Page 179 of Tainted Romance

I laughed at his expression. “It was a figure of speech, but if she really did it, it just adds to my point.”

“I don’t want her.”

“So, your heart doesn’t beat faster when you are around her. Your mind doesn’t race with all the ways you could get her undressed and the pain you feel when you go to sleep at night without her. That doesn’t happen either, right?”

He looked at me with wide eyes. I was guessing I was hitting all the nails on the head.

“Yeah, Blake. It doesn’t get better without them, only worse. Your mate – the one you promised you would spend the rest of your life with when you pierced her skin with your teeth needs you. You can’t fight that.”

I swallowed my vodka and orange juice.

“I can try,” he grumbled, running a hand through his hair. “When I’m with you I don’t need her as much. The pull for her isn’t as strong.”

“But you do realize I’m a band-aid right?” I looked at him, waiting for him to realize. “Just go find her and talk to her.”

“No.”

“Fine, answer this simple question.” I put my drink down. “Do you love her? The need to always put her first, is that there? To always want to please her?”

He remained quiet.

I knew the answer.

“I know she hurt you but… and I don’t say this because I like her, I say this because I honestly think she loves you back and it was my fault she went to another man’s arms.”

My mate's arms, but I didn’t say that.

“What do I say to her?” he groaned. “How the hell do I just take her back?”

“Simple. Just talk. I think what comes from that will be natural. You won’t have to force it.” I smiled at my friend. “Go on, what are you waiting for?”

His hand was on the door. “I’m not turning my back on you. Bringing you here and ditching you. I’m not doing that.”

“You make that sound like it’s possible.” I grinned and pushed him on the shoulder. “Just go see your mate, alright. I’ll be fine. I have vodka and an endless supply of food.”

He smiled and nodded his head. “You’ve always been a better friend than me.”

“Trust me, you’re a great friend.”

“Thanks.” He unlocked the door and then turned back to look at me. “She wasn’t lying earlier about her and Zane. She was telling the truth.”

My smile dropped. So, she had been telling the truth. I knew he would know if she had been or not. Surely, he should have picked up on her lying about it to begin with, instead of having to wait for her to be honest.

“I didn’t pick up on her lying because I wanted to believe it, but hearing her tonight, she was honest, Allie. Her and Zane haven’t had sex since he marked you.”

Should that make a difference? I smiled grimly. “Guess it doesn’t matter anymore anyway.”

“Well, you want me to go back to her when she has been unfaithful, so why won’t you go back to him, when he hasn’t?” Blake made a good point.

“My relationship with Zane is a bit more complicated. You know I don’t trust people. I trusted him, and he broke it.”

“Well, when you think about it, he hasn’t really. Ebony lied.” Blake sighed. “She’s a fucking bitch at times.”

“Yeah, you really hit the jackpot.” I smiled at his bad luck and nodded my head. “Get out of here, Falcon, before she does track us down and I end up killing her. Then you won’t have to worry about not having a mate or not.”

“Yeah righto, Winters, I’m going.” He opened the door and left.

Leaving me by myself with a bottle of vodka. Maybe I should stop mixing the orange juice. I think I could have it by itself now because I needed it as strong as I could get it. Hopefully, I will pass out from alcohol poisoning.

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