Page 68 of Trove’s Purpose

He smiled back at her, but Chee was the one to respond.

“I’m afraid that our deal is purely business,” she said. “And as we say on Earth, we don’t mix business with pleasure.”

Rinnicks sneered. “What foolishness. I work in the business of pleasure. That’s all I do. That’s all business is. Trying to buy what gives you pleasure.”

“The answer is still no,” Chee assured her, no wavering in her tone.

“You do not own him,” Rinnicks snarled, tusks on display. “You are not his mate. You do not get to speak for him.”

Chee flinched.

Trove winced.

That hit a little too close. Was it so obvious that they were disconnected? Could no one else even tell that they were bonded?

Well, they weren’t bonded.

Pre-bonded?

That sounded worse. He liked these thoughts less and less as he had them. So, he instead just smiled at her and said simply-

“Flattered as I am by your offer, I will have to decline it. I’m here only to help deliver the cup and nothing more.”

He knew that look that came over her eyes.

Rejection. Surprise. Then, anger. Furious at his audacity. Like it was an honor for her to even have offered in the first place and him telling her no was a personal affront against her.

“I am not denied anything I want,” she growled.

“I am sure there are many males who are far better than me who will be happy to service you. But I will have to decline.”

She snarled. All her teeth and her two prominent tusks on display. Not at all mollified. Because he was the one she wanted, but he had told her no. And that, for someone used to getting everything their hearts desired, was a terrible insult.

Chapter 22

Chee

“Excuse me, Rinnicks,” Chee cut in, before that bitch could glare any harder at Trove. Like he had some sort of audacity for turning her down for sex. “But maybe we can get back to our negotiations now?”

Rinnicks did not look her way immediately. She continued glaring at Trove. And it was not a normal kind of glare. There was something extra dark and almost possessive about the look. Chee had seen that look only in the uber wealthy when they were denied. It was a look that said denial wasn’t a rejection, it was a challenge.

She intervened between them. She would not let anyone look at Trove like that. It was disgusting, in a gross and deeply disturbing kind of way. No one deserved to be looked at like that.

When Rinnicks finally focused on her, it was with a sneer, but not that same amount of insult. She hid it quickly, leaning back into her cushions. Forcing a smile that did not meet her eyes.

“You refuse my deal,” she chuckled. “You must not want that cup then.”

“Or you, that moon,” Chee countered, earning a glare of her own.

She wasn’t sure that she would call this a stalemate. Rinnicks, if she just cut off whatever greed she had that demanded she own an entire moon, could end this right here. Chee didn’t even know where the cup actually was; Rinnicks held all the power here.

But, of course, that wasn’t going to happen. She couldn’t simply stop yearning for more. If greed was so easily slaked or ignored, there would be far fewer problems in this cosmos.

However, she couldn’t just give in that easily either. If she backed down and accepted the moon alone after demanding more, it would be like she had lost. That couldn’t happen either. Chee could practically see those thoughts on her face.

“Fine,” Rinnicks purred. “Then, let me make you a different offer. There is an old and beautiful painting that I want. However, the male that owns it refuses to sell. I want that painting.”

“What are you willing to offer him for it?”