Page 86 of Sins of the Hidden

Tyrant spun to look at Joslyn with a grin. "Yeah, just look at who you're with. If I didn't know any better, I would think you're with a teddy bear."

Sarge growled as Tyrant laughed. Joslyn peered over at V with a slight twinkle in her eye, her eyebrows raised. "Why do they call you V?" Her question was innocent enough. She had asked months ago, but was ignored.

Mitchell started listing off with his fingers. "Violent. Vengeance?—"

"Virgin." Tyrant coughed into his fist to hide his laugh. Knight shoved him, but couldn't contain his laughter either.

"Not anymore." V's voice rumbled the words out. The pitcher of lemonade Victoria was carrying shattered. Tyrant and Knight's laughing ceased. Sarge, Joslyn, Nyla, and Mitchell all looked to V. Then me, then back to V.

I was silently praying there was a hole nearby I could crawl into and die.

"You fucked Oakley?" God, hearing him say it like that sounded awful. My face burned so hot I thought I might burst into flames. This was becoming excruciating, all those eyes watching us like we were some kind of sideshow attraction. As V's arm shifted protectively around me, I let my hair fall forward to shield my face, unable to meet anyone's gaze.

V stepped forward, shoulders squared, putting himself between me and their stares while my eyes remained firmly on the ground. Tyrant's laugh bellowed through the room. "Wait until Law hears about this."

Oh God. My parents. With all the things that have happened between me and V, I forgot that they would find out.

"P-Please don't tell them." The plea escaped before I could stop it.

My father's history with V was complicated. Even my mother, usually the peacekeeper who managed to stay neutral in club politics, grew quiet around V. The memory of their last visit replayed in my mind—the tension crackling in the air of my apartment as Dad sized up V, neither man willing to back down.

They'd never understand what he meant to me. How could they? They'd only ever known the version of me that begged to be saved. Not this new version of me who found peace in the arms of a man everyone could only see as a monster.

When I saw them again, we'd have to face this—their disapproval. But until then, I would protect what V and I were building. This fragile, twisted thing that felt more like home thananything I'd known before. Before they—especially my father—tried to ruin it.

"How was it?" Tyrant tried to keep a straight face as he spoke, but the bulging of the veins in his neck gave away how childish he was.

My face burned. Answering that question from my girlfriends would be difficult for me; this is impossible, and I don't want to. What I do with V is none of their business.

"I noticed you hobbling a bit." Victoria teased.

"Is it because he bought you that bakery?" My eyes flew to Joslyn, who at least had the decency to look sheepish.

"He bought you a bakery!" Their shouts in unison were unnecessarily loud and over the top.

“N-No!” I stuttered, leaning more into V. “I-I mean. Y-Yes, he bought me a bakery. But that’s not why…” Oh god, is this what everyone thinks? My fingertips traced the fabric of the shirt I wore, trying to ease my racing mind. My breaths hitched as small little lights danced in my vision. The attention in the room was aimed at us, and I couldn't handle it.

"So that's why you wanted the abandoned building on Melony," Mitchell grinned now. "Who knew you could be a romantic, V?"

I didn't think V was being romantic. His thought process was different than others, wanting to do things for me to make my life easier and getting me something I didn't want, but made it in a way that I couldn't help but accept.

"W-We're building it together." I don’t know why I needed to say that.

Tyrant grinned. "We'll help?—"

"No." V cut him off.

I placed my hand on his chest. "V only wants him and me to fix it up together."

"He did build Hellbound by himself," Mitchell shrugged. "He taught himself trades. The only thing we helped with was getting the…" He looked over at Nyla and Joslyn. "Basement setup."

I knew he meant the ovens. I didn't know if Nyla or Joslyn knew about them.

"So you know how to build and do electrical work on houses?"

He didn't answer Joslyn, but Tyrant did. "Yeah, he does. Self-taught."

"You didn't go to school?"

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