Chapter 43
Gemma
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I groan as I see who Zina is pointing at.
It is Cassian’s cousin. Her name is Claire Marshall. She’s a few months younger than me, with fake blonde hair and fake lashes. Her giant boobs are real, though, and she never lets anyone forget
- it.
“Ugh, yes. That’s her.”
She’s Sibille’s daughter. I thought I was lucky when I escaped seeing her at the family dinner. She loves waiting until Cassian is out of the room and to cause some kind of scene with me.
I have no idea why. Probably because her mother hates me, too, and Claire is a lemming.
“Come on,” I say. I grab Zina’s hand and tug her in the opposite direction. “Let’s get out of here before she sees us.”
But it’s too late.
“Oh, my goddess! Gemma? Is that you?”
Claire’s voice pierces the air, and several people turn around to
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Chapter 43
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see. I sigh and close my eyes. I can hear her mile–high heels clack as she walks over across the tile floor.
“Well, well,” Claire says as she reaches us. She’s wearing a bright, fake grin. “I swear I just saw you two coming out of that designer store. Are they just letting anyone in these days?”
I fold my arms across my chest. “Is this really where you want to start this conversation, Claire? With insults?”
Like the rest of Cassian’s family, I’ve never been this
straightforward with Claire before. She blinks her fuzzy black caterpillar lashes at me in surprise.
Just to be clear, I don’t have a problem with people who wear fake eyelashes or do whatever cosmetic procedures they like.
I have a problem with people who have no taste but have it in their brains that they’re somehow better than everyone else because they can afford stuff like that.
Claire’s bright fake smile fades. “I don’t know how else you think I’m going to start this conversation after how you spoke to my mother the other day. Did you think she wouldn’t tell me?
“I don’t know, Claire. Honestly? I don’t think of you or your moth
at all.”
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Chapter 43
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She bares her white teeth, and I see a flash of fang. “How dare you speak to me that way, you wolfless freak bitch!”
I gather a breath to retort, but Zina is too fast for me. She steps right up to Cassian’s much taller cousin.
It’s a little hilarious to see tall Claire in her designer high heels looking down in fear at the lilac–haired, high–top sneaker–wearing
Zina.
Zina, meanwhile, has gone on her tiptoes to berate the other woman and still barely comes to her chest.
“If you can’t say something nice, how about you don’t say anything at all, hm? Goddess damn.”
Zina backs up a step and looks Claire up and down with one lip curled in disgust.
“You mafia werewolves think you’re so well–bred just because your daddies have money, but somehow you still can’t afford any manners.”
Claire looks at Zina in absolute stuttering outrage.
I wonder if anyone in Claire’s life has ever spoken to her like tha She’s always been a spoiled brat.
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Then Claire hisses, “You fey piece of trash. One word to my cousin Cassian, and he’ll end you and your entire worthless family.”
Her eyes flash to me, and she says, “And you. Cassian did the right thing, keeping you a secret. You’re a stain on our family line. I can’t wait until he tosses your freak wolfless ass to the curb and gets with Reyna, instead.”
Before I know what’s happening, I pull back my hand and whip it
forward.
I slap Claire’s cheek so hard her head snaps to one side and my palm burns. Then, for good measure, I slap her again.
This time, she stumbles, trips over her stupid heels, breaks one, and falls on her ass.
Claire screams. “AH! I’m being attacked! SECURITY!”
I step forward and glare down at her. “Don’t you ever disrespect me or my friends like that again.”
“You psycho bitch!” she screeches. “I’m going to make sure he doesn’t just divorce you–I’m going to make sure he puts you at the bottom of the river!”
I crouch down next to her and drop my voice to a near whisper. “Stop shouting, Claire, or people might find out I’m related to you.
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Imagine what I could do to the Blackwell name, then.”
I give her the evilest smile I can manage.
To me the threat is empty. I don’t care about family names or reputations in the least.
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But Claire’s cheeks turn pale, and she clamps her mouth shut.
With the insane speed of a werewolf, Claire surges to her feet.
I’m not expecting it, and I wobble back.
Her claws grow, and she growls, “Fine, then I guess I won’t wait for Cassian to do it. I’ll get rid of you myself!”
Her claws flash down, headed right for my face.
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