Page 163 of Ruthless Kings of Havoc

His lips lay on the top of her head as he hugs her even tighter.

“They may have had access to you once, but there’ll never be a second time. No one gets a second chance when it comes to our Ruthless Maiden,” he vows. I know those words are meant for me and me alone. “So nothing to fear, Sweet Canary. You’re safe with me.”

“Okay,” she beams, and even with her back facing me, I can see how the tension leaves her body and invites this shift between them.

Ares smiles and kisses her passionately. It’s short but feels far too long, leaving me anxious to get out of here.

“Let’s go grab ice cream. I’ll cue the valet to bring the car to this section of campus. Can’t wait till our new car arrives from the port and gets customized. We should have it next week so Matteo can drive us.”

“Matteo’s going to drive?”

“Do you trust Zander to do so?” Ares asks.

“Yes, but only if we were on a bike, on an empty freeway, knowing there’s no chance of us being caught, ticketed, or killed.”

“And me?”

“You’re not the driving my crew type of guy,” Verena notes.

“That’s also true,” Ares doesn’t sound upset at all. “So, Matteo it is. Hoping it’s a Cybertruck.”

“One that shifts colors,” Verena encourages.

“Anything you want,” Ares assures her and takes her hand. “Let’s get going.”

“Alright, my King,” Verena responds with the biggest smile.

I get a glimpse of it as she looks back for a few seconds. Her decision is clear because she looks away without saying goodbye, leaving me to stand in this classroom like the gullible fool I am.

“Fucking Theo,” I mutter and have to fight not to punch something.Anything.“Set me up like this? For what? Fucking betrayer.”

“That depends if you acknowledge who betrayed who?”

I look at the door first; the entryway is empty, like this classroom. It takes me scanning the room once to the closet. Only then does the door open at my lingered observation to reveal Matteo.

In the fucking closet.

24

AVOIDANCE ONLY BURNS BRIDGES PART II

~WARREN~

“Funny how you’re coming out of the closet in reality but won’t acknowledge you’re still trapped in it.” My commentary is out of spite. I’m so fucking mad, yet I don’t dare show it. He had to have known something about this.

“Mocking my sexual preferences is the lowest you can go in attempted blackmail, but keep going,” Matteo encourages. “I enjoy people trying to belittle me, only to be roasted and left to cook in shame.”

“Are you happy I lost?” That’s why he has to be here—to rub it in my face that I lost his challenge like some sort of wimp.

“I’m just here to make my final payment as your employer,” he confesses as he slides his hand into his pocket, only to take out a cigar. He takes his time lighting the end and inhales the enriched fumes.

I’m not blind. I remember the exact cigar brand he shared with Verena at the breakfast table as we observed Domino’s humiliating attempt to regain his Ruthless King title.Theone that costs millions.He must be doing this to flaunt his abundance even further, but then his words begin to register in my mind.

“Final payment?”I don’t understand.No, articulated his words. I just don’t want to accept this to be true because no one has ever hired and let go of my services.After everything I’ve done these last few weeks.“I did my job protecting V to a T.”

“Yes and no,” Matteo admits as he walks over to where V was sitting earlier. He pulls out the chair, admiring the simplistic surface of the wooden desk before he lowers into the seat. It’s minuscule compared to his bulk body, forcing me to acknowledge that his physique has grown tremendously since his arrival.

It has to be because he’s preparing for this hockey season, but this isn’t professional playing. He doesn’t need to bulk up like this is some sort of competition. There has to be another reason.

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