The Gender Game 2 by Bella Forrest (audio ebook reader .TXT) 📕

suddenly appeared between us, his fur on end and a growl trickling between his lips.

He stopped a few feet away from me. I risked a glance at him, and I saw him looking down at the dog, and then his clenched hands. He looked up at me, and I could see the uncertainty in his eyes. I was trembling, unwanted tears forming in my eyes.

Viggo’s face softened—that was the only way I could describe it. It was like watching a massive storm melt away into a beautiful sunset.

“I’m sorry, Violet,” he said, his voice thick. “I shouldn’t have…”

I nodded, unable to force words out of the huge lump in my throat.

He took a step closer, his hands up with palms out. “I really do need to check your wound,” he said carefully, his voice calm and even. For a moment, I wondered if this was how humans sounded to wounded animals, until I remembered, I was a wounded animal.

I exhaled sharply, and inhaled, remembering how the simple act of breathing had helped calm me for the past few days, and nodded to him.

He let me unbutton my own pants. It was difficult, but it gave me a sense of control over the situation. Then he helped me slip them over my hip, pulling them down to the wound on my thigh. He went to one knee, examining the bandage, his fingers pressing on the edge to make sure it was still sealed.

There was something intimate about him being down there, his face inches away from my thigh, but I pushed it aside. I fixed my eyes on anything else. Samuel came up from the other side, and I reached down to pet him. It was awkward, but it kept me from seeing how exposed and vulnerable I was to Viggo.

He inspected the bandage for a few more seconds, and then helped me slip my pants on. All and all, the inspection lasted less than two minutes. It had felt like longer. I was allowed to button my pants back up, and re-tie my makeshift knot.

We stood there awkwardly for a few seconds longer and then Viggo handed me the canteen. I looked at him, but there was no challenge in his eyes. I opened the canteen, and when I wordlessly nodded that I was ready, he lifted the mask off my face. I drank the water quickly, trying not to breathe too much. Once I was finished, he replaced the mask and I closed the canteen, handing it back to him.

He removed his own mask and took a long swig, and then poured some in his cupped hand, offering it to Samuel. After our water break was finished, he straightened up.

“C’mon,” he muttered, picking up the rope from where he had dropped it on the ground. “We need to keep moving.”

I frowned, but started walking behind him. As we walked, my mind churned over what to do with Viggo. I had tried for honesty, but it was clear he didn’t believe me. But then he had shown genuine care for me.

His behavior was contradictory and confusing, and it was very frustrating to try to understand, especially since he wasn’t talking to me. The truth was that I was angry. Furious really. I had never expected to see Viggo again, but now that he was here, with the truth in front of him… I didn’t even know what he was thinking.

I’d taken all that I could stand. I planted my feet and stopped as we neared the slope of a dip in the forest. Viggo didn’t notice my pause, initially, until the rope swinging between us pulled taut. I held my ground, pulling back against it. He spun, irritation across his features.

“Why are you stopping?” he demanded.

“I want to talk,” I replied in a manner that I hoped sounded calm and collected.

“You’ve said enough, Violet.”

“I’ve only told you the truth, Viggo.”

He rolled his eyes and closed the distance between us until he was looming over me. I kept my face expressionless, which was hard considering how imposing his size really was.

“The truth,” he said mockingly. “And what am I supposed to believe? The crazy story that Lee betrayed his country even though he had no reason to?"

“You read his letter—”

“Or a girl who’s a criminal? Who betrayed me!?” he barreled on, his face in a sneer. “Which one is more believable to you, Violet? What is the more likely scenario?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You arrogant, egotistical, misogynistic… Patrian,” I spat. “Trained to believe that every word coming out of a woman’s mouth is a lie or a manipulation.”

“This has nothing to do with the fact you are a woman…”

“Oh, doesn’t it?” I breathed out sharply. “What are you really mad about, Viggo—that I wasn’t who I said I was, or that I kissed you?”

A muscle in his jaw started ticking, and I watched his green eyes becoming hard and dangerous.

“I’m so glad you brought up that kiss,” he said, his voice low and bordering on menacing. “Because I was wondering about that.” I froze, my heart palpitating in anticipation. “I was wondering how a woman got so cold that she could kiss a man the night before she planned to lure him to his death. Did you kiss Lee like that?”

An icy anger throbbed through my veins, and before I could stop myself, my foot contacted with Viggo’s knee. He wasn’t expecting that, and he was forced backward, dipping toward the slope.

I turned to run, when his strong arm wrapped around my waist, dragging me with him in a fall. The next thing I knew, we were rolling over the edge, a tangle of limbs. His arm was like a vice around my stomach as we bounced down the hill, until we rolled to a stop.

I scrambled to my feet, feeling jostled and confused. Viggo seemed worse, struggling to his hands and feet, his back to me. Without hesitating, I leapt on his back, slipping my bound wrists over