Page 26 of Major Penalty

“Ares?” A soft, shocked, familiar sound that hasn’t left my mind ever since I heard it for the first time.

I freeze. Slowly, my head turns, my heart skipping a beat. And that’s when I see her standing near the entrance, dressed in a yellow polka-dot dress. Her pretty eyes are wide, her lips slightly parted.

Irene.

She’s staring at me like she just uncovered a fucking secret. And she has. For a second, neither of us speaks. The kids are still tugging at me, still shouting over each other, clinging to my arms and legs, one of them climbing my back, but all I feel is her gaze—burning, searing.

She’s looking at me like she’s seeing me for the first time.

“Oh, you two know each other?” Tia asks, oblivious to the tension. “We’ll have no problems, then!”

Oh, we’ll definitely have some fucking problems.

Chapter nine

~IRENE~

It’s my day off, but I came in anyway. I’ve been volunteering at the youth center since I got back from college a few weeks ago. Usually, I only come on Saturdays and Sundays, but today, I had time.

And now, I’m regretting it. Because the sight before me is something I never thought I’d see. Ares Black, standing in the middle of the room, surrounded by kids. A swarm of tiny hands grab him, climbing him and tugging at his sleeves. And he’s…smiling and laughing. He’s never looked as devastating as he does now. His sharp canines flash as he grins at the chaos around him, his eyes crinkling slightly at the kids scramble to climb him.

He’s dressed in black jeans, combat boots, and a black hoodie. His usual armor. But he doesn’t look like a threat here. He looks like he belongs, like the kids own a piece of him.

What the hell am I seeing?

“Ares?” I don’t realize I’ve talked until I hear my own voice.

He freezes, his body locking up. His pale blue eyes snap to mine, staring me down and pinning me in place. Like I just caught him doing something he never wanted anyone to see. Like I just found out a secret I was never supposed to know.

For a second, we just stare at each other. He has that same look in his eyes he had when I caught him wincing while stretching.

The kids are talking over each other while I’m still trying to process what I’m seeing.

Ares Black. The coldest, most unreadable, most dangerously untouchable man I’ve ever met is standing in front of me, surrounded by kids. He looks like he’s home.

My heart is pounding. Because this doesn’t make sense. This isn’t the Ares I know.

He doesn’t stiffen or pull away when they pull at his hoodie, climbing him like he’s a jungle gym and fighting for his attention like he’s the most important person in the world.

“Oh, you two know each other?” I snap out of it, blinking as Tia, the youth center coordinator, smiles at me, completely oblivious. “We’ll have no problems, then!” she adds, nodding happily.

The words barely register because Ares is still watching me. Like he’s daring me to say something.

And then, his lips part.

“Irene.” His voice comes out low and deep.

Just my name, nothing more. But it’s enough to make my stomach flip.

Oh, God.

Why does my name sound like that when he says it? Why does it feel like a touch? Like his voice just wrapped around my hair and pulled?

I swallow hard. I should say something, but I don’t know what.

Tia hums, stepping closer to Ares. She tilts her head slightly, batting her eyelashes.

“So,” she purrs. “You sure you don’t want to stay here with the kids today?”

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