Page 131 of Sweetheart: Part One

A deliberate rehash of what he’d said in the closet, only for everyone to fucking hear. I’d shot one horrified look around the living room to find the other three staring—Drake was on his feet at the way Ebony was touching me—then I’d shoved him away and slammed the door to the Sweetheart’s quarters.

Despite that, I’d noticed something had changed during the drive back. There had been a cold shift in him, as if, despite denying me after getting me to beg (I screamed again into my pillow), something had changed between us.

But by the time we arrived home, he was stone cold, his gaze even more predatory than before. We weren’t just back where we started, I could swear there was a glint of something in his eyes, as if I’d just handed him victory.

And the only thing Ebony wanted victory in was shattering my Sweetheart contract to pieces.

Right now, it was much easier to focus on how fucking angry I was that I’dbeggedhim to finger bang me.

I’d underestimated being around alphas, especially alphas who were also my mates. I’d been so turned on that I’d lost myself. My obsessed little omega heart had wanted him, and not for one second had I even considered he might not do it. I’d forgotten he was EbonyfuckingStarless, and normal instinctual things like lust and attraction didn’t affect him like it affected the rest of us.

My phone buzzed.

I froze, staring at it, terrified to turn it over in case… I squeezed my eyes shut as I grabbed it, and then peeked with only one.

Rook: Want you on my lap out here Baby Girl.

Thank god.

Annndd not thank god all at the same time.

But it could have been Alastor.At least it wasn’t fucking Alastor.

I peeked out of my room, scouting the living room down the hallway.

Ah, shit.

I could see Ebony, arm over the back of one of the couches, joining the others in whatever they were watching this evening.

It was a bonding experience for them, I knew, picking a movie, watching it together and then chatting about it from an acting perspective. Usually, Ebony didn’t participate, but he did turn up when he wanted to scare me off.

And aftertonight’sshow, I imagined that was exactly his goal.

Well, Rook had made that impossible.

Fuck me.

I sighed, checking my makeup in my bathroom mirror quickly, ensuring my bite was still hidden, and refreshing my cherry blossom scent before I left. Perhaps my hormones were out of whack, because when I crossed toward Rook—passing by where Ebony sat—I felt irrational satisfaction. With less indignation than usual, I did exactly what Rook asked, and slunk down onto his lap in front of them all, even slipping beneath the blanket covering his legs.

Most importantly, in front of Ebony.

Tonight, a sci-fi movie was playing on the TV, and I fixed my attention on it, feeling the burn of Ebony’s stare. I wasn’t going to look at him; he didn’t even deserve that.

Instead, I sunk closer to Rook, inhaling his amazing scent of caramel brandy, not even fighting my hormones.

“Did I hear that right?” he asked, low enough just for me.“Ebonygot you all hot and bothered?”

“Moment of weakness,” I whispered.

Ebonywasattractive, alright? And he was my mate.

We sat for a while, and I found it impossible to immerse myself in the movie. Drake made a few comments about one of the actors, but I barely paid attention, still stewing in my thoughts.

“You know what,” Rook murmured in my ear. “All that wriggling makes me want to play, Sweetheart.”

What?

Wriggling?

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