Page 18 of Reluctant Rebel

“Nothing I didn’t do right back. There’s no need to defend my honour or anything. Put your fangs away,” Jinx ordered, even though his reflexive protectiveness brought tears to her eyes. “I appreciate the sentiment, I really do. But I’m okay. I’m doing a terrible job of relaying the details to you.”

Eric stared at her for a few seconds before sitting back, his fangs retracting into his upper gums. “Deep breath,” he suggested. “And start at the beginning.”

So, she did.

“So, it was lucky, you see,” she said, ending her tale. “Because he doesn’t want a mate, and neither do I.”

“Uh-huh. Lucky,” Eric repeated.

His sarcasm was not lost on her, but she chose to ignore it. “Mikhail deserves someone whole. Someone unscarred who doesn’t have a shit load of baggage labelled‘trauma’." Jinx whispered, her voice barely audible over the gentle acoustic music playing in the background. She absently rubbed her wrist where faint marks still lingered, a permanent reminder of chains long removed.

Eric made a pained sound in his throat. “Jinx, youarewhole,” he said softly. “Besides, we’re all traumatised. Embrace it. I think it adds a little spice to a relationship.”

Jinx gasped out a laugh and tossed a napkin at him, which he dodged easily. “You’re an idiot.”

His cheeky smile faded, and he was silent for a moment, lost in thought. “You know all the shitty things I did in my past to survive? Do you think less of me for it?” he asked presently.

She scowled at him. “Of course not!”

“So why doesn’t the same apply to you? If Mikhail truly is a good man—and I’m inclined to believe he is because Sabre is a good judge of character, and she loves him—then why do you think your past would bother him?”

“Because it bothersme,” Jinx muttered, shifting restlessly in her seat.

Eric nodded sagely as if she’d confirmed his suspicions. “So, this is about you then. It’s not really about having a mate. I mean, you don’t have a moral objection to fated mates or anything. You’re just protecting yourself.”

Jinx shook her head, blinking back tears that threatened to spill. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Nothing at all,” Eric agreed with a gentle smile.

Jinx sniffed, swiping at her nose with her forearm. Classy she was not. When a tissue appeared in front of her, she thanked Eric before blowing her nose obnoxiously loudly.

“You’re charming,” Eric pointed out with a straight face. “Keep it,” he urged when Jinx tried to return the snotty tissue. His eyes darted behind her. “Uh, what did Sabre have to say about all this?”

Jinx grimaced, sinking down into her seat. “I haven’t spoken to her about it.”

“No, you haven’t.”

Jinx shrieked, jolting so badly that her chair almost toppled over. She craned her neck to find Sabre and Gage standing directly behind her. She stared at the pair like a deer caught in headlights.

“But if youdidtalk to me about it,” Sabre continued sternly. “I would be my usual pithy, wise self.”

“Pithy?” Eric questioned.

“Wise?” Gage queried.

Sabre expertly ignored the men, keeping her eyes steady on Jinx. “Mikhail explained what went down. I don’t like it. I wanted to decapitate him for hurting you.”

Jinx didn’t have it in her to lie and pretend she wasn’t hurting. “What about me? I hurt him, too.”

“Yeah, but I like your hair too much to ruin it,” Sabre said, tugging on a wayward strand of pure white. When Jinx only bit her lip, remaining silent, Sabre’s shoulders slumped. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

Jinx stood up slowly, moving to stand directly in front of Sabre. “When you rescued me, you told me I could have the life of my choosing.”

“I remember,” Sabre murmured.

“This is my choice, Sabre. Accepting the rejection of my mate and rejecting him right back.Thisis the life I’m choosing,” Jinx told her earnestly. “A life without a mate. It’s the life I always knew I would lead.”

Sabre screwed up her nose. “Jinx …”

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