Taken (Sinful Series - book 1)
Chapter 28 - Toxic

Violet

“We need to talk.” The words she once longed to hear now came out as a cold shower. His deep baritone sobered her up from all the giggles Landon evoked.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Karim.” Violet told him, putting a lid on his coffee and passing it over the counter. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Findɴovel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

His fingers brushed against hers, and sparks ignited. She quickly retracted her hand, shaking it to dissipate the sensation. The undeniable sign of their fate as mates was still running between them as static electricity. The rejection decreased the strength and the motional component of the bond, but a part of it lingered still potent enough to have survived.

Violet glanced over him, confirming what she already knew. His physique did nothing to stir her insides as it had. His brown eyes were watchful, probably because he knew she wanted to claw him. If that could only happen. It would be her retribution for all the suffering he had put her through. Unfortunately, her wolf was not strong enough to shift courtesy of the same mated wolf who stood before her.

Violet decided Karim’s presence was frustrating. Even if he was here to make amends, Violet was not interested. He wasn’t there for her, so why should she give him the closure he probably sought. She could be mature and listen, but that was the extent of any good will he had with her.

Good will - who was she kidding? They were in absurd situation, and she wanted to do physical harm to him, not reminiscence their five second relationship.

“I wanted to apologize for how things went down.” Karim called her attention.

Violet looked up at him. He was apologizing months after the fact, but he still did not assume his responsibility. He blamed things, not himself. Violet wanted to hear, ‘I screwed up’. Not an elaborate mumbo-jumbo that was so vague.

‘I messed up. I shouldn’t have done it.’

That would be an effective apology. Plain. Simple. Straightforward.

Instead of continuing Karim breathed in the air, taking in her scent. A smile spread on his lips as he detected her arousal. Violet smiled at the irony. Karim thought he still affected her so deeply. It wasn’t until he inhaled once again his facial features morphed in disgust, noticing the male scent overlying hers. Violet caught the lingering scent of Landon’s cologne. It enveloped her with security shield she needed to face her tormentor.

Karim leaned over the counter, taking in another lungful, his frown deepening on his face.

Take a nice good whiff, Skin.

Her beast pushed the comment to Violet’s mind. It was the first time since her rejection. Violet hoped if her reaction was because her wolf still longed for his. It was often the Skin side of the shifter who issued the rejection, while the animal side stayed loyal to their Fate’s choice.

“Is there somewhere quieter we could talk?” Karim asked.

There were plenty of quiet places they could talk. The real question was if Violet wanted to be alone with him.

Karim continued acknowledging her reluctance, “You look good.”

A wicked part of Violet wanted to snap at him, and to throw a snarky comeback. ‘What do you expect? That I would be moping after you?’ That seemed like the best contender. However, she had never used words to purposefully hurt someone. She wasn’t going to start with him. If Jacob was right, and he usually was, Karim would have his entire existence to regret his choice, while Violet only needed to accept her path in life.

“This is not the place for you. Go home, Karim.” Violet refused to acknowledge his compliment. Her eyes kept looking for Landon, purposefully ignoring Karim’s presence. She had said her peace.

“For what’s worth it, I realize now how I never really listened to you. It came out as a surprise to know you haven’t been with anyone. I am sorry.” Karim continued before trying again, “Is there somewhere more private we could talk?”

“We’ve both made mistakes where the other was concerned. I am first to admit that,” Violet told him, feeling good at seeing surprise at her understanding. She firmly told him. “But splitting up wasn’t one of them.”

“You didn’t deserve how I treated you.” Karim continued.

“I didn’t,” Violet agreed with him, “and now I don’t have anything else to say to you.”

“That was our issue, we never took the time to get to really talk to each other. We rushed in. You seduced me in the name of the Fates,” Karim continued discussing their relationship gathering even bigger audience. His smile told her he had blurted the intimate details just to make her agree to take this conversation somewhere secluded.

Violet fumed. This was neither the time nor the place for such conversation.

All her good intentions went down the drain.

“As I remember you were the only one who enjoyed it,” Violet snapped insulting his bedroom activities.

Karim growled at her truth.

Gareth casually finished hiding the expensive bottles from the shelves then grabbed his baseball bat. Violet rolled her eyes at his theatrics, only for him to shrug his shoulders.

“You didn’t even have the balls to reject me in person,” Violet finished off.

“I apologize,” Karim sighed defeated.

Violet held his eyes, “Why are you really here?”

“To see how you are doing and if you need anything,” Karim started.

“Go home,” Violet told him.

“You’ve changed.”

“Time’s changed.”

“Are you seeing someone?” Karim asked her only for her eyes to fix on Landon’s approaching figure.

“Seasonal allergies?” Landon offered, coming closer to the bar and slapping Karim’s shoulder in a greeting with force enough to make him sway forward. The dull thud of the contact between his hand and Karim’s back left no question the gesture was anything but a friendly greeting. Landon was claiming his territory, and Violet found it beyond sexy.

“What?” Karim coughed surprised he was not only assaulted but that it was Landon by his side.

“I hear allergy season had been brutal,” Landon shrugged, and when Karim did not follow he continued. “It’s either allergies or you’ve forgotten my scent.”

Karim remained clueless, so Landon spelled it out for him, “My scent is all over Violet. Can’t you smell it?”

“And so is the scent of other shifters,” Karim smirked.

It was Landon’s turn to smile with predatory sweetness, “Lucky for me then I am the one to take her home. You should head home, too.”

With that Landon took one of the cups of coffee from her hand, keeping his other wrapped around waist, guiding her through the crowd.

Violet did not bother looking back at her past. Her present felt warm and smelled heavenly.

Landon

It could have been a tad bit immature to interrupt their conversation by swatting Karim’s back, but as soon as Landon saw Karim on the security feed, something snapped. Landon wished he could say he detected signs of distress from Violet. The truth was far graver. Violet was able to handle Karim and whatever he wished to discuss. It was Landon who couldn’t stomach seeing them together. Something primal made him step in, and swatted at Karim.

Jealousy rushed through Landon. He didn’t want Karim to gain any footing where Violet’s heart was concerned. This was war and he was fully intended on winning.

“Seasonal allergies?” Landon inquired. It was the only explanation why Karim was asking her if she saw someone. As far as Landon was concerned Violet was his. Landon clarified for Karim’s sake, insuring the other wolf knew she was taken. “I hear allergy season had been brutal.”

Karim did not disappoint and looked suspiciously at Landon who finished off his thought.

“It’s either allergies or you’ve forgotten my scent. My scent is all over Violet. Can’t you smell it?”

“And so is the scent of other shifters,” Karim smirked confirming he wasn’t there to merely apologize. He thought he still had a shot.

“Dumb fuck,” his wolf commented.

Landon had to agree. The Beta title looked far less enticing because of shitheads like Karim, who couldn’t even stay away from the person who they rejected.

“Lucky for me then I am the one to take her home,” Landon paused allowing Karim to process the nature of their relationship, before suggesting, “You should head home, too.”

It was all he needed to say. Karim could piece the ending of the story. Violet had Landon and she was surely not going to downgrade. Not if Landon had anything to say on the matter. Landon smiled. Even the coffee scent was not able to overpower Violet’s arousal. She melted into his side as he guided her through Velvet, leading her up to her car.

Violet belonged to him now and he took care of what was his.

“You go. I’ll follow,” Landon told her as she tried to hand him her keys. Violet saw Karim and two others exiting Velvet.

“Just get in the car, Lan.” Violet pleaded.

“Lan?” Landon repeated her name for him. Nobody had bothered to give him a nick name before. He liked the added layer of intimacy which it created. “I promise I’ll be right behind you.”

“Don’t go searching for trouble,” Violet tugged at his shirt. “I want you, not him.”

Violet didn’t need a bond to know exactly what he needed to hear even before he realized it. Her fingers found the space between two buttons of his dress shirt and slid over his chest.

“I can smell you,” Landon cheekily replied.

“So what are you going to do about it?” Violet challenged him, instead of shying away or hiding her arousal for him.

Goddess, he loved this woman.

“I intend on showing you, but I can’t leave my bike here with the cock blocker around.”

Violet laughed at his description of Karim.

“How about I follow you?” Violet offered.

“You don’t trust me?” Landon questioned.

“He’s not just here to apologize to me,” Violet told him.

Landon had no doubt Karim was here for Violet and apologizing was just the first step in his attempt to get her back. He wondered how Violet missed the obvious signs.

“His thing with you has deeper roots that teasing when you were training,” Violet continued oblivious to Karim’s real purpose of coming back. “He would try to give you a piece of his mind the moment I drive away. So why don’t I follow you?”

Landon smiled, encasing her hand over his chest with his right palm. She was observant and so innocently mistaken for the true motives of men.

“I can take care of myself,” Landon replied her concern warming his heart.

“I know you can handle Karim. But fists usually follow a word exchange. While I would take care of you, I would much prefer it if you take care of me tonight.” Violet suggestively pressed her body against his.

“I would always choose you,” Landon confessed.

It was true. He had it bad for this female.

Karim

Whoever said eyes that didn’t see each other, forgot each other, had it wrong.

Even months after the rejection, she still stole his breath away. She was exquisite little thing that needed to be protected. She certainly did not belong in a strip club like Velvet. It was one thing to see her dressed in a black roper that showcased her body, and a whole other to be met with her indifference.

His sources were not exaggerating. The only way her scent would be so thick of arousal and male shifters was if she was indeed giving lapdances. He blamed himself for her situation, and it took everything in him not to hauler her up and out of the club. It was not the best move. Not for now anyways.

Seeing the low lifer attached to her hip was unexpected to say the least. When did Landon even find time for females? Violet certainly did not have any idea of the man she was cozying up to. Something needed to be done soon to teach the miserable little skunk a lesson, before he pounced on what was Karim’s.

He then walked out of Velvet only to notice the two lonely figures in the parking. He gritted his teeth at their proximity. Disappointment washed over him when he saw Violet cutting the distance shorter, speaking softly enough that Karim could not overhear.

When she finally got in her car, Karim sighed with relief, noticing Landon walking away from her vehicle. Karim focused on Violet who took time to put on her seatbelt and cringe at the coffee she just sipped. The engine roared to life, the head lights illuminating her path as she slowly pulled out. Another engine roared to life, and Karim snapped his attention at the motorcycle that sped in front of her car. Just as Karim was about to holler at the offender, he recognized Landon who purposefully drove down the street in front of Violet. It was his silent ‘fuck you’ in Karim’s face, showing him his mate was already taken.

Karim fished his phone out of his pocket and texted, “I’m in.”

Violet

Violet smiled as the headlights illuminated Landon’s impressive backside. It was the ideal opportunity to admire his broad shoulders, perky behind and powerful thighs. Man or wolf, she admired him in ways only few understood. A lesser man would have given her space to talk with Karim. Landon knew better. Violet needed reassurance and certainly not Karim. Landon had not only joined them, easing her discomfort of talking to Karim, but also stated his interest in her. Rejected, male shifter was sniffing around her. Violet could do little to contain her smile, her nose twitching to catch his alluring scent. Landon lived for the chase, and Violet was hot on his tail.

Her beast snickered, “I don’t think he minds.”

Violet smiled. Of course, he wouldn’t. It wasn’t about if they would get together. It was all about if they would last. He would actually morph from a prey into a predator and pounce at her.

“Wouldn’t you like that,” her wolf applied.

“Not one bit,” Violet shot back. It felt good to once again hear her wolf. Violet made a mental note to think more lewd, steamy things about Landon to bring her wolf closer to the surface. She really missed hearing the hussy in her mind. Her wolf rolled her eyes at Violet’s mental checklist then retreated deeper in her mind.

It wasn’t long before they reached her apartment. She parked then walked over to Landon. He was still straddling his bike, helmet in hand, eyeing the darkness surrounding them. Violet handed him a coffee snapping his attention to her. He reached the cup and took a sip of the warm liquid. Violet took a sip from hers only to gag at the bitterness.

“I think this belongs to you,” Landon handed her his cup taking a large sip of hers. “Now this is the real stuff.”

“Are you afraid of some crème and sugar?” Violet teased him.

Landon regarded her with an intense look in his eyes that suggestively travelled down her body, making her squirm, rubbing her thighs together.

“Let’s just find out,” Landon’s suggested, causing a wave of warmth to spread through her body.

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