Nah, sweetheart, compared to the shit I’ve put you through, that is nothing.”

  Her eyes fluttered back to mine. “You, um, should go.”

  “Why?”

  “Because Blake is coming. I know him. If I ignore one of his calls, he will be driving here now.” She flicked her phone over. “There is a thing on tonight. He wants to go.”

  “What? On a Monday?”

  “University pub crawl. They just finished finals.” She sighed. “We normally always go and end up, well ….” She looked at me guiltily, and then looked away. “I guess that won’t be happening this year.”

  “Don’t go.” Could I ask that of her? Hell, she could ask me anything, and I would do it.

  She pursed her lips. “Ok.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, Zane, really.” She rolled her eyes playfully at me. “I really don't feel like hitting the liquor anyway, not after this headache.”

  My phone started ringing, and it was Ebony. I ignored it. “Ok well, how about you come to mine at say seven, and we can keep watching Misfits.”

  She laughed. “Yeah, I'm sure that's what we will do.”

  “Well, I can promise it will be on, but I'm not going to lie and say my attention won’t be on you.” Her naked and in my bed, that’s what I was planning on tonight, and getting to explore every inch of her.

  “You should go. Blake’s here.” She pulled away from me.

  Didn’t he have a fucking life? School would have just finished, and he was already here.

  “So, seven, you and me?” I got up, my hands still locked with hers.

  “Yep.” She nodded her head, smiling and moving to the edge of the bed. “Although I doubt we will be watching TV.”

  So maybe she did know what I had planned for tonight. I grinned at her. “Guess you’ll have to wait and see.”

  “I’ll walk you out and don’t say anything smart to Blake. He is already in a bad mood.” She let me pull her up off the bed.

  “That man is always pissed off.”

  “Well, I don’t blame him, having Ebony for a mate would be awful.”

  “Ebony’s not that bad. I think Blake is the problem.”

  Her eyes hardened. “I hate her.”

  “I hate Blake.” And that was downplaying it. “I hate how he looks at you. I hate how he wants to run away with you. I hate the relationship you have with him, and hate how he knows you so fucking well.”

  She laughed. “Don’t hold back now.”

  I stopped her from opening the door. “You and me, at seven. Don’t think about canceling on me.”

  She smirked, her hand on the door handle. “Keep speaking like that, and I’ll start to think you are going to be a clingy boyfriend.”

  Boyfriend. I pulled on her hand quickly, making her stumble into me. She was shocked for a second before I kissed her.

  I was happy to take her back to her bed and finish what she started, in fact, I was already moving her back to the bed when she pushed me away.

  “Zane, stop it.” She gave me a look, telling me to just do that. “Blake’s here, and you have to go so what you’re thinking isn’t going to happen.”

  I groaned. “Can’t you just tell him to piss off?”

  “Nope, because Blake and I have to finish our conversation from this morning. Unless you want me leaving with him?”

  No, I fucking didn’t. “Fine, but if he makes one more move on you, I’ll personally re-shape his face.”

  She gave me a final kiss. “Tonight at seven. I’m all yours.”

  “As of seven, you’re mine for the rest of your life.”

  She laughed. “Uhuh.”

  “You are.”

  “Well, then I guess I should enjoy my last few hours of freedom.” She smiled. “Now you have to leave.” She groaned. “I can already hear Blake getting out.” “One more thing,” she turned to look at me seriously. “I don’t trust people, period, but I am trusting you.” She ran a hand through her hair. “Don’t make me regret it. Hell, everything is telling me not to trust you, but I’m going to anyway.”

  She opened the door, walked out, not giving me a chance to say I wouldn’t be breaking her trust. I had to follow her. Come seven I was going to make sure she was all mine. She might have been joking about only having a few hours left of freedom, but I wasn’t. As soon as she handled Blake, she was all mine.

  And this trust she just gave me, I wasn’t going to break it.

  Chapter Sixty-four

  ALLIE

  It was st
upid being this nervous. God, after what I let him do to me, I shouldn’t be nervous about just watching television with him. Then again, the last time we watched ‘television,' we did anything but that.

  God, it ended in him marking me and, well, me him.

  Again, it was stupid. Why was I so nervous?

  I knocked on his door.

  Calm down, Allie.

  God, I was acting like this was the first time I was going to see him or something.

  People kept walking past looking at me, most likely thinking what is she doing anywhere near Zane’s door. God, even the pack knew Zane and I were polar opposites.

  Not being able to take the staring anymore, I just let myself in.

  His scent hit me hard and fast, but so did another’s.

  “Well, this could be awkward,” she said.

  I looked at Ebony. It shouldn’t be a surprise to see her in Zane’s room as they were best friends. What was the surprise was the fact she was in her underwear and getting off his bed.

  “Look, you can think of it as me doing you a favor. Zane and I we just click.” She stepped in front of me. “You didn’t really think just because he marked you, he was going to be faithful.”

  I don’t know what hurt more – seeing her, or hearing what she was saying or the knife that was just shoved into my heart.

  The bathroom door opened, and Zane hadn’t spotted me; his eyes were on Ebony.

  “What are you still doing here? I told you to leave ages ago.” His tone was rude and short with her, and he was only wearing a towel around his waist. “And why aren’t you dressed?’

  Ebony looked directly at me. Zane turned, and his eyes widened. I automatically backed away. I didn’t need this. I didn’t need drama. I really didn’t need him. Well, that was a lie, I think I physically needed him to survive.

  “Allie, this is not what it looks like.” Zane was quick to walk towards me.

  “Zane, don’t lie to her. You and me, that is how it is. Her and Blake, that is how it is. Why are we all fighting it?” Ebony snapped behind him.

  “Shut up, Ebony!” Zane threw over his shoulder, but his eyes were on me.

  Normally, his eyes would make me still, and freeze me, but my heart was already bleeding for a loss so all I wanted to do was run.

  “Just stay away from me,” I staggered out, with my hand on the doorknob. “I can’t believe I trusted you!” God, I am so stupid. Zane has never been, nor will ever be trustworthy.

  “ALLIE, DON’T…”

  I closed the door in the middle of his sentence and picked up pace, wanting nothing more than to leave him and her behind.

  Blake had been right. We both had mates we wanted to get away from. Well, at the time I didn’t want to get away from Zane but now… now I never wanted to see him again.

  ***

  ZANE

  She wouldn’t acknowledge me. Every time I reached into her mind, she wouldn’t speak back to me. She just pretended like she couldn’t hear me. I was living for the classes we had together so I could get a dose of her being near.

  I needed her. Physically needed her. I knew she needed me just as bad because I felt it.

  Fucking Ebony.

  I glanced at her as she sat beside me. We still weren’t speaking, although she was acting like everything was fine between us. Even though I had told her straight out what I thought of her and said I wanted nothing to do with her, still, she didn’t piss off.

  Still sat next to me and still spoke to me.

  Like nothing had happened.

  I still couldn’t believe Ebony had pulled a stunt like that.

  I took my eyes off Ebony and looked back at Allie.

  She was actually doing her Math work. She knew I would be in her mind, so I think that’s why she had an earbud in listening to music.

  She was so busy working on the fraction, she didn’t realize Blake and Chase had just walked in.

  Late like normal, although Chase wasn’t in this class.

  “Where ya been!” Blake smirked at her.

  She looked up slightly shocked. “How did you know I was listening to that?”

  “Good hearing, babe.”

  She moved to her side of the table. “What are you doing in here, Chase?”

  Chase pulled another table to theirs, sitting on the other side of her.

  “Changed classes.” He frowned. “You actually studying?”

  “Don’t start me on it. The teacher is threatening to fail me.”

  Blake laughed and put an arm around her shoulder. “What? Again?”

  I felt Ebony go stiff next to me. She hated seeing them together nearly as much as me. Blake was always making a habit of touching her. They were glued together as soon as she came back to school.

  Ignored me and went straight to him.

  “Yes, and this time he sounded serious,” Allie snapped. “So, don’t even start the jokes.” She frowned. “I think I will fail anyway. This shit doesn’t make sense to me.”

  “I’ll help you.” Chase pulled his books out. “Unlike my dumb wit brother, I’m actually good at my studies.”

  “Thanks, Chase.” Allie took a reassuring breath in, like the Math really was getting the best of her and she needed help.

  “Hey, Allie, I’ve got something for you.” Blake ignored his brother’s remark and pulled something out of his pocket. “Hand out.”

  “Do I have to close my eyes?” She grinned.

  He put it in her hand, and she looked down. Her face lighting up.

  “Oh my God Blake, you are incredible, you know that?” She looked so fucking happy and it wasn’t me making her happy, it was all him.

  “Well, you were going on about how much you missed it.”

  She held the necklace out. “Where did you find it?”

  “Under my bed.”

  “You can’t see under your bed.”

  “I cleaned.”

  Her grin got wider. “You cleaned your room? For me? Seriously?”

  “Anything for you, Winters. Turn around, I’ll clip it on.”

  She pulled her earbud out and pulled her hair up. It was when he was clipping it on, it occurred to me I hadn’t given her anything. Apart from my mark. She wasn’t wearing anything I gave her. Well, maybe it wasn’t a present from him. Maybe it was just hers.

  Her hair was blonde now. I didn’t know if she dyed it because I told her to, or if she had done it for a change. I doubted she would dye it for me. After what happened, it made more sense that she had dyed it for a change.

  “I still remember when you gave this to me,” she gushed and played with the pendant.

  My heart sunk and my glare on them narrowed. So, he had given it to her. So now she was walking around wearing something he had given her. I didn’t think it was possible to hate their relationship anymore, but I had been wrong.

  “Yeah, so do I. Talking about memories, are you ready to make a new one?” Blake smirked at her, and she narrowed her eyes.

  “What are you on about, Falcon?”

  “The festival this weekend. I got us tickets.”

  “Every time we go, you end up cracking jokes about me because I complain about camping.” She put her pen in her mouth looking at him.

  “That’s why I’m borrowing my parents’ Winnebago. We’ll pick it up on the way.”

  “You know what the festival does to me.” She gave him a pointed look. “You know too well what happens when we go to a festival together.”

  He leaned in, his arm still around her. His mouth went to her ear. “I’m planning on that.”

  “I’ll come,” Chase said, looking up from the textbook.

  “Not happening,” Blake snapped.

  “Why can’t I come?”

  “Because I’m not fucking Allie with you listening in the other room!” Blake said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

  “You aren’t going.”

  I gl
anced at Ebony, she was standing and looking furious. Seems like I wasn’t the only one listening to their conversation and pissed off about it.

  “Hear me when I say that, Blake. You aren’t going anywhere with her!” she added, glaring at him.

  He turned on the seat to look back at her. “Piss off, Ebony, I’m not stopping you from fucking whoever you want. Like him for example!” Blake looked at me.

  Ebony took a breath, but I think she was a second from ripping his arm off Allie, and I would be more than happy if she did that.

  “Her and I aren’t together,” I said.

  “Don’t bloody well lie to us, Zane!” he snapped. “Ebony was bragging to Allie about it yesterday in the bathroom so don’t sit there and act like you aren’t fucking my mate when you are!”

  I gripped Ebony’s arm, my eyes narrowing at her. “What have you been saying?”

  She looked me in the eye. “Does it really matter? It’s not like I’m lying.”

  She was saying that to keep face with Blake. She was completely fucking lying.

  “Ebony, start spitting the truth now because I won’t have Allie thinking you and I are something when we aren’t.” I didn’t need Allie thinking any worse of me than she already did.

  “Ok then. She can read your mind, right?” Ebony put her hand on her hip. “Remember Saturday night? Get that memory in your head and then tell me I’m lying.”

  Saturday night. I felt Allie enter my head. Ok, Saturday night. I remember drinking. Fuck, I remember the hangover on Sunday. I think I’m still feeling it today and it's Tuesday.

  Saturday night I was drinking with Taylor at the bar near the pool. A few others joined in. Ebony showed up. I remember everyone disappearing and Taylor going off with Cassie leaving me with Ebony.

  She decided she wanted to go swimming. I don’t really remember much after that. Wait no; I do remember her telling me all the reasons why we should sleep together.

  Then she took her bikini top off.

  My eyes widened. “Nah, no way, Ebony. Don’t lie to me. You know I was drunk.” She had to be bluffing with me right now. The reason I was drinking in the first place was because of Allie. No way would I have slept with Ebony.

  ‘But you don’t know, and she is saying you did,’ Allie spoke to me. She actually spoke to me. Sure, it was in my head, but it was the first time she had spoken to me since she left me.