When He's Sinful (The Olympus Pride 3)

Her mouth pinched, the female raked her hard gaze over her. “I like the shoes.”

What, they did small talk now? “Thank you. I like your …” Aspen gave her a head-to-toe inspection and then cleared her throat. “Well, it’s nice to see you.”

“Heard about the naked pics of you. I guess that’s karma for cheating on Grant.”

Aspen sighed. “Grant isn’t my mate.”

“That’s not what he says.”

“He’s mistaken. If I thought there was a chance he could be right, I’d be open to getting to know him. But I don’t believe he is. And if it wasn’t for the fact that his cat didn’t hate me, I don’t think Grant would ever have wondered if we could be mates. He’ll see soon enough that he’s wrong.”

“Or you’ll see that you’re wrong.” Aimee tossed her head, sending her pretty mane of strawberry blonde hair tumbling over her shoulder. “It was good thinking to claim that the pictures were photoshopped by whoever was bugging you online, but I’m not believing that line of bullshit. No, you cheated on Grant, and you paid for it. I pity him. He deserves better than you for a mate.”

“Then it’s good for him that, like I said, I’m not his mate. Why would I lie?”

“Oh, Grant doesn’t think you’re lying about that. No, he thinks you’re confused and afraid to take a chance. He blames Camden for that; thinks the tiger takes up too much of your … emotional space. That Camden doesn’t leave room for you to bring anyone else into your ‘heart.’” Aimee snorted. “Speaking of Camden, how is he?”

“Still uninterested in you, if that’s what you’re really wondering.” Her bearcat unsheathed her claws, hating the sound of his name coming out of this heifer’s mouth.

“He only turned me down out of loyalty to you,” said Aimee. “If you and I were friends, he’d have been up for it. I can tell when a man wants me.”

“You sure? Because you can’t seem to tell when he doesn’t.”

Aimee’s face hardened. “So snotty. You really do want me away from him, don’t you? Maybe my mom was right. Maybe the reason you’re rejecting Grant is that you want more than friendship from Camden. You and the tiger have been friends since you were kids, right? Honey, if he was attracted to you, he’d have done something about it by now,” she said, a venomous glee in her eyes as she patted Aspen’s arm in a gesture of mock sympathy.

Her bearcat snapped her teeth, wishing she could sever just one of those fingers. Aspen saw no sense in spouting denials—Aimee would only have fun insinuating that Aspen was lying. So she instead gave the bitch a sickly sweet smile. “You know, when I visualize the people I hold in high esteem in this big, bad world, you’re right there … serving them drinks.”

The feline’s eyes flared. “Think you’re better than me, huh?”

“Why yes, yes I absolutely do.”

“Condescending little whore.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m little.”

Aimee notched up her chin. “You think you can so easily take me just because you knocked me unconscious at the Tavern?”

“I think I can take you because I can take you.”

The pallas cat gave her head a fast shake. “You caught me off-guard that night. If you hadn’t blindsided me with that damn stool, we would have danced, and I’d have kicked your ass. If you weren’t practically my Alpha female’s sister, I’d be all up in your shit right now.”

Aspen rolled her eyes. “You know what? If you need to believe that to feel better about yourself, all the power to you. Truly, I couldn’t give half a shit, let alone an entire fuck. All I ask is that you step aside, because I really need to go to bed—I have a migraine from how loud your dad was bellowing my name last night.”

The feline’s hands snapped into fists, and she took a lurching step forward. But then she halted, squinting. “Trying to push me into attacking you, aren’t you? You want to be able to run to the Alphas and cry about how I jumped you. Not happening. I’m not as stupid as you seem to think I am.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” Aspen muttered.

“Keep the bitchiness coming, I’m not going to give you what you want. You know, it amazes me that you have it in your head that you’re too good for Grant. It’s the other way around. He’s too good for you. But pushover that he is, he’ll forgive you for doubting and rejecting him. Even now, he defends you to anyone who brands you cold for not giving him a chance. Because that’s the kind of man he is. A good man. Fate is truly an absolute bitch for lumbering him with you.” Aimee shrugged past her and stormed out of the building.