tell him things that I shouldn’t have. His father didn’t want us, and he made no bones about it. And Misha’s heart is…it’s broken, I suppose. And he’s closed it off. Do you want him to love you?”
“No.” Han watched the hurt on Maribel’s face. “I don’t want anyone to love me. It’s too…I guess I really don’t know what love is, but I’ve seen enough people profess that they love someone only to have it crumble in their faces. Working in the public, I got to see all sorts of things that showed me that love is very one sided most of the time.”
“ Your mother did that to you.” Han thought maybe she was right but didn’t say anything. “I’d like for you to love us all. Especially Misha. He could use a good woman like you to love him. And you need someone to love you as well. You deserve it.”
“I just want to be left alone. I know that sounds really horrible, but it’s harder to be hurt when you’re alone.” A man offered her a drink and some cookies. When she reached for her bag to pay for a couple of cookies, he told her it was fine. “See? I have no idea how to act around decent people.”
Han wanted to cry. She was embarrassed and felt like she was completely out of her element. And now her provider was hurt and she had no idea what she was supposed to do about it. When Maribel unbuckled and sat beside her, Han had an overwhelming urge to lay her head on her lap and sob.
“Misha has a great deal of money. Well, they all do thanks to some sound investments and being really good at their job s. This is just a part of the perks you’ll have as his mate. Someone should have told you this before now, but if you never worked again, you’d have more than enough of everything you want.”
“I don’t want his money.” Maribel nodded. “I’m going to make my own money as soon as I can. I don’t want…I’ve only agreed to this whole thing because Carter said he’d go rogue if I didn’t.”
“He might…he very well might , but that’s no reason for you to suffer if you don’t want to. Being in a relationship is hard enough, having low expectations is only going to make it harder for both of you.” Han wasn’t planning to make anything hard on anyone and told Maribel that. “And if you fall in love with him? What will you do then? What about children?”
“He doesn’t want children , he told me. Which I guess is fine with me as I have no idea what to do with them anyway. As for falling in love with him, it’s doubtful that will happen, as he’s told me that he’d rather I never bothered him and continued doing whatever it was I wanted so long as I didn’t embarrass him or his family.”
“I see.” Han had a feeling she’d hurt Maribel somehow, but didn’t know what to do about it. But the pilot told them to fasten their belts; they would be landing soon. When Maribel moved to her seat again, Han could feel the distance, and it was a great deal further than the few feet between them.
Chapter 8
Misha opened his eyes and tried to bring things into focus. He could make out shapes but not what they were. When the person in front of him moved, he knew who it was immediately. What the hell was Hannah doing in his room sleeping in his chair?
“Don’t.” He turned his head at his mother’s voice spoken almost in his ear. “I have no idea what you’re thinking right now, but if you make her cry again, I’m going to take you to the woodshed.”
“I didn’t make her cry. What is she…what are either of you doing in my room?” He looked around the room again, keeping his voice low, as he realized where he was. “I was shot.”
“You were. And the next time this happens to you, I want you to know that I’m not coming to you again. You’re a very mean man when you’re hurting.” Misha had no idea what his mom meant but looked at Hannah again. He could see now that she was sleeping fitfully, and he also could see the tear stains on her cheeks.
“Wh
“No.” Han watched the hurt on Maribel’s face. “I don’t want anyone to love me. It’s too…I guess I really don’t know what love is, but I’ve seen enough people profess that they love someone only to have it crumble in their faces. Working in the public, I got to see all sorts of things that showed me that love is very one sided most of the time.”
“ Your mother did that to you.” Han thought maybe she was right but didn’t say anything. “I’d like for you to love us all. Especially Misha. He could use a good woman like you to love him. And you need someone to love you as well. You deserve it.”
“I just want to be left alone. I know that sounds really horrible, but it’s harder to be hurt when you’re alone.” A man offered her a drink and some cookies. When she reached for her bag to pay for a couple of cookies, he told her it was fine. “See? I have no idea how to act around decent people.”
Han wanted to cry. She was embarrassed and felt like she was completely out of her element. And now her provider was hurt and she had no idea what she was supposed to do about it. When Maribel unbuckled and sat beside her, Han had an overwhelming urge to lay her head on her lap and sob.
“Misha has a great deal of money. Well, they all do thanks to some sound investments and being really good at their job s. This is just a part of the perks you’ll have as his mate. Someone should have told you this before now, but if you never worked again, you’d have more than enough of everything you want.”
“I don’t want his money.” Maribel nodded. “I’m going to make my own money as soon as I can. I don’t want…I’ve only agreed to this whole thing because Carter said he’d go rogue if I didn’t.”
“He might…he very well might , but that’s no reason for you to suffer if you don’t want to. Being in a relationship is hard enough, having low expectations is only going to make it harder for both of you.” Han wasn’t planning to make anything hard on anyone and told Maribel that. “And if you fall in love with him? What will you do then? What about children?”
“He doesn’t want children , he told me. Which I guess is fine with me as I have no idea what to do with them anyway. As for falling in love with him, it’s doubtful that will happen, as he’s told me that he’d rather I never bothered him and continued doing whatever it was I wanted so long as I didn’t embarrass him or his family.”
“I see.” Han had a feeling she’d hurt Maribel somehow, but didn’t know what to do about it. But the pilot told them to fasten their belts; they would be landing soon. When Maribel moved to her seat again, Han could feel the distance, and it was a great deal further than the few feet between them.
Chapter 8
Misha opened his eyes and tried to bring things into focus. He could make out shapes but not what they were. When the person in front of him moved, he knew who it was immediately. What the hell was Hannah doing in his room sleeping in his chair?
“Don’t.” He turned his head at his mother’s voice spoken almost in his ear. “I have no idea what you’re thinking right now, but if you make her cry again, I’m going to take you to the woodshed.”
“I didn’t make her cry. What is she…what are either of you doing in my room?” He looked around the room again, keeping his voice low, as he realized where he was. “I was shot.”
“You were. And the next time this happens to you, I want you to know that I’m not coming to you again. You’re a very mean man when you’re hurting.” Misha had no idea what his mom meant but looked at Hannah again. He could see now that she was sleeping fitfully, and he also could see the tear stains on her cheeks.
“Wh
Similar Books
