Page 123 of Heroes & Hitmen
An uncomfortable silence descends, but Charlie’s quick to break it. She nudges me with an elbow, eyes sparkling with curiosity. “So, you and Ares… you sealed the bond?” she asks, wagging her brows suggestively.
I feel a blush rise to my cheeks as I nod in affirmation.
Blake lets out a girlish little squeal, shimmying in place. “Oh my gosh! Was it amazing?”
“Did it hurt?” Charlie cuts in.
“Or did it feel good?” Blake asks, blinking at me. “Don’t act like you’re not dying to spill all the details. C’mon, give us something, girl!”
I smile into my coffee. “It was… yeah, amazing doesn’t even begin to cover it,” I say with a soft chuckle.
“Ugh, you aresowithholding right now,” Charlie groans.
I roll my eyes. “I’ll tell you guys everything eventually. The whole messy story. But for now, all you need to know is that Ares and I are fated, we sealed the bond, and we’re… happy.”
My sisters swoon, and dammit, I swoon right along with them. Because saying those words makes it real, and I didn’t even realize how badly I craved something real in my life after all the lies. Something that’s justmine.
After a few more sips of coffee and some half-hearted protests, the girls take the hint and clear out, pulling me into tight hugs before exiting the apartment. The second the door clicks shut behind them, Ares steps out of the bedroom, still wearing my apron.
“So how’d it go?” he asks as he strides down the hall toward me, that slow, sexy grin spreading across his face.
I smile right back, unable to contain it. “As if you weren’t listening in.”
He has the audacity to try to play innocent for all of two seconds before a telltale smirk curls his lips. “Old habits die hard, babe.”
“Creep.”
He grins wider, but it fades almost immediately. “Hey, about Jordan…”
I shake my head, holding up a hand to stop him. “I’m not ready to talk about her.”
His Adams apple bobs with a swallow, expression softening. “Fair enough. I get it, family’s hard.”
“Especially mine,” I mutter, stepping over to the couch and dropping back down onto it.
Ares follows, crouching down in front of me and bringing a hand up to rest on my knee. “Maybe I can cheer you up?”
I narrow my eyes in suspicion. “What are you plotting?”
Rather than answering, he pulls out his phone and unlocks it with a mischievous little flourish. “Wanna meet mine?”
It takes a second for his words to register. “You want me to meet your family?” I blurt, blinking at him. “Like, right now?”
“Unless you want to get all dolled up first,” he says, gesturing vaguely at my oversized sweatshirt and damp hair. “But personally, I think you look hot as fuck.”
I roll my eyes, heat rising to my cheeks. “You’re a menace.”
“But I’myourmenace,” he fires back, grinning. “And you love it.”
He is, and I do.
Before I can protest, Ares taps his phone screen, initiating a video call. “Brace yourself,” he murmurs. “They’re loud.”
The call connects, a handsome stranger’s face filling the screen. Aside from the dark hair, he looks a lot like Ares– this must be Archer, the older brother he’s told me so much about.
Archer’s brows are furrowed, as if he’s bracing for bad news. “Ares. Everything okay?”
“Better than okay,” Ares replies, swiveling the phone toward me. “Meet my fated mate.”
