Page 57 of Primal

“Don’tsugarme. God, do you call all the girls that, so you don’t have to remember any names?” I laughed, but it was so fucking bitter.

“Riley, calm down and think. I wouldn’t–”

I raised both hands as if stopping a freight train from barreling down on me.

“Oh boy, don’t tell a girl to calm down,” Audrey murmured to herself.

“You wouldn’t… what?” I asked Cody. “Stick around now that I said that I loved you? Give me kids? Yeah, I know. You’redefinitely done, right?”

His lips firmed and made a straight line. Yeah, he wasn’t talking now.

“You were playing me.” I shook my head, ran a hand over my face. “Why else would you be with me knowing…knowingyou won’t give me all things someone my age would want unless it was just a game? Abargain.”

“It wasn’t a play. You know what you are to me.” He looked around again, like he couldn’t say the wordmateout loud.

I scoffed. “I don’t believe that. Why now? We’ve met before. I grew up in this town, and you never showed an ounce of interest until I saw a wolf fight a mountain lion on the trail.”

“I didn’t know until now.”

I gave him a condemning look. “No more lines. I’m done.” God, it hurt. But what made it even worse was that Dad had been right. About everything. I’dplayedat being a grown up. I was hurtandhumiliated. Now Dad would be even more of a helicopter parent, butting into my love life because I was such a dumbass.

I headed to the door, weaving through the tables and the people who were having a good time, not freaking out because the guy who said he loved her alittle while ago only said it because it ended afuckingbargain.I love youwas his finish line.

“Riley, wait!” Cody followed and caught my elbow, but when I shook him off he let go. “Please. Let’s talk about this.”

I shook my head, fresh tears streaking my face. “I’m not your conquest. There’s nothing to talk about. Tell Rob not to worry, I’ll forget all about you.”

26

CODY

“Riley!”I reached out to grab her arm again, but Boyd caught my shoulder and hauled me back. I barely stopped myself from turning around and headbutting him. I wanted to fight him, to let my wolf out and fight him, but I couldn’t.

“Give her some space,” he snapped.

He had no idea how close I was to tearing out his throat. “No,” I snarled. “I need to fix this.”

“Boyd’s right.” Audrey stepped near but not too close. She’d been a part of the pack long enough to know not to get between two angry males. “She’s not going to hear anything you have to say right now.”

My wolf howled with pain.

“She’s my mate.”

Watching her walk out the door with tears streaking her beautiful face and knowing I’d put them there made me want to punch my own face in.

“Doesn’t matter. Even mates need space sometimes,” Audrey said.

“What should I do?” It wasn’t like me to ask for advice on how to handle a female. But Riley wasn’t any ordinary female.

She was my life.

I didn’t even care about the implications to the pack. This wasn’t about her knowing our secret. It never was.

But somehow I’d let her believe that.

Dammit!

“Give her an hour or two to cool off. Then make contact.”