Chapter Seven
“Why not get one of the thousands of other fae to race with you?” he asked, rolling his eyes at her dust. It bothered him far more than Cricket had expected but he didn’t act on it, not yet. A true alpha who knew an outburst wasn’t always the best mode of attack. He was already strategizing. “There must be people lined up to be your partner.”
Cricket tilted her head. “Are you saying I’m pretty?”
“All fae are,” he dismissed with a shrug of his shoulders. “I was only stating facts.”
Why did that non-admission only make her want him just a little bit more, despite his attitude? If he kept his mouth shut from the insults, he’d be something for sure.
Instead of lying about her reasons, Cricket decided to be honest. They were alone in the cabin, and if they were going to be teammate’s, he needed to trust her.
“No fae will race with me, nor would I trust them to. I must enter the race under a pseudonym at first.”
His eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“I’ll get to that, I promise. But before I do, allow me to list my merits since you think I wouldn’t make a good teammate.”
“I don’t care about your merits. My answer is the same.”
Continuing on as if Radley hadn’t spoken at all, Cricket held up her fingers as if she were checking off boxes. “I’ve been driving since I was a child. I know my way around fast cars though my mechanic skills are a bit lacking I’ll admit. Anything I don’t know, I’ll make sure to learn as much as possible and have already begun. I know how to drive the fastest cars in the world. I once raced Formula One because I was bored on a Sunday.” Radley stared at her as if she were stupid, but she tried to continue on despite his clear annoyance. “I have plenty of money at my disposal—”
“How much?” Radley interrupted, fishing for clues.
“That isn’t important. What that means is I’m already sponsor level. I can afford any car, any modifications, anything we might need. Mechanic skills are not needed when I can pay for the work.”
Radley shook his head. “Money won’t win the race.”
“You’re right. It won’t. A good team will, and I need you to be my navigator.”
Cricket stood there before the alpha, her shoulders tense, her wings out, waiting for him to dismiss her, or worse, attack her. He didn’t blink as he studied her, and for the first time, she realized the color of his eyes was like amber. They were beautiful and bright, but when they narrowed again on her, they darkened.
“Do you have a werewolf kink?”
Cricket frowned. “I’m sorry. A what?”
Radley rolled his eyes. “Do you like your sexual partners to be primal? Is that what this is? Some trick to seduce me?”
Fury filled Cricket. Because she was pretty, she must be here for sex and nothing more. Her wings flared wide in anger. “How dare you?” she snarled. “I came to you as a businesswoman.”
“Good because I don’t sleep with fae. You’re all too much.”
Try as she might, the insult still stung. Her entire life, she’d been told she was too much, but she was tired of being made to feel like she needed to shrink herself. If someone thought she was too much, then they could go find less, but the words still got to her, and she found her own insult falling from her lips.
“As if I would sleep with a mongrel like you,” she fired back in self-defense. She hadn’t meant for them to come out so harsh, but there was enough venom in those words—emotions bottled up for decades—that once they came out, they practically dripped with poison.
Radley’s face hardened as the word ‘mongrel’ fell from her lips. “Get out. My answer is no.”
Panicking, Cricket reached forward, not daring to touch him but her instinct making her move as if she would. “Wait, I didn’t mean—”
“You’ll see yourself out of the Clan, but I’ll have escorts to make sure you leave,” he continued. “Your kind aren’t welcome here.”
Cricket sighed and stopped, dropping her arms to her sides. Giving in, she said the word she knew would make him listen. “Snapdragon,” she whispered.
She didn’t need to worry he wouldn’t hear. The ears of a wolf were highly sensitive. Still, Radley froze before slowly looking over his shoulder at her. “What did you just say?”
“My surname,” she murmured. “I’m Cricket Snapdragon.”
He looked her up and down again. “You’re a Snapdragon?”
She frowned. “Yes.”
“Ah,” he chuckled, and she bristled.
“What does that mean?”
“It suddenly all makes sense.” He studied her.
“What does?”
“The expensive clothing. The Bentley. The way you leave dust behind like you’re marking your territory.”
“That isn’t on purpose—”
“And yet, you waited until now to mention who you are. Is it because you like the drama?”
“No, I—”
“Or does it get your jollies to shock people with the reveal?”
“I didn’t want to force you, okay?” The moment she could get the words out, she shouted. He wasn’t letting her speak, and she needed to argue her point. “I didn’t want you to feel trapped in a cage, and had hoped you’d help me without needing that sway.” She tilted up her chin. “However, if you won’t help me out of the goodness of your heart or for money alone, then I’m calling in the debt you owe the Snapdragon family. Race in the games with me and be free of that favor.”
Radley studied her for long seconds, tracing his eyes up and down her body. She could admit she’d failed at dressing properly if Radley could tell her clothing was still worth more than it should be, but at least he was digesting her words now.
“Why not toss your name around in the beginning? Why wait until the last moment?”
She frowned, but instead of lying, she told the truth. “I’m more than a name I didn’t create,” she whispered. “And this race will prove that.”
He was silent for a moment longer before nodding his head as if he had a choice. “Fine,” he grunted. “The debt will be paid once I race with you.” He turned to leave but glanced at her one more time before he slipped out, no doubt to take a shower like he’d said before. “Still not sleeping with you.”
Scowling, Cricket flipped him the bird. “Still don’t want to sleep with you either,” she huffed. “Prick.”