Page 59 of My UnTrue Love
That just wasn’t going to work for Bill.
He hated the idea of any other man forming an intense relationship with his stolen-mate. Even if the guy never touched her, that son of a bitch would have some piece of Clem that Bill didn’t. There could be back-and-forth with ideas and emotions and fuck knew what else.
Yeah, that wasn’t happening. Notever. Bill had to stop it.
“You and I have a very deep connection, already.” Clementine went on. “At least, I feel like we do. Sometimes I look at you and I know exactly what you’re thinking. Do you ever…?”
“Yes.” He answered before she could even finish.
She grinned. “My magic will fit with you, if you’re willing to open up with me.”
He considered that. “There’s stuff in my head that I’d rather you not know. You wouldn’t like me as much, if you did.”
“That’s not true.”
“Itis. I’ve got Bad thoughts sometimes.”
“You have a mischievous streak.” She allowed, looking amused and not at all discouraged. “I don’t mind it.”
“You would if you knew some of the stuff I did.”
“Like what?”
Bill was quiet.
“If you tell me, you’ll feel better about it. I promise.”
He weighed his options. Clementine needed to be a muse, because she was happy being a muse and he wanted her happy. Bill was certainly not going to let her be some other guy’s muse. The bastard would try to steal her away. Bill would, in his place. Therefore, Clem had to beBill’smuse. There was just no way around it. And that meant he had to prepare her for at least some of the Badness lurking within him.
“Well,” he began, “I’ve caused Johnny some problems on social media. I checked and now I’ve got thousands of responses, all saying real unflattering things about him.”
“That’s Johnny’s own fault.” Clem declared loyally. “I blame him for all the problems in your relationship.”
“Oh, I blame him for a heap of stuff.”
“He never appreciated you, as a vital part of the band. …And I think he might be prejudiced against coyotes.” Clementine delivered that last bit of news in a hushed tone and with a grave expression on her face, like it would be a horrible new realization for him.
“I noticed that, too.” Bill allowed.
“It’s just appalling! I am so sorry you were subjected to that outburst earlier.”
“I’ve dealt with worse.” Bill wasn’t about to get sidetracked, because if he didn’t say this now he might never say it. “Anyway, it’s not just Johnny that’s brought out my Badness. For instance…” He cleared his throat. “I never did have much fondness for Rosalee.”
“That’s okay. I don’t like her either.” Clementine said instantly.
“I flirted with her a bit, though. You were right about that.”
Blonde eyebrows compressed. “I know.” Clem grumbled. “This morning, Luke suggested that maybe you’re still interested in her.”
Bill’s jaw flexed. “Oh, he did, huh?”
That lying little fuck.
Bill had never been a neighborly sort, but he was beginning to feel downright hostile towards that boy. His own coyote didn’t detect any danger in Luke’s scent. It was oddly calm about the kid being so close by. However, Bill’s human-side was getting a mite pissed off.
Why was Luke so interested in Clem? Was he trying to undermine Bill’s relationship with her? He seemed awful young to want to steal a mate for himself, so that wasn’t it. Coyotes didn’t have much of a sex drive until they shifted, and the boy hadn’t shifted, yet. Did he have a grudge against Bill, for some reason? Because Bill was sure as hell developing a grudge against him.
“I explained to Luke that you weren’t sleeping with her.” Clem said with a nod. “I know you’d tell me if you were.”
