Page 25 of Sweetheart: Part One

It was hard to explain.

But my brothers weren’t gentle creatures—not like she seemed to be, and I wouldn’t leave her at their mercy. “Not really any details.” I shrugged. “I’m just making sure she’s okay.”

“Right…” Rook sounded far from convinced as we reached my room, and I turned the handle. “That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

“You don’t talk toanyone,” Rook said.

“It doesn’t mean anything,” I told him, grabbing a pair of sweats from my dresser and changing into them. “Wouldyousleep well after that stunt Ebony pulled? I’m just going to make sure she sleeps easy—”

“Wait.” he cut me off. “You’re going back? Shit dude. You’re… spending the night?”

“I was… going to.” I felt the flush climbing my neck as I met his intense chestnut eyes. “YousawEbony, right?”

His eyes darkened a bit, and he folded his arms, considering. I hadn’t left Vex’s side all day, which was far from my normal with Sweethearts. But it wasn’tjustbecause I was nervous about leaving her alone with the poison still seeping from Ebony’s end of the bond.

“You… shouldn’t have said you’d sign her,” I said.

“Says the alpha sleeping in her room on night two.”

“I’m on the couch—and I’m only doing that becauseyoupissed off Ebony, and she’s scared.”

She hadn’t said it outright, but I’d seen that little flash of fear in her eyes when I mentioned him. She’d shrunk down before she caught herself and straightened, trying to convince me she was alright.

She wasn’t alright.

When I’d suggested crashing on the couch, her protests had been fragile—and there had been a beautiful flicker of hope in her eyes, as if she couldn’t believe I was offering it. I’d offer her a thousand times more than that if it meant seeing a glimmer of trust from her again. If that wasn’t total insanity, I didn’t know what was.

Rook was right, I didn’t let people in.

But Vex was different.

“The couch?” Rook sounded incredulous. “First time hitting on a girl that I’ve ever seen, and you’re taking her couch? Did she put you there?”

“No.” I drew up. “Actually, she was happy I was staying and said I could take the bed—but I’m not hitting on her.”

“Fooling me.”

“Fuck you man,” I snorted. “She isn’t like the other Sweethearts—you don’t get it.”

Rook was the one I’d defer to when it came to… well, anything social. He could charm people in his sleep. But for some reason, I didn’t trust him with this.

“Not like the other Sweethearts?” Rook scoffed, running his fingers through his messy hair, looking a little concerned for me.

“Youalready said you might sign her,” I said.

He drew up at that, folding his arms and leaning against the wall as I rummaged through my drawer. “Don’t convince yourself that she’s different. I was just getting under Ebony’s skin.”

I gave him my best ‘fuck you’ look.

Rook was important to me. All of my brothers were, each offering something invaluable that I still didn’t know I totally deserved. I’d entered this pack after it was formed.

The newcomer. The one with baggage that might have been enough to destroy a regular pack. I’d been Ebony’s choice, too, and Rook and Ebony had always been at each other’s throats, so he could have hated me for that.

He hadn’t.

From the moment he’d understood I was pack, he hadn’t cared about any of it—not the baggage, and not the Ebony thing. He’d welcomed me as his brother instantly.

---