Chapter 7

OLIVER

I could see from Lexie’s shocked expression that I’d gone too far, and immediately wanted to take every word back. I meant them, of course, but it was too soon for her to hear them, or understand about our fated connection.

I turned off the ignition and tried not to let my impatience shine through. I wanted my mate where she belonged. In my arms. In my bed. In my heart.

“It’s okay,” I said, glad my voice was steady. “If you want to get out, I’ll help you with your bags. But I’d much rather you stay in the truck, and let me take you back to our place.”

I risked a glance at her and saw the indecision on her features. Her eyebrows were twisted and she was chewing on her bottom lip, an action that just made my heart pound a little faster.

Damn, she was beautiful. I’d never get used to looking at her gorgeous mouth, her delectable curves and her bright, intelligent eyes.

She twisted in her seat to face me. “I don’t... can you explain what you mean by that?”

I nodded, tamping down the sick feeling in my stomach. Had I pushed too fast, too soon? “I can. Here or at home?”

She chewed some more on her bottom lip. I barely stopped myself from leaning over and kissing her. I had to grip the steering wheel hard, then turn and stare out the windshield.

“No, I suppose we can go back to your place and chat,” she said at last. “It’s a lot nicer than my place.”

I chuckled. Although what she said was true, I didn’t think that admitting I’d live with her anywhere—even in a tree if it came to that—would go down well at this point in time.

“No problem. Do you want to go past the diner and pick anything up?”

She nodded. “Actually, yes, please.”

I drove her the ten minutes back to the establishment where I’d first run into her. She hopped out of the truck and called in through the window, “I’ll only be one minute. Left my phone charger inside.”

She didn’t give me time to agree, she just ran inside. I put the truck into park and watched her through the window.

It was hard to believe that only last night I’d been lamenting the fact that I hadn’t met my mate yet. That I wanted her more than anything. Then Fate had served Lexie up to me, making me literally crash into her.

It was said that the electrical touch that mates shared was the way Fate made sure you didn’t miss each other. That it was an obvious sign that made you sit up and take notice.

Well, I was listening and had taken notice. I was wide awake and willing to do anything necessary to keep Lexie in my life.

Markus, on the other hand... I wasn’t sure what that idiot was going to do. He was as connected to Lexie as I was. She was made for us, as we were made for her. Our perfect mate, and for her, we would be the perfect pair.

But that didn’t mean Markus would automatically do what was in his best interest. I’d seen him blow off awesome business opportunities and even great girlfriends in the past, all because of the delusional idea that he didn’t deserve such things.

Lexie came running out of the diner, her face a hot, red mess. “What happened?” I asked, reaching over to touch her arm.

“Nothing. Can we please just go?”

A big man with a red nose came barreling out of the diner. “Don’t you ever come back, you hear me? Damn trailer trash. I should never have given you a job in the first place.”

Lexie’s eyes filled with tears at the same rate anger filled my gut.

I reached for the door handle, ready to jump from the truck to tell this guy where to go, but Lexie reached for me, holding tightly to my arm. “No. Please. Let’s just go.”

“He needs some sense beaten into him,” I growled, glaring at the guy hard enough that he had the good sense to take a step back.

“No. Please,” she sobbed.

I couldn’t fight him now. Lexie would burst into tears, and I couldn’t have that. So, I put the vehicle into gear and took off.

Fighting that asshole was going to make her more upset, and it wasn’t like she needed the money. I’d pay for everything, for as long as she wanted. I’d worked hard to pay off my half of our house, and despite his resistance, so had Markus.

We were ready for the next stage of our life, in most senses of the word.

“What did he say to upset you so much?” I asked Lexie as she frantically wiped at the tears on her face.

“Oh, not much more than you already heard,” she said. “He said I was a loser. A waste of space. A fat... lard.”

An inhuman growl vibrated through my vocal cords as Lexie stopped speaking to sob once more.

I forced my wolf down and spoke softly, “Listen to me, sweetheart. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, and I don’t want you worried about money or a new job. Or any of that shit. Okay? It isn’t important.”

She didn’t answer me, instead mopping her face and blowing her nose. She wouldn’t be able to understand what I was offering her at this time. Not yet. Not until we explained the Fated mate bond, and even then, I wasn’t sure how she was going to feel about the ménage à trois component. Until then, all I could do was try and make her feel better.

“Let’s go to the store, and we’ll buy chocolate and ice cream and whatever candy you want, then go home and watch a movie. How ‘bout that?”

She wiped at another tear that slid down her cheek. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

I pulled the truck into the closest supermarket and turned off the ignition. “Think of it as fate that I found you, and you found me. Now... tell me about you.”

“What do you want to know?” she asked, her shoulders slouched and defeated-looking.

“Well, how old are you? Where are you from? Anything you want to tell me.” When she didn’t start talking, I gave it a go. “Okay, I’ll start. I’m thirty. An accountant for the largest firm in the city. Love numbers. Don’t love my job, but it pays the bills. I’m super close with my family but can be a bit of a loner. Don’t go out much. Um... and I haven’t traveled much yet but would love to start.”

She gave me half a smile. “I’m twenty-six. Barely finished high school, never went to college. I grew up in the south. Poor. Very poor. Got out when I turned eighteen and I’ve been living hand to mouth ever since.”

“Let’s go.” I tilted my head toward the store, then got out of the truck.

She came with me and when she closed her door, I walked around and reached for her hand, walking inside the market with a skip in my step. “Then you’ve achieved more than I have in my whole life, Lexie. I had it easy. Good family. Support. College scholarship. I don’t know anyone who would have survived the start you got, myself included. You’re amazing.”

She gave me a proper smile this time and moved closer to my side.

I felt like a king as we walked into the store, Lexie on my arm, wearing my hoodie. I wanted to tell the world that she was mine, and I’d start with the first person I saw.

We made our way to the candy aisle and loaded up on everything I thought we’d like.

She only chose one bar and I laughed. “You’re kidding, right? Go nuts. Get everything and anything.”

I respected the fact that she obviously wasn’t a “taker,” but I wanted her to be happy. “Markus loves anything with chocolate and nuts, so grab some stuff for him too.”

She perked up at that idea, starting to choose more bags and bars of chocolate.

We loaded everything into a basket and set off for the registers.

“Hey! Ollie,” a woman’s voice called out and I cringed. I knew that voice. Of all the people to run into...

“Please play along with whatever I say,” I whispered to Lexie. At her small nod, I turned around. “Nancy. Hey.”

I put my arm around Lexie’s shoulders and pulled her tightly into my side.

Nancy, who was a rather stunning female wolf shifter we’d grown up with, sauntered up to us with a come-hither smile on her face.

“Who have you got there?” Nancy asked, giving Lexie an assessing look that would have made most women wither up and die.

Lexie cringed but didn’t step away. Instead, she curled into me a little more.

I stood straighter, raising my chin. “This is Lexie, my mate.”

Nancy’s jaw dropped and I would have high-fived Lexie if she’d known how much of a win that was. “Your what? Since when?”

“Since yesterday,” I said with a smile. “We were on our way home, so should I give Markus a message for you, or...”

Nancy narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, just tell him to call me.” There was an edge in her tone, and she shot another look at Lexie that held no warmth whatsoever.

I put my body squarely between the two women, my protective instinct toward Lexie rising. “No problem,” I said, gently pushing Lexie toward the registers. “Here, honey.” I gave her my credit card in front of Nancy, much to Lexie’s obvious surprise.

But to her credit, she looked at Nancy and said, “Nice to meet you.” Then she went through the register to collect our candy and tap my card.

I nodded at the female wolf shifter, my narrowed eyes daring her to step forward and interact with my mate in any way that wasn’t respectful. If she did, there’d be consequences.

Nancy must have sensed it, because her body relaxed into a slightly more submissive posture and she dropped her voice to a whisper. “She’s human.”

I shrugged. “So?”

“And she’s... what about Markus?”

I shrugged again. “My brother will make up his own mind.”

Her eyes lit up at the prospect of still claiming Markus as her own. What she didn’t realize was that my brother had never thought of Nancy as more than a friend with benefits.

She’d never be his mate, and that should be obvious to her now.

I waved at her and walked through the registers to Lexie, whose eyes were flashing with anger. “Who. Was. That?”

“A family friend,” I said, taking the plastic bags from her. “And to answer the question I can see burning in your eyes—have I slept with her? Absolutely not.”

Her shoulders relaxed slightly at my words, and she walked with me to the truck before suddenly asking, “What about Markus?”

I opened the door and put the bags inside. “You’ll have to speak to my brother about that. His past is... how should I say it? More colorful than mine, but it’s his right to speak about that, not mine.”

“You’ve never been married?” she asked as we slid into the seats.

I laughed. “Not even close.”

“No serious girlfriends?”

I smiled. “Nope. I was waiting for the one.”

She didn’t ask any more questions, but I could almost hear all the thoughts burning in her brain the whole way home.