Page 26 of Falling for the Werewolf
“Amanda Gianelli, Jace’s fiancée. Hispregnantfiancée.”
To her credit, Dani kept her expression relatively neutral. Inside, her heart stuttered, and her lungs had trouble inflating. The roar in her ears sounded like a freight train was barreling through her mind. This couldn’t be happening. Not again.
“That’s right,” Amanda said with an evil smile. “Guess Jace forgot to mention that last night, didn’t he? Well, let me fill you in, sweetheart. He’s mine.”
“Dani, did I hear the doorbell?” Bess came in from the backyard. She took one look at Dani’s face, then turned to Amanda. Her normally friendly features hardened.
“What are you doing here, Amanda?” Bess asked, her voice frosty.
“Leaving,” Amanda answered with a smirk. “I’ve said all I have to say. I’ll see myself out.” Pausing by Dani, she said cruelly, “Don’t feel too bad. You’re not the only one he’s played with. But he always comes back to me.”
Dani held back the urge to beat that condescending tone right out of her. Instead, she said, “Hmm. I guess you’re not enough woman for him if he has to keep going elsewhere.”
Amanda’s eyes hardened into spheres of black glass, before she grinned again and spoke low enough for only Dani to hear. “Cute. The human has teeth. But don’t believe for one second a man like Jace is going to choose a pathetic human over his own kind, especially not when he’s giving the pack Alpha his first grandchild.”
Before she could respond, Bess stepped in front of Dani. “If you are having trouble finding the door, I’ll be glad to help you.”
Amanda’s eyes flashed in warning, but she lifted her chin and left without another word.
The minute Amanda was out of the house, Dani exhaled with awhooshand grabbed the counter when her knees felt like they were going to give out.
Bess was at her side in a minute. “That is the nastiest piece of work I’ve ever come across, no matter how pretty the packaging. What did she say to you?”
Dani couldn’t answer at first; her brain was railing against the words. She took a few deep breaths, waving away the glass of ice water Bess held out to her. If she put anything in her stomach right now, it would make a sudden reappearance.
“She said ... She said that she was Jace’s fiancée.”
“Oh, honey, don’t listen to her. It’s just sour grapes. Jace ended things with her months ago, but she doesn’t want to let go.” Bess snorted. “Just because her daddy’s the local Alpha, she thinks she’s entitled to whatever she wants. And she’s made it no secret that she wants Jace. She’s not going to get him, though,” Bess said firmly.
Dani looked at her aunt as the tears started to fall. She wiped them away impatiently. “She also said she’s carrying Jace’s baby.”
Bess’s fierce look of determination faded into a blank expression as she sank down onto the counter stool next to Dani. “Oh, my.”
The spacious, airy kitchen suddenly felt claustrophobic. Dani felt if she didn’t get up and get out right now, she was going to throw up, pass out, or both.
“I’m going for a walk.”
“Good idea. Some fresh air will help. I’ll go with you.”
“No, Aunt Bess, I need some time alone to process this, okay?”
Bess smoothed the hair away from Dani’s face in a motherly gesture. “Sure, hon, I understand. Take your cell phone this time, okay?”
“Okay, I will. Thanks.”
“Dani, you have to talk to Jace about this.”
Dani nodded. She would, but she needed to get herself together first. Memories of a similar situation not all that long ago rushed forward, flooding her thoughts: Her best friend’s face when she broke down and confessed she was pregnant with Todd’s baby. Todd’s guilty but unrepentant expression when Dani confronted him. The complete shock and embarrassment she had felt when she realized they had been having an affair right under her nose. The shame of discovering that, not long after she had given Todd her virginity, he had turned to Gina.
She felt that same dizzy, hollow feeling right now.
“I will, but I can’t right now, Aunt Bess.” Dani pushed through the back screen door before Bess could say any more.
