Page 111 of Sweetheart: Part One

I blinked, trying to get my bearings, ripping my headphones from my ears as I did. Adrenaline shot through my system as I made out the dusky tan skin and bone straight silver locks loose around a pair of broad shoulders.

I sat up so fast my phone went skidding across the tiles.

Ebony was taking a seat beside me on the deck chair before I could get to my feet, and I jumped when I felt his fist close around my arm, holding me in place.

“Stay.”

“Fuckoff!”

P!nk was, perhaps, a bad choice to listen to right before facing the jerk of an alpha who was paying for a contract literally keeping me safe.‘I’m Not Here for your Entertainment’was still tinny in the air, blaring from the headphones that tumbled from the chair along with my phone.

Still, Ebony hadn’t let me go, and I glared up at him with a scowl. “What do you want?”

“Company.”

“I don’t believe you.”

His smile was cocky, and his grip loosened only for the weight of his arm to settle around my shoulders. “What if I said I just want some affection?”

“I’d say you’re a fucking liar.”

I felt the vibration of his low chuckle right down to my spine.

“Love’s been dogging me about spending time with you. It’s becoming a real pain in my ass.”

“He said you have an interview later?”

“That’s why I’m here.”

I swallowed, the brief boldness my music had leant me, fading. He was still holding me against him, the frighteningly alluring scent of twilight grass filling my senses.

Fuck him and his stupid nice scent. He was a goddamned honey trap, sweet scent luring me in, and then he’d grind my bones to make his bread.

The worst part was that there was the faintest echo within me that liked it—liked how close he held me. Ebony was one that, from the very beginning, had rejected me. And there was a traitorous little part of my withered omega heart that wanted to lean into this touch, even if it was a facade.

I still had dreams about the night he’d chased me through the maze—and embarrassingly, they really weren’t nightmares by a long shot.

“Save yourself some heartache,” he said. “Tell Love that I offered, and you declined.”

I tugged from his embrace and got to my feet. There was a predatory look in his storm-cloud eyes, which were far too dazzling in the sunlight. Then his gaze flickered to my chest for a moment, as if he couldn’t help himself. I’d be lying if I didn’t feel a little swell of praise at that.

He hated me, sure, but he’d better at least find me fucking attractive, or what was the point in a scent match at all?

I wasn’t exactly well-endowed in the chest area, but right now I was wearing a bikini top paired with black harem pants. I loved that sort of clothing. I’d love to get authentic ones from other countries, but I knew that was a dream that would never come true. I was gold pack—I could travel across state borders, but unregistered as I was, a passport was out of the question. Even I wouldn’t brave the black market for that. The penalties were infinitely higher than they were if I got caught buying illegal heat drugs or coloured contacts.

I shook that thought from my head, returning my attention to the predator before my eyes. He was watching me with that unnerving coolness.

“It’s my job. I’ll be coming,” I said. There was no way in hell I’d let Ebony swing a neglect accusation at my contract.

“Decline. Tell Love you can’t handle me.”

“Icanhandle you.”

His laugh sounded genuine. I almost lost my footing as he grabbed my arm and tugged me toward him. And before I could say a thing, he pressed his teeth to my wrist.

My heart stuttered out in my chest.

I tugged away but he didn’t let me go, teeth sinking in. I had to cover my mouth to stifle the all-too-omega whimper from slipping out. By the time he leaned back, the mark of his teeth was outlining my skin.

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