Chapter 22

Corrigan’s POV

The party goes smoothly like I'm not even there. I stay on Lucien's arm for most of the night, conveniently ignored.

I get mundane and “for the hell of it” hello from the polite ones who go on to continue their conversation with Lucien.

There are the people who can't seem to hide their surprise at seeing me, asking questions like; “Lucien! Who's this?” or “You never told me you were mated.” To which he conveniently replied; “This is a good friend of mine and a companion for the evening.”

There are, of course, the perverted male guests who lean in to shake my hand and conveniently stare down the front of my dress, holding my hand too long till I feel the need to beat them away with a stick. Lucien is completely oblivious of this fact, anyway, smiling and talking to people.

Then there are people like Bianca Solis. Spoilt, rich daughter of an alpha. She is beautiful and she meets everyone she knows.

She attends every function with a new boy toy—I mean companion—that her daddy’s money has bought her. She had found her mate, but had rejected him immediately, opting for freedom over commitment.

She has black, lengthy hair with glacial blue eyes. She is wearing a dress with a neckline so low I'm stuck wondering if her breasts would fall out of her dress if she Bend forward.

She walks up to Lucien and I, her eyes full of intent. She ignores me too and focuses on her killer gaze on Lucien. Her voice is low and seductive when she speaks

“Good evening, Mr…” she lets her voice trail off, letting out her palm.

“Blackthorn.” He completes, taking the proffered palm and kissing the back of it. I see her eyes darken and I know she feels it. The magnetism,The pull,

What I had felt.

What I still feel around him.

She leans in to talk to him, batting her and talking in a low, throaty voice. I wonder if that works. The false innocence and softness.

I break away from him when I can't take it anymore, telling him my shoes hurt my feet and that I want to sit down for a bit. He nods.

I take a seat at the edge of the room, staring into space. I don’t want to think about them any longer than I have to.

I wonder if Lucien will take her to his suite later tonight. Or maybe they would both go to her apartment. I close my eyes, battling with pictures of them both rolling around in bed together. I don't think I can do this anymore.

“So… you’re the pretty date for the night.” I hear a voice beside me. My eyes snap open and I glare at the owner of the voice.

It is Bianca’s date for the night. He is handsome in a soft, breakable way with his tailored suit—a gift from Bianca, no doubt—and slicked back hairstyle.

He raises his palms in the air in surrender at the sight of my glare. “Wait a second! Calm down.”

“What do you want?” I ask them to speak politely.

“I'm Hale.” He says. “Bianca’s date.”

“It was pretty obvious.” I say.

He nods towards the dance floor. “It seems like both our dates are getting real comfortable in each other’s company.”

I try not to look. To tell myself I don't care what Lucien does. In the end, I succumb to temptation. Lucien is dancing with Bianca. He has his hands on the small of her back, quite respectfully, his face blank.

She flies so fast for him that she presses into him more than she has already, she'll probably be fused to him for life. He leans in to listen to something that she's saying and smiles slightly, burying his face in her hair.

Something twists inside me and I look away, blinking back tears.

“So we've been excused for the night.” I say dryly.

He seems thoughtful. “Okay, I'm sure we both have a lot of questions about each other…” he begins.

“I have no questions about you, Hale.” I say.

“Well I have mine about you. You were once the daughter of the beta of your pack, right? So why are you here in Lucien's arms? Are you his mate?”

“I don't have to answer your questions.” I say coldly.

“Well,” he continues like I didn't say a thing.

“I’m an omega. My mate rejected me. I was strapped for cash so I agreed to be with Bianca for the evening.”

“Do you give everyone you meet a complete rundown of your history the moment you meet them?” I ask.

“No.” he says pleasantly. “Just the interesting ones. Because I seriously wonder how Lucien would take the girl who turned him in for murder as his mistress. It's sort of like sleeping with a cobra.”

“Lucien and I are complicated.” I say stiffly.

He smiles. “You and I are going to be good friends.” He says.

“And what? Join a society of discarded mistresses/companions and knit all the days of our lives? I say sarcastically.

“Hey!” he says like he just got the most amazing idea. “That wouldn't be so bad!”

I roll my eyes, looking away.

“But…you do realize you've lost him, right?” Hale says. “Even if it's not Bianca—and she can be really persuasive when she wants something—It's going to be someone else.”

The pity in his eyes smarts me. “Who says I ever had him? Maybe I'm just using him for sex.” I say flippantly. If possible, the potty in his expression increases and I glare at him.

“Would you like to dance?” I say, letting out my outstretched hand for him to take it. “Call it an initiation ceremony to the “Cast Off Mistresses/Companions” organization. He laughs, prompting my laughter. He takes my hand and we make our way to the dance floor.

Lucien’s POV

I don't think I would be responsible for my actions if this dance goes on longer than necessary.

Bianca drenched herself in some overly exotic perfume so have been forced to come on it the whole night. She keeps talking in a throaty voice and staring at me. I wonder if that is supposed to be seductive, because it has missed its mark, Badly.

I can’t help comparing her to Corrigan. The light perfume that Corrigan is wearing was a tease of its own, drawing you in return its sweet, evasive scent. The dress Corrigan is wearing had more class than this one, in my opinion.

“So you said you were only visiting the hotel?” Bianca says, snapping me out of my thoughts. I force a smile, reminding myself that she is a guest and should be treated with respect.

“Yes, I am.” I say.

She gives that low, throaty laugh that grates on my nerves. “How about I invite you to be our honored guest at the pack house?” she says seductively.

“I would be forced to decline.” I say, infusing regret I don't feel into my tone. “I’m a busy man, Bianca.”

“Or is it your mistress?” she asks, clearly incredulous.

“Does the idea of being faithful to a partner offend you?” I ask.

“She's not a partner, Lucien. She is a fuck buddy. Someone to get off with.”

“And you would like me to replace her with you, if I understand correctly?” I say.

She leans in, her breasts brushing my chest and her lips brushing my neck. I feel nothing but the hope that her breasts won't fall out of that dress and that I can wipe her lipstick off my neck.

“I can show you things you've never even heard about. I know tricks you can't even begin to imagine.” She whispers.

I get her hands off my neck. Not forcefully, but firmly all the same. “I don't doubt your—for a pretty word for it—experience.” I say, placing her hand at her side. “The problem remains that I do not care about it.”

She stares at me like I've grown another head. Apparently, the idea of being resistible is new to her. “What?”

“What I meant is that, with all due respect, I do not want anything to do with you, sexual or otherwise.” I say, the truth of the statement surprised me.

Her eyes harden and narrow into slits. “The famed Lucien Blackthorn…nothing but a tame dog led around by his balls.”

I smile politely, kissing the back of her palm. “I live to make it obvious. However, I think we would both agree that you have outstayed your welcome so if you would like someone to see you out…” I let my voice trail off.

“You’re throwing me out.” She says, her voice lower than a mere whisper.

I shake my head. “What sort of hotelier would I be if I did that?I’m merely showing you the way out in case you need to use it at a later time.”

With that, I turn and walk away, scanning the room for Corrigan. When I spot her, I can feel my expression harden immediately.

“Corrigan!”