Page 6 of Vile Heart

Jaro ticked away on his multi-slate while Camren repositioned the chairs back at the table, throwing cups in the bin. “We still have some drinks left.” Putting the bottles in the middle, he made sure everything was tidy.

“He’s nearly here,” Jaro uttered.

“Good.” Camren crooked a finger. “Come and sit at the table. Let’s play another round.”

Light footsteps left the snow and then the door to the library opened. “Jarosh?” Blond hair swept out his face, showing sharp facial features and curvy, dark eyebrows. Cheeks were flushed from his haste to get here in time. Eyes, large and innocent, darted over the table, surprise painting his expression. A tongue peeked out between full, plush lips. “Cousin?”

And then their gazes clashed.

“Davian, it’s been such a long time since I saw you,” Camren purred, sliding out of the shadows. “Come and sit with us. We’re playing Questions and Commands, aren’t we,Jarosh?” He raised the taser and swept it over Jaro’s head, making the other man blow out a string of pleas. “Now.”

3

Davian’s eyes were wide when he took in the scene. The red heart he wore shone brilliantly in the dim light as he moved closer to the table.

“Drink?” Camren pointed the taser toward the bottles on the table. “Jarosh, serve us two glasses of rum and coke.” He pushed the other guy out of his chair, smirking when Jaro nearly bumped into the table.

“No.” Davian held up a hand. His blue stare met Camren’s. “I won’t drink with you. I came here because I was worried about my cousin, not because I wanted to see you.”

Liar.

“That’s too bad because I want to see you. Sit.”

“Why?” Davian shook his head slowly, lips pursed into a stubborn line.

“You know why. Because it’s been too long.” Camren watched Jaro fill up three cups with shaking hands. He hadn’t asked him to serve himself, but he’d let it slide for now.

Davian carefully pulled out a chair, metal scraping the wooden floors. He dismissed the drink his cousin slid toward him.

“Drink,” Camren ordered.

“No.”

“Drink.” Camren pointed the taser at Jaro’s temple.

A muffled curse spilled past Davian’s lips, but he lifted his cup and took a sip.

“Good. Now, we play. Who wants to go first?”

“I’ll go,” Jaro proposed when Davian didn’t answer.

“Oh yes, your cousin has already revealed some pretty interesting details.” Camren’s lips curled into a lazy grin. “Since I was curious why you disappeared after our final get-together.”

Davian’s gaze slid to Jaro, an unfamiliar glimmer in those blue eyes.Interesting.

“Question or Command?”

“Question,” Jaro muttered.

Camren’s gaze snapped to Davian. “You’ve got a question for your cousin, or shall I go?”

“I, yeah, uhm?—”

“Too late.” Camren’s smile widened as their stare continued. “Jaro, why did you and Davian switch to online classes?”

“Don’t tell him,” Davian snarled.

“He’ll find out anyway,” Jaro sighed and turned Camren’s way. “Because we were at home. Combining classes while trying to save the family’s business.”

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