Page 74 of Heroes & Hitmen
He sets the fork down, brows lifting. “You told her?”
“Of course I told her,” I reply, a little defensive. “She’s mysister. She’d be heartbroken if I suddenly disappeared without any explanation.”
He blows out a slow breath, leaning back and running a hand through his copper hair. “That’s…” he starts, then shakes his head and tries again. “I just thought we were keeping it close. Just us.”
“You’re telling your brother,” I counter.
“That’s different,” he grunts. “There’s no way to do thiswithoutlooping him in. You’ll need a place to land, and our pack’s got the resources to keep you safe.”
“I can’t just leave her here,” I blurt, sounding far more desperate than I intend. “I’m closer with Jordan than all my other sisters combined. She’s always been at my side, always had my back. She’s…” I swallow thickly, voice softening. “She’s myperson.”
He studies me for a long, silent moment, then nods, reluctantly accepting the change of plans. “Fine. I’ll see what I can do about getting two new identities, then.”
“Thank you,” I breathe, warmth unfurling in my chest as I blink at him. “And… sorry for springing it on you.”
He waves me off like it’s no big deal, picking up his fork and digging back in. “Better to know now than the day of.”
For a few minutes, we eat in silence– the kind that’s not awkward, just necessary. I savor every bite, weirdly touched by how well he nailed the breakfast spread. Ares finishes before me, wiping his mouth off on a napkin and swiveling in my direction.
“So, what’s the plan once you have the IDs?” he asks. “We should probably pin down specifics.”
I set my fork down and turn his way. “Well, I figured we’d just pack up a few essentials and leave right before the ceremony. There’ll be so much going on that it’s our best chance at slipping away unnoticed, and if you and I put on a good enough performance at the gala the night before, nobody will suspect I’m a flight risk. Then you just have to show up, sell the heartbreak, and convince Alpha that I ran out on you.” I give him a pointed look, lifting a brow. “Still think you can do that?”
He snorts a laugh, pushing his fingers through his hair. “I could win a fucking Oscar, babe.”
I nod, fully believing him. The ease with which he can lie through his teeth is downright impressive. And terrifying. Because he’s such a good liar that there’s no way of knowing when he’s actually being real.
“And you?” he asks, tilting his head. “Still think you’ll be able to walk away from all this?”
I hesitate for some reason, suddenly unsure whether he’s asking about the city orhim. “I can do anything I put my mind to,” I say confidently.
He nods, looking almost proud. “Atta girl.”
The words land exactly how he intends. I catch myself smiling, then immediately trying to kill it with a scowl, turning back to my plate and picking up my fork.
We finish breakfast in companionable silence. When I go to push up from my stool, Ares sets a hand on my shoulder, holding me in place.
“Hey,” he says, pinning me beneath the intensity of his stare. “We’re gonna pull this off, okay? If you want out, I’ll get you out.”
My throat bobs with a harsh swallow as I nod, almost believing it.
Ares lets go, the warmth of his touch lingering long after his fingers have left my skin. He snags both of our empty plates, circling around the counter to bring them to the sink.
“You just relax, I’ve got clean-up,” he says over his shoulder, and as someone who hates doing dishes, I don’t argue. “We’re still on for tonight, right?”
My brows pinch together as I reach for my coffee mug. “Huh?”
“Dinner and drinks with my friend Will, remember?”
“Oh, yeah,” I breathe. “Sure.”
I sip my coffee, sneaking glances at Ares as he cleans up the kitchen. I can’t help but smile at the way he hums to himself, the easy confidence in his movements, the fact he looks so at home here. It hits me all over again how I actuallylikehim, and I have no idea when or how the hell that happened.
But I also know how dangerous it is that I’ve caught feelings for Ares Raines.
I barely know the guy, and there’s no way I can fully trust him. He’s too good of a liar; he could turn on me at any second if it served him. That’s just the way the world works. The only person you can ever truly depend on is yourself.
Still, I let myself enjoy the moment– the butterflies that erupt when he smiles at me, the comfort of domestic bliss with the last person I expected to find myself falling for. The taste of good coffee and the lively banter between us. But I’m still keeping one eye on the door, always prepared to bolt if it comes down to it.
