“I know. I know it doesn’t have to mean what he thinks it means. I told him that but, well …” She waved a hand toward the door on which Grant was knocking again. “He’s so sure that if we spend time together, I’ll come to agree with him, which is why he’s been so insistent about taking me out on a date. He didn’t intend to tell me about his ‘realization’ at first, but I kept turning him down.”
Pausing, she raked a hand through her hair. “I don’t want to talk to him again because there’s no point. What can I say that I haven’t already said? And he’s not hearing me anyway.”
A fist once more pounded on the door.
Grinding his teeth, Camden snatched the door open and glared at the other male. “Go. Now.”
Grant’s nostrils flared. “I need to talk to Aspen.”
“I don’t care what you need. She doesn’t want to talk to you.”
Hurt briefly flashed in Grant’s eyes. “I just want five minutes of her time.”
“No, you want her to think as you do. She doesn’t. She won’t. And if you don’t get the fuck away from her door right now, I will punch the goddamn piss out of you.”
Scrubbing a hand down his face, Grant took a step back. “I’ll go. Not because you’re threatening me, but because I don’t want to argue with her best—”
“Whatever.” Camden slammed the door shut.
Feeling a headache coming on, Aspen let out a quiet exhale. God, she should have stayed in bed. All day.
Tense as a bow, Camden came toward her, his gaze raking over her face. Whatever he saw made his jaw tighten. “You’re scared he’s right.”
She blinked. “No, I’m not.” It was a fast denial.
Camden put his face closer to hers. “I know you. I know you believe in the sanctity of true-mate bonds and that to find the other half of your soul is a special thing. But what your mother did put a dark spin on it all for you. The idea of finding your mate terrifies you as much as it comforts you.”
Aspen closed her eyes, feeling too exposed. He was right. She did believe having a mate was special, and she was happy for anyone who discovered theirs. Just the same, she did want to find and bond with her own mate. But the thought of being so wrapped up in a person did frighten her.
Her mother had been utterly lost when Aspen’s father died. Lucia had sank into such a deep state of depression that she’d truly thought it made sense to kill both herself and her daughter so they could both be reunited with Aspen’s father.
She didn’t believe that she’d automatically go down the same dark path if she lost her mate. But, yeah, the fear of being so bound to someone was there all the same.
Opening her eyes, she said, “I really don’t think he’s my mate. At all. My knee-jerk reaction was a huge fuck no that came from a healthy dose of irrational fear, yes. But it wasn’t just that. And when he left, I thought about all he’d said. I went over it in my head. I paid attention to my bearcat’s reaction. Nothing in me or her reacted positively to his declaration.
“Havana had trouble sensing the mating bond between her and Tate at first, but when he put it to her that they were mates, her system went all warm and fuzzy. Mine didn’t do that.”
Seeming relieved by that, Camden rolled back his shoulders. “Then I’d say you’re right that he’s mistaken. The problem is he seems pretty certain that he isn’t, so I doubt he’ll let this go easily. If he pushes you too hard, too far—”
“I’ll deal with him.”
“You won’t need to, babe. I’ll have done it for you.”
Knuckles rapped on the door again.
Camden felt his eyelid twitch. For fuck’s sake. Grinding his teeth, he whipped the door open. But it wasn’t Grant standing on the other side of it. It was Bailey. And she wasn’t simply standing there, she was doing a pirouette because … well, because she was Bailey—someone who constantly did weird shit and apparently saw no need to stop.
Slim and supple with striking silver hair, Bailey was danger itself wrapped in a pretty, helpless-looking package. She was far from helpless, but she could give off that vibe when it suited her. And she seemed to live life with her middle finger up in the air.
Bailey gave him a bright smile. “Well hello, thundercloud. Someone piss in your coffee? Bummski. You can’t blame me this time.” Her dark, deep-set eyes looked over his shoulder. “Ready to go, biatch?”
Sighing, Aspen shrugged past him. “Don’t call me that.”
“Would you prefer hot mama?” asked Bailey.
“I’d prefer that you acted normal for a change.”
The mamba pursed her lips. “Sounds like that’d take some effort on my part. I don’t like effort. Count me out.”