Chapter 33
Gemma
A shiver of fear goes up my spine at the way Cassian is staring at
Jace.
There’s too much of his wolf in his eyes, too much hunger for
violence.
“Jace, it’s all right,” I say as I step out from behind him. “The Alpha and I know each other. I appreciate you stepping in, but we need a minute to talk.”
Jace looks at me in silence, as if debating whether or not he actually wants to walk away and leave me with Cassian.
Something in my face must convince him, because he finally nods and steps away. I breathe out a sigh of relief. Then I glare at Cassian.
“What do you want?”
He scowls. “Me? What do you want? You’re the one stalking me.”
ག་ས་ནག་མང་
“Actually, I’m here on business,” I say smugly. “If you’ll excuse me…”
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Just then, Reyna saunters over. She has two drinks in her hand and she hands one to me. Confused, I take it.
“Gemma, seriously,” Reyna says. “Cassian and I are only here for networking. You didn’t have to come spy on him.”
She gives me a pitying smile, as if I’m the saddest, most desperate woman she’s ever seen.
“If you’re here to make a scene, your immaturity is putting us all at
risk.”
With that sweet smile and her long, flowing white dress, Reyna looks like she’s some kind of redeeming angel. It makes me so angry I could smash the drink she gave me on the ground.
But I don’t. I won’t give her the satisfaction.
Instead, I smile just as sweetly back at her. “You wish I was here to make a scene, don’t you? But I’m not here for you at all.”
Reyna ignores my words, as if my evil half–sister can’t imagine a world in which I truly don’t care what she does.
“If it helps you feel better, I can keep my distance from Cassian in
the future. It will be hard because of all of our connections, but I’m sure we can make the sacrifice.”
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Her voice sounds long–suffering, like she’ll be so sad but she’ll do
it for me, her beloved sister.
Gag. What a joke.
It’s especially hilarious because, despite her promises to stay away, she’s hanging on to Cassian’s arm so tightly that her breasts press into him.
I shake my head. “You always told me you’d get Cassian away from me, didn’t you, Reyna? Congrats. You got him. Have fun. I need to go.”
At my words, Reyna’s fists clench and her cheeks go pale. What’s the problem, sister? You didn’t think I’d tell Cassian all the shit you said behind his back?
She hid her true self from him so well. Just like her mother did from the other families when she took over our lives.
Reyna and her mother had destroyed my family step by step.
Women like Reyna had climbed to the heights they reached in life by digging their claws into other people’s backs and shoving them
down.
As far as what I just said, I know she’ll tell Cassian I’m a li., and he’ll believe her, because he always does.
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But the fear I see in her eyes for that one instant makes it all worth
- it.
Then Cassian snarls, “Gemma, enough. You just said you weren’t going to make a scene.”
I step back, unable to help the whiplash of pain against my heart.
Every single time, he sides with her.
From out of nowhere, a whirl of vivid lilac hair and silver dress storms up to us. It’s Zina.
“Listen here, I don’t care if you are an Alpha or if you have a hundred places to bury my body where no one will find me, how dare you take the side of another woman over your own wife?”
She keeps her voice to a low hiss, and chatter around us is loud, so no one else hears, but Cassian growls anyway.
He opens his mouth to speak, but no one is going to get a word in until Zina is done.
“You don’t get to crawl up my friend’s ass about walking down the road with a man and then show up here with a full–on date and act like you’ve got the moral high ground.”
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“And if Reyna is as perfect as you think she is,” she says, jabbing a finger at Reyna without looking at her, “She wouldn’t be hanging off her half–sister’s husband, begging for scraps. Fucking
pathetic.”
Reyna’s eyes go big, and I can tell she’s horrified. She’s not used to the full frontal assault that Zina can be.
“You have it wrong” Reyna says, looking delicate and wounded.
“Shut up,” Zina says, finally looking at her. “I’m not talking to you. Though since you love disrupting marriages so much, I’m not surprised you also seem to enjoy interrupting conversations!”
Zina takes a step back and looks at both of them, then shakes her head. “Gaslighting my best friend for literally talking to a dude when you two are attending secret mafia galas together. The rich and powerful really are the fucking worst. Come on, Gemma.”
With that, Zina grabs my hand and pulls me away. Jace trails after us, still silent and looking upset.
I’ve never seen anyone talk to Cassian like that, let alone in public. My whole body feels like its vibrating. I can’t tell if it’s terror or thrilled excitement.
“Zina, I can’t believe you just did that…”
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My friend throws back her hair. “Believe it. He had it coming. Now let’s go. We have to find the big shot client we came here to
meet.”
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