Page 68 of Brazen

He’d probably come up, so we could talk. Sam had been relentless in his pursuit of me.

He walked to the truck, opened the door, and picked up the keys. Then, he looked up to the window where I stood. Frozen.

We stared at each other for a long moment. I couldn't breathe. My nose burned, and the lump in my throat made it impossible to swallow.

Sam’s wolf eyes glinted in the motion detector lights Ernie had installed around the front lot. His shoulders were slumped like he carried the weight of the world on them.

Somehow, I knew he was hurting. I registered his pain as my own. This wasn’t anything like my breakup with Ted, where I’d been angry, and he’d seemed unaffected. Sam and I had shared something different. The loss of whatever that thing was was shared by both of us.

Maybe…I should hear him out. I was mixed up and scared, and even though I was angry at Sam, I also craved his arms around me. I needed that signature confidence he applied to every situation.

But to my utter shock, he shook his head, like he was mad at or disappointed in me, climbed into his truck, and drove away.

I clapped a hand over my mouth, tears spilling from my eyes.

Sam had given up on us. I’d told him it was a mistake. I’d asked him to let me go.

And he had.

Why did that hurt even more than when I’d given up?

28

SAM

* * *

It had been three days since Clio walked away from me, and I was fucking losing it. My wolf was mad.

He was pissed that I’d let her go. I was pissed I’d let her go. But I was also pissed at her. No, not at her, but at this situation. She wouldn’t see me.

No one did.

All everyone saw was a young, virile male who was only good for two things: bedding females and busting broncs.

Clio couldn’t see past what had happened with her ex. She thought I was him. She thought my pack was his. She never gave me or us a fucking chance.

My wolf wanted out to run, except I couldn’t shift. Well, I could, but I didn’t want to. Running wouldn’t solve a fucking thing.

As I walked into the bunkhouse’s kitchen to get a drink of water, I stubbed my toe on one of the dining chairs.

“Fuck!” I shouted, then grabbed the chair and flung it against the wall.

It bounced off, but only after it left a huge dent in the drywall.

Johnny came running out in only his boxers from the bedroom he shared with Emma. His hair was tousled. “What’s going on?” he asked, wide eyed.

Turning toward him, I growled. My toe didn’t even hurt any longer, having healed in seconds. Yet, that sharp bite of pain pushed me over the edge.

“I think I’m going moon mad.” I probably should have run with the full moon the other night. Or in the days since.

“Is he okay?” Emma whispered to Johnny when she joined us.

Johnny pulled her into his side and whispered, “Text Rob, okay? Get him down here.”

I wasn’t paying Emma any attention. I couldn’t breathe as I paced. I was sweating. All I could think of was Clio. She didn’t choose me. She didn’t want me. I wasn’t enough. I was too much like her ex.

“Have you slept?” he asked.