A Mate for Gideon(30)

Breathing deeply, she kept her eyes on him. “Are you going to listen to what I have to say this time?”

He shook his head. “I want you to go.” His eyes were dark and narrowed.

She shook her head, putting her hands on her hips. Be brave Jenna. This is your chance. “I’m not going anywhere. Hear me out…please.”

“I saw the answers with my own two eyes. I don’t need any explanations. There is nothing you can say to change my mind so it’s pointless.”

Jenna clenched her jaw for a few seconds feeling more frustrated than she ever had before. “Then I’m staying right here.”

His eyes narrowed into hers and he growled softly.

Adrenaline coursed through her veins. She sucked in a deep breath, fighting for control.

“I told you that I am not going to hurt you. Why do you keep insisting on being afraid of me?” he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

“I have my reasons but the explanation would involve a discussion you clearly don’t want to have.”

“Just go, Jenna. Pack your bags and leave tonight. Lazarus has said that you are not interested in any of the males, but I know better. As soon as you realize we”—he gestured between them—“are never going to happen, you will find another male to take as a mate. I refuse to allow that to happen.”

“You are wrong. You left me!” She was yelling but couldn’t help it. He could be so damned stubborn. “It was never the other way around. You left.”

Something ticked in his jaw. “You need to know that if another male chooses you, I will tell him everything. If I have to, I will tell Brant.” He shook his head. “You did a good job hiding evidence of your mate and child.”

Pain coursed through her, followed closely by anger. “I’m not hiding anything so knock yourself out. Tell everyone about us. It’s what I’ve wanted from the beginning. I don’t want anyone else. Tell them.”

His eyes blazed. “What game are you playing?”

She shook her head. “None whatsoever. You left before without giving me a chance to explain properly. Without so much as a backward glance. You”—she pointed her finger at him—“left. You should’ve listened then. We could’ve avoided so much. Don’t make the same mistake. Hear me out…please.”

“It won’t make a difference.”

“It might. You never know.” She kept her eyes on him.

He removed his hands from his pockets and folded his arms across his chest. “Would you agree to leaving immediately if I hear you out?”

What choice did she have? “Hear me out and then if you want me to go, I will.” She swallowed hard.

He nodded. “Fine.” He practically snarled the word. “Talk.”

She felt herself flinch at his harsh tones.

His expression softened just a smidgen. “Do not be afraid.”

She sighed, feeling the tension inside her ease, just a little. “You will understand my fear once we have talked.” She looked down at her shoes for a few seconds before looking back up at him. She only hoped that she had the strength to do this.

The gold flecks in his eyes became more pronounced as they darkened. “I need to stress to you that the chances of whatever you have to say swaying me is very small. I find it difficult to imagine a future with you in it.”

His words stung but Jenna nodded again. “I understand.” Pain seared her at the thought of leaving here...of leaving him.

His eyes softened up a little more. “I realize now that humans are very different from us. It’s just…what I thought that we had…what we shared…it should’ve superseded all of our differences. If you really cared for me, Jenna…loved me…” He shook his head, looking so sad and defeated that she took a half a step towards him, wanting to comfort him and to hold him. Knowing that this would be the total opposite of what he wanted, she moved back against the tree waiting for his eyes to once again return to hers.

“Tell me about your first mate.” His eyes darkened back up and his fists clenched. He actually looked angry.

Jenna sucked in a deep breath. “Rob and I married far too young. We got along really well and at first everything was great. We had a really good relationship in all aspects.”

Gideon growled, causing goosebumps to rise on her arms, legs, her whole body.

She ignored him and the emotions that coursed through her and carried on. Gideon had said that he wanted the truth. “We had only been dating for about six months when we decided to tie the knot against the wishes of both sets of parents. Everyone said to wait, to get to know each other better first. They were right and we were wrong.” She licked her lips. “At two and a half years of marriage, we found that we were living past one another. I did my thing and he did his. We had separate friends, separate hobbies. I don’t know if you have ever heard the saying like two ships in the night. That’s what we were.