Tasting 363

363–Shame On You, Cain

Nora:

I took a deep breath and walked past him, even though I knew he wanted to have a word with me.

“You don’t even have time for me now,” his comment certainly stopped me in my tracks.

I had so much time for him in the past that I sat on a stool without moving. while he painted me. The

same painting that he burned down afterward.

It was much harder for me to speak to him or even look him in the eye. I felt so uncomfortable

remembering how foolishly I had acted in his studio last time. I had asked him to take my body and

do whatever he pleased with it. It upset me so much that I had objectified myself like that and still

got rejected.

“No, I’m paying attention. What’s up?” I stopped, not even looking at him. I kept my eyes on the

trees as we both stood in the entrance and stared at the garden ahead.

“You’re quite strong now. Fighting mutants and acting all confident and in love with your husband,”

he commented.

“Acting? I’m confident and very much in love with my husband,” I shrugged.

“Aha! What about the mate bond and your mate?” He didn’t even refer to himself by name, just

mentioned it vaguely.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I recalled how he had warned me not to tell anyone about

it.

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“Hmmm, I know I wasn’t a very likable mate, so I understand you had to lie to me, but I didn’t expect

you to not even act like it hurts that we’re not together,” he said with such confidence that it made

me burst out laughing.

His body tensed, and his gaze became intense.

“I’m so sorry. It’s just that–do you not feel ashamed of yourself for bringing it up? You shut down

that topic months ago. So, what’s the point of talking about it now?” I smiled, and I’m sure he could

see the pain behind it.

The minute our eyes connected, I recalled the way I had offered him my body. My confidence

crumbled, and I felt guilty and ashamed of myself. I had truly made a fool of myself.

“I had no choice,” he uttered.

“Okay, I respect that. So, how are things with Natalya?” I asked, making it very clear that I had no

interest in whatever excuses he had to give me.

“You’re not going to ask me what I mean by ‘I had no choice‘?” He turned to me, but I didn’t turn to

him.

“No! It doesn’t matter anymore, Alpha King Cain. I am happily married and-” Before I could finish,

his scoff interrupted me.

“And your husband is taking a second wife. I know you, Nora. You would be so jealous if you were

truly in love,” he hissed, coming closer, but I had to step away.

I used to be so fascinated by him. His presence would turn me on so much. And he used it to sleep

with me and then ditch me the very next day.

“You know me?” Finally, I turned to face him. “You do?” Oh Goddess,

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reminded me of how he used to paint, wearing only suspenders and pants. ith suspenders

“If you did, why did you never believe me when I told you I was innocent?” I gave him a sarcastic

smile. Did they have any idea of the shit I went through here? My pregnancy was so painful and

lonely. I used to imagine them one by one every night to comfort me. I would imagine them telling

me stories and joking to make me laugh. Where were they then? Enjoying their lives with their

girlfriends until they realized the silly mate of theirs wasn’t obsessed with them anymore, so they

came back. They only enjoyed my craziness for them.

“I knew it all,” his statement shook me back to reality.

“Huh?”

“I said I knew you were innocent,” he looked me straight in the eye and grunted. I didn’t know if he

truly expected me to open my arms and jump into his lap or what, but it didn’t help. It only made me

angrier. If he knew, why didn’t he tell anyone or act otherwise?

“You knew those girls were lying?” I watched him frown as he realized how I was interpreting his

words.

“But I had a reason to-”

Oh, I was so over the brothers repeating themselves. I didn’t fucking care anymore and was even

adamant about shutting them out of my life rather than accept that he knew yet let me be played

around.

“I’m tired. You should rest too. Goodnight,” I cut him off. He seemed choked by my words.