Page 8 of Alien's Heart
“No,” she said and turned to leave.
ChapterThree
Nox
His mate spunon her heel and walked away, kicking his hunter’s instinct into action. If she wanted a chase, he would chase.
“Stop following me,” she said, glancing over her shoulder.
“If you run, I will chase. It is simple.” He rather liked the chase. It called to the primal part of himself that he usually kept under tight control.
She stopped, turning to jab a finger at him. “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t care.”
They were garnering attention. The chances of being identified by someone in the crowd were slim, but he did not want his face on video. Even a rural transportation hub had cameras.
“Allow me to explain,” he said, attempting to calm her.
“No. Absolutely not. I had a contract with Distinction Elyot. You’re not him. You have his boarding pass but you’re not him.”
“I could be him.” He flashed his most charming grin.
Her face flushed pink. He liked it. Did the color signify attraction?
“Is this a game to you?” she asked.
Ah. Anger. He miscalculated. It would be more difficult to win her over. Still, he appreciated how fury made her eyes shine.
“I assure you this is not a game.”
“Oh, so this is a joke. Poor Ruth is so desperate for a man. Ha ha. Let’s humiliate her.” She jabbed him in the chest with her index finger. This close, he could smell the floral scent of soap and lotion. “Well, the joke’s on you. I’m not going to let some chucklefuck who thinks this is the height of humor win. I’m not leaving town.”
He had several questions. What was a chucklefuck? Why did she smell so good? Could she stand closer? What he said was, “Who hurt you?”
She took a step back. “Where’s the real Distinction? Is he dead in a ditch somewhere?”
“Sleeping off a hangover, I imagine,” Nox said. “I met him yesterday in a bar. He did not wish to fulfill his contract. I agreed to switch places with him. No games. No jests.”
“Why? You know what, I don’t care. It doesn’t matter. I’m not talking to you.” She threw her hands in the air and turned to leave, immediately bumping into a Corravian male.
“Watch it,” the man snarled.
“Sorry. I didn’t see you,” she said.
The man spat at her feet.
The rudeness of the gesture—
Nox saw red.
He grabbed the male by his shirt, claws out, and yanked him forward, forcing him to trip over his own feet.
Nox wrapped his hand around the male’s throat and lifted him until he stood on the tip of his toes. The male’s eyes went wide. The sneer of disdain vanished, replaced with alarm. The male’s tail brushed the floor uselessly.
“Apologize,” Nox growled.
The male squeaked.
“That is not an apology. Should I tear the ears from his head for you? Would that satisfy you?” Nox asked his mate. He turned to her, expecting shock or fear, but hoping to observe her obvious approval and instant attraction to such a bold display—
