Page 67 of Black Willow Witch
‘I wouldn’t have left so fast last night if I hadn’t needed to check on my brother. I don’t leave a woman the second I’m dressed – I’m not that guy.’
‘I know.’ She twisted her mouth, a cautious glint in her gaze. ‘Tell me honestly, though. How much of what happened was you getting back at CeCe or venting your frustration about the situation?’
Ripper hadn’t considered that her mind would go there. An oversight on his part, really, since he’d turned up at the manor all worked up about the shit show at the bar. It was no real surprise that Emberlyn was asking herself – and him – that question.
He pinned her gaze with his. ‘What happened with me and you had nothing to do with her. Did itfeellike anyone else was on my mind?’
‘Not in the moment, no. But then this morning, I started to wonder.’
‘You want raw honesty? I fucked you because I wanted you so bad I ached with it. That’s it. She had not one thing to do with it.’
Emberlyn gave a slow but accepting nod.
‘We both ignored this thing between us for years. We’ve been dancing around it since we became allies. I don’t think there’s a way wewouldn’thave acted on it. It was just a matter of when.’
Her wariness having steadily drained away, she hummed. ‘You may be right about the latter. I just didn’t think you’d get past your reservations about witches. But then you did, and it happened on the same evening you were furious with a woman you deeply care for. So I had to know for sure if that had spurred it.’
‘I get it. And I want you tofeelsure. Do you?’
‘Yes. You wouldn’t lie about it.’
Mollified by the certainty in her words, he let out a long breath. ‘The fact that I scent-marked you should have put that worry to rest.’
Her eyes narrowed. ‘You sure don’t seem sorry you did it.’
His shoulders lifted and fell in an unapologetic shrug. ‘Why would I be? I don’t want anyone else touching you. It makes perfect sense that I’d want to make that clear.’
She looked away, sighing. ‘Werewolf logic.’
He leaned forward slightly, subtly sniffing her. ‘I wasn’t the only one who left a mark. I can still smell your magick on me.’ He liked that indication that the possessiveness wasn’t one-sided.
‘You haven’t asked when it will fade. Are you interested in knowing?’
‘Not really.’ Ripper didn’t think she’d permanently mark him, or that she’d refuse to remove the scent if he asked, so he wasn’t concerned. He backed up a step. ‘Don’t forget to pass on what I said to Paisley. You can let me know her response later.’
‘Later?’
‘Yeah, later when I turn up at your place to have you again. You had to know that was coming.’ Before she had a chance to say anything, he turned and walked away.
The moment Emberlyn entered the hub’s empty reception area, she was greeted with an almighty scowl from Paisley, who was being condescendingly patted on the head by her twin.
Behind the desk, she slammed her hands on her hips. ‘Ripper put his scent on you and you didn’t tell me? Seriously?’ She threw up her arms. ‘I find out everything second hand with you.’
‘Not everything,’ Emberlyn contradicted, approaching the desk. ‘And I fully intended to tell you this morning. It just seems that someone else beat me to it. Who?’
‘One of Carver’s clan. He came in with some laundry five minutes ago; said he heard from his Alpha that you smelled of Ripper. I’m assuming this means you two have been sexing each other up – something else you haven’t told me.’
Joining her friends behind the desk, Emberlyn rolled her eyes. ‘Enough with the whining. We’ve only had sex once. Ithappened last night. What did you want me to do, call you straight after?’
‘Obviously.’
Kage snorted and then leaned into Emberlyn. ‘Oh, yeah. I smell him on you.’
Paisley mimicked his move. ‘I can only pick up a faint whiff of a masculine scent. I wouldn’t be able to tell whose it was. Considering he marked you, I’m guessing he doesn’t intend for last night to be a one-time thing.’
‘I got that impression,’ said Emberlyn.
Paisley tossed her a playful snarl. ‘Lucky bitch. He’syowzah.’
