Sold AS The alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 804

Chapter 15 : I’ll Show You Savage

“This is ridiculous,” I bit out, then I sucked in my breath as I steadied myself on the footstool Jared had so graciously provided. One of the legs was shorter than the other, which meant I was using all of my weight to keep myself steady as I ran a feather duster over the bookshelves. They still towered above my head. There was no way I was going to reach the highest shelves, even with a stool.

And there was no way I was standing on my tip-toes, either. I wasn’t going to give Jared the satisfaction. I’d done stupid things for my own selfish gain, sure, but this was by far the dumbest, most degrading thing I’d ever done.

And all for access to his study, whenever I wanted.

When I’d stitched those flowers into his sparring clothes, I’d assumed he’d have nothing else to wear into the ring the next day. He would’ve been forced to wear them, and he would have been laughed at by his crew. It was why I’d spent hours upon hours stitching until my fingers were raw and bleeding.

But now I was wearing them–a shirt, at least. His pants didn’t fit me, even with a belt.

So, in order to access his study whenever the hell I wanted with no recourse, I was wearing a flower-covered shirt, my bare thighs on full display as I moved from shelf to shelf, cleaning.

I glanced at Jared, my face twisted in a scowl.

“You could have said no,” he said flatly, turning a page of the book he had resting on his lap. He had one arm resting over the back of the couch, a tall glass of whiskey clutched in his hand. He didn’t look up at me as I cursed under my breath and climbed down to move the stool to the next shelf.

“You could have had the maids come in and clean this place,” I retorted.

His eyes flicked to mine, a half-cocked smile touching the corner of his mouth.

“No one–”

“No one is allowed in your study,” I mimicked, then grunted with frustration as I climbed back up the rickety stool. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-four,” he replied, uninterested.

“I thought you were much older than that,” I replied, trying to get a rise out of him. “You have the office of an old man who can’t find anything unless it’s an absolute mess.”

“Thank you,” he said, and he obviously meant it.

I pursed my lips and turned back to the bookshelves, muttering curses under my breath.

“Since we’re playing twenty questions,” he began, pausing to take a drink, “was it your father who was the archeologist?”

“I’m the archeologist.”

“There are no programs for that here in Egoren, which would mean you’re self trained.” His eyes flicked to mine. He was baiting me, I knew that. He’d been trying to get me to admit to being from the Realm of Light for days now. “So?”

“My father stayed home with us and my mother is a–” I paused, unsure how to describe my mother’s position without giving my connections away. Gemma, my mother, was in all regards the Beta of my aunt Maeve, the current White Queen. “She’s a secretary.”

“Hm,” Jared said, his gaze trailing from my eyes down to my legs.

I threw the feather duster at him, but it missed, landing in a puff of dust next to him on the couch. “Was your father a bounty hunter too?” I said mockingly.

“My parents were dead before I knew them,” he said casually.

“Oh,” I murmured, feeling a little guilty. “I’m sorry–”

“How did you know the artifact opened up like that?” he interrupted, derailing the subject.

about the Cryptex. The thought of it alone was enough to

like it, that’s all. But yours is… cursed, for sure. I don’t like it, and

to

firmly. “We’re not going to talk about it, Jared. You’re just going to ask me questions but not answer

tone of his voice had changed abruptly, and a blanket of tension descended over the

the laundry,”

glared. “I’m serious,

am I! Quit asking me questions if you’re going

us. We’ll be traveling through the Dark Forest to the territory belonging to Aeris.” He closed his book and rose from

do you need me

to him. You were bought using funds his

stepped down from the stool, my body trembling with a mix of

to no one,” I said as steadily as

working for

furrowed my brow.

you working

“I don’t know Aeris–”

the breeder auction?” he seethed. “I saw you, up on that

“What?” I snapped.

“Are you a spy?”

an accusatory finger. “The stones were a test, weren’t they? You brought me down there to show me the Cryptex because you thought I

“Are you?”

Jared. It made me feel–” I held my hands out, my palms facing the ceiling. I could still feel the weight of the Cryptex in my hands, far too heavy for

heart hammering in my chest. Something had to give. Jared and I had been dancing around each other since the moment he brought

am not a spy. I’m not here to take anything

you end up at the breeder

don’t remember–” I paused, my eyes downcast on

almost to the knee when my feet were flat, like a dress, but I felt incredibly exposed. Should I tell him

told you time after time that I’m not going to hurt

asking,” I replied, meeting his eyes. “I need to know what you want with the

can’t tell you

you anything about

study and he’d grant me access. There was a catch, of course, which was doing so in his clothing. This was a game to him. I could play, too. “I can’t trust anyone with something like that in their

“I assure you…”

of what? That you’re not going to set loose whatever is hidden inside? I felt that darkness within it, the same darkness I see in your

“How dare you–”

You obviously need my help, and this is the deal. You tell me what it is and I

f*****g archeologist to get close to me, to steal it, or hurt me or my

taking several steps

didn’t move, but he squared his shoulders as I poked

who murders people for a living! If I wanted the Cryptex, I would’ve

“I know!”

why are you accusing me of

I have no f*****g idea who

took a step toward me, closing the distance between us. I backed up, the back of my thighs

relief when Ambrose bit his bid on you, I–” He leaned forward, resting his hands on the desk on either side of me. “I took you because I thought you worked for him. I meant to