Page 130 of The Never List
He touched her.
Mine.
I groan, rolling my neck in an attempt to quell my power begging me to track him down and rip out his heart.
“Jax.” Rylee says my name so damn softly, not an inch of fear lacing her tone.
How? How can she speak to me in such a way after everything she just saw me do?
I release a harsh breath, grappling with the battle I’ve had since the night of the Choosing. Wanting the little liar and wanting to protect her from me just as much.
But when I saw that man holding her against the wall…
When I saw him touch her…
The battle ceased to exist. I knew it in every inch of my soul…she’s my mate.
“Jax,” she says again, and I snap my eyes to hers.
She doesn’t so much as tremble as I stalk toward her. Her emotions have always been harder to grasp—but her lies have been the least of my concerns. I could’ve easily scared her into telling me the truth, but I want her to tell me on her own terms.
She should be shivering with fear now that I have her alone, but goddess damn her, she’s only ramping up in her desire.
How can that be possible? After all she knows about me? After seeing me just now…how easily I turned that enforcer into a whimpering mess.
“Who was that fool?” I bite out the question, returning to my pacing.
She hesitates, and a heavy dose of shame punches me in the chest.
“Who was he?” I practically growl the question.
“He…” She parts her lips, and I feel her intention to lie buzz against my skin.
“Don’t,” I snap. “Don’t you dare fucking lie to me.”
She flinches, turning her back on me as she leans against my desk. I hate myself for the way my tone is coated in rage, but I canfeelher. My mate… The terror, the shame. It’s all for whoever the fuck that just was, not for me.
I want to kill him for it.
For whatever he’s done to her.
I’m losing my grip, losing my control. Everything insideme, every protection I’ve tried to implement against her is shattering.
I cross the distance between us, wrapping my arms around her from behind, tucking my chin over her shoulder as I lean my cheek against hers.
“Please,” I beg, my mind whirling from her chaotic emotions. She’s all over the place, and I know if I focus now, I can coax her into a calm state where she’ll keepnothingfrom me, but I’m not about to betray her trust like that. Instead, I wait her out, the raggedness of our breaths matching as I hold her.
“Please,” I say again, and she goes still in my arms. I don’t know if I’ve ever said that word before, and here I’ve said ittwice. “Don’t lie to me this time.”
She blows out a deep breath.
“An enforcer,” she says, her voice cracking over the admission.
“Who was he to you?” I ask as calmly as I possibly can.
“A year ago, I thought he liked me. I thought he was a good person. And then…everything changed. I couldn’t stop it—”
“You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met, and my mother is a fucking goddess,” I cut her off. “What do you mean you couldn’t stop it?” My butterfly has claws; I saw as much during the Fader attack. There’s no way she couldn’t lay that enforcer out on his ass if she wanted to.
