“Are you sure she’s not yours?” Lore asked.
“I’m certain.”
“Vice thinks you’re lying.”
“Vice can kiss my ass. Is that all?”
“Be careful.”
Chapter Sixteen
Reagan
Cold sweat accumulated on my forehead, and I wiped it with a shaking hand. I blew a breath between my breasts to cool off. I was a sweaty mess. My palms sweated too, so I rubbed them on the jeans I’d found in the closet. If he knew Men of Earth had sold me to him, then asked me to kill him, he’d snap my neck with his teeth. Especially now that he’d paired with me. The collar around my neck weighed heavier than lead.
A whimper escaped my lips.
I forced another bite into my mouth.
He’d drink the juice and collapse. I’d take the bike and find my way out of here and to New Mexico, because I promised that girl I’d come back for her. I knew firsthand what it felt like to be left behind, alone, and scared.
Under Mayhem’s weight, the chair protested when he sat back down. He steepled his fingers, and his eyes bore into mine. “Reagan, where did you go yesterday?”
Oh boy. He’d used my name. All of a sudden, I wanted to stay a scared little mouse. “I went to the market. You see, there’s this man…” On cue, Mayhem began growling. I continued. “His name is Mike, well, ol’ Mike, as we call him. He raised me after my parents left me at a…a circus. We traveled a great deal before finding Beast City and before I decided to split from the circus and babysit for the Oisen family.” I sipped my juice, hoping it’d make him thirsty. It didn’t. “Mike moved to New City, and I knew he dabbled in farming, so I went to see if he’d settled around here. I’m sorry I didn’t tell anyone, and I knew if I asked, you wouldn’t let me go.”
“That is untrue. We’d have gone together.”
“You would scare the entire place.”
“Did you see this Mike, then?”
“Yes,” I said. “He hasn’t aged a year since I last saw him. He looked well-kept and happy to see me.” My heart clenched at the memory of Mike falling off the horse. The only thing keeping me from folding at the table was revenge. I would get Maurice if he was my last kill.
“You traveled with the circus?” Mayhem asked.
“Best years of my life. Never knowing what the new destination would bring. Exciting.”
“Why did you move to Beast City?”
“I fell. Broke my ankle, and Mike wouldn’t let me up on the ropes anymore.” Truth.
“You tell nice stories. Tell me more stories.”
I shrugged. “That’s all I have.”
“Do you want to hear mine?”
Not really. I had a hard time with this already. I didn’t want to bond with him anymore. A part of me would die with this beast today. I wanted to tell him I’d remember him forever. I didn’t know why I felt that way, but I did. When I didn’t answer, he said. “I live a simple life with only one purpose. It is also a very simple purpose.”
Okay, so that sounded interesting. I leaned in. “What is it?”
“My purpose is to find my mate, a person who completes me, makes me whole.”
“That’s really romantic. She’s very lucky.”
“You think so?”
“Mm-hm. I wish you all the best.” I swallowed. Lie, lie, lie!
“Thank you. Do you like the bike you rode on yesterday?” I nodded. “You can have it. Along with that nightgown you wore last night, and the clothes you’re wearing today.”
Nice. I liked the gown, not that I’d need it. Elegant and sexy. “Really?”
“Yes, really. I have been preparing for you all my life, and so when we moved to Earth, I brought some of the jewelry I collected with me. Tineyan stone is very rare here.” His eyebrows drew down. “Where are your earrings?”
My hands flew to my ears. “I lost them.”
“Both of them?”
“Mm-hm.”
“That’s your loss. Those were bling blings.”
“Blings?”
“Precious stones, priceless on this planet.”
“Shit.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “But that’s okay. Like I said, the things you lose are your loss.”
I bit the inside of my lip. Something was strange here. I felt an odd sense of belonging with this beast, and the things he was telling me made sense. But they shouldn’t make any sense. “You’re not making any sense.”
“I know they sent you to kill me.” I paled. He slapped his knife on the table. “Here you go.” He flicked it, and the handle clicked my glass.