Page 44 of Love's Ace

“Who the fuck do you have with you, Wren? He smells broken.”

“Fuck you, too.” Theo’s voice came out in instant irritation, and I realized bringing him to my grave-digging serial-killer ex-coworker might not have been the best idea after all. The Enmity couldn’t get him here, and I didn’t have to worry about Aiden finding him… but Gethin was just as much of an ass as Theo was, and there was every chance they were going to end up killing one another.

But… that didn’t stop him from swinging the door wide and looking at us both. His blond hair had gotten longer since the last time I’d seen him, sweeping to brush the top of his shoulders. He looked perfectly groomed, though, dressed in a suit like he’d just gotten off work, and his eyes dropped between the two of us and widened.

The thread.

Of course, he could see the thread.

When they popped back up, the grin that crossed his face was absolutely wicked. “When they tear off your wings, do you think they’ll let me have them, Wren?”

Theo started to move forward, the vibrations of the snarl rumbling in his chest radiating along the length of my spine in warning. My hand shot out, and I dropped my fingers onto the back of his neck.

“No one is tearing my wings off, Gethin. I’m too good to get caught breaking the rules.”

I tried to keep my voice light, sarcastic and a little mocking, but Gethin had already noticed what Theo had so blatantly showed him in the few seconds he’d stepped forward.

His eyes were black-tinged red, the hands that clenched to fist at his sides tipped with claws.

“Oh… oh, shit, Wren. You really are fucked, aren’t you?”

I kept my fingers on the back of Theo’s neck, and I could feel the small, tremoring pulse of emotion tearing through him. Was it hard for him not to move forward, to attack Gethin because he didn’t seem safe?

“Are you going to help or not?”

To his credit, Gethin didn’t immediately answer. He looked between the two of us, and his fingers ran through the dirty blond strands of his hair for a second before he finally stepped aside, muttering something beneath his breath that made the doorway shimmer for just a second.

“Just remember that I harbored a fugitive the next time I want something from you.”

I dropped my hand to Theo’s lower back and guided him inside. Whatever Gethin had murmured had lowered the barriers designed to keep non-humans out… Either that or Theo was still just human enough that he could sneak past them—I didn’tcarewhich one it was. I half pushed him inside and didn’t relax until the door behind us was closed.

For the first time since I’d found Theo, I felt like I could let some of the tension run out of my body. Nothing could get us here—nothing couldfindus here.

“If you can help me figure this out, I’ll give you all the fucking Ardor I have.” The thought of eventouchingone of those vials again made me flinch. And like he could read my mind, Gethin’s eyes dropped again to my chest—to the light swirl of white and red that still pulsed around the base of the thread spilling out like a damning marker of exactly what I’d done.

“How did you fuck up this bad, Wren? Look at him. He’s…” Theo tensed beside me, and I shook my head.

“We were fighting, and a vial broke. I didn’t know this would happen.” I frowned. “I didn’t know thiscouldhappen. You’re the one with all the books, Gethin. I was kind of hoping you would have an answer.”

He looked behind him, to his living room and the walls lined with shelves. He’d been looking for a way to regain his wings or stop the pain since the second they’d been taken. He’d probably read more on cupids than anyone I knew, dead or alive.

If anyone had an answer for how to break the connection, it might be him. But when I looked over at Theo, who was watching Gethin with wary, untrusting eyes—Theo, who had stepped closer to me and pressed into the hand I had at his back without realizing it…

I didn’t know what answer I was looking for anymore.

“Fine, but if they come looking for you, I was totally holding you here to turn over.” Gethin threw a smirk over his shoulder as he headed toward the bookshelves, and Theo tensed beside me again.

“Don’t worry. He’s always like this.” I didn’t try to be quiet when I spoke, and Theo frowned.

“And I thought I was an asshole.” Healsodidn’t bother muttering.

“Why don’t you try having wings ripped from your spine, then we can talk.” Gethin’s voice came out casual enough, but I could hear the sting still lingering in his tone all these years later. He pulled off the leather jacket he wore, and I could see the remnants of them spilling out of the collar of his shirt—scars marching up the back of his neck to disappear into his hairline, spreading across his shoulders. They peeked out, angry and raised, a black reminder of what had happened to him that would never fade.

Theo’s eyes widened as he stared. When his gaze trailed to me, over my shoulders, I shook my head and crossed my arms.

“What the fuck happened?”

I didn’t get a chance to answer him. Gethin was back, shoving a book into Theo’s chest hard enough that it knocked the breathfrom him. He turned with a snarl, but he was met with a cold, apathetic stare.

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