Chapter 23 Chapter 23
Chapter 23
\- James -
I watched Sophie's face and waited for her to say something
At first, it was expressionless, then she chuckled, and then scoffed.
"And how does that have anything to do with me?" She eventually replied. "Why are you telling me about your mate and love life?"
"You know why Sophie."
"No I don't," she said
"You do."
"I don't," she maintained and I sighed frustratingly
"Fine then. I will tell you. Because of the things we do together which we shouldn't. I don't want to hurt Veronica. I love her so much."
"James you are a hilarious man. Sometimes you act like a man with big muscles and a small brain. How dare you stand to my face and tell me that rubbish when I have made everything clear to you?"
"Yes you did, and I understand everything. This is not me backing down. No. I understand what is at stake. This is me asking that we cut off any sexual relationship. I will do any other thing you want me to do but that will be all I can afford."
She seemed to consider and reason with me, her brows creased in thought.
"You claim to love your mate, but only thought to let go of a romantic relationship with me, only because she is here. While she was away, did you ask for that? And you want me to believe you love her?"
"Sophie..." I was speechless. She actually got me there.
"Yes?" She urged me to speak knowing fully well there's nothing I could say to justify my actions and fully answer that question
"I have been trying to stop this whole thing even before now and you know it," was the only defence I could come up with
"You wanted to stop working with me and my plans. You did not specifically tell me you don't enjoy fucking me."
"Sophie please..."
"And then now all of a sudden you want to act all righteous and like a loving mate. You are not any of that. You are just a hypocrite."
I could only look at her while she shook her head at me
"You have always been. So please, stop these games with me. Take your jokes somewhere, and tell them to anyone who would find them funny."
I decided I was not going to let her get me
"Sophie I don't really care about all of these. I have made my decision, and it is final. It is the best thing for everyone."
"You don't get to have a say here," her face was harder. "I make the rules and you follow. That is how things work here."
"At this point, I don't really care about that."
Her face squeezed tighter when I said that. She moved closer
"You want to do what you like, fine and good. I will do what I like too. You do that and I will tell your beloved mate how you've been fucking me behind her back. I'll tell her how I've rode you and watched your eyes roll back to your head. Yes, I will tell her how you've trembled while your dick hardened in my insides, and how you've moaned my name in pleasure. I will tell her how you pounded into me like a man who wouldn't love any other person. Detailed. Everything."
"You wouldn't dare," I said between gritted teeth
"Then dare me," she retorted. "Dare me and you'll know how far I can go. But so long as I am alive and you try to ruin things for me, I'll mess you and your relationship up."
I ran my hand through my hair
"Sophie, please," I resolved to plead as I realised I couldn't do this any other way with her. "I promise I am not trying to ruin things for you. I swear, all I am asking right now is that we stop seeing each other. That is all, and somehow we can both afford it."
"You're wrong. I cannot. I cannot afford to miss the good fucking you give me."
"You have a husband for the goddess's sake," I shrieked as I tried to keep it down. "You have the Alpha. You have Marcus. Who am I before him but a loyal servant?"
"You don't get the point do you? I like the sinful. You should know me by now. So make your choice baby boy."
She stood on her toes and kissed me on the lips with a smile before walking away
And while I was still there trying to process everything Veronica appeared at the corner just after Sophie disappeared into it
As she approached me, she turned round to look in the direction Sophie had gone
"James..." She called, her eyes searching mine questioningly even before she spoke.
"My love," I tried to mask the look on my face and held her hands but she read right through it
"What is wrong? Did something happen?"
"No, nothing at all, my love."
"I was looking all over the palace for you. One of the guards told me you went in this direction, but" she turned round again as if Sophie was still there. "The Luna just left and you're standing here looking like something happened. Did she say something to you?"
"Oh...my love. Like I said, it's nothing to worry about. She was just speaking about a concern she has with the Alpha. That's all."
"Oh..." Veronica mouthed, her face relaxing unsuspectingly. "Is she having issues with the Alpha?"
"Something like that," I lied, and polished it with a wave of my hand.
"I am so sorry my love," she whined
"What for darling?" I cupped her face in my hands
"You must be really stressed, dealing with pack issues and still having to deal with the royal family's issues. I mean, you are just one man and they should let you be for me. I still need you in a good piece."
She said that last part with a mischievous glint in her eyes and we both laughed.