Page 113 of Sweetheart: Part One

Icouldhandle him.

Instead, I turned back to Rook, resting against Ebony’s chest. Whatever. This was kind of my job anyway. Ebony would swear to the ends of the earth that he wasn’t lacking companionship, but it was still my opinion that mattered.

I was leaning heavier and heavier toward loneliness right now.

“You alright, Vex?” Rook asked pointedly, meeting my eyes. Was he making sure I was okay? Rather hypocritical, frankly.

My lips curved up in a half smile. “Yep.”

“We were having a private chat, Rook. No one wants you on my roof.”

“Your roof?”

“Why do you think we have another pool up here?” Rook asked me. “So the rest of us can swim without sharks.”

I laughed, but Rook didn’t look like he was kidding.

Oh.

“The pool is yours?” I asked.

“This whole space is mine,” Ebony said. “Not that anyone respects that.”

I wondered what he’d say if he found out what me and Drake were doing up here yesterday. Rook smiled. “I had a bigger initial contribution to this house. I can go anywhere I want.”

“Keep riding your parent’s money, mate, it’s a great look,” Ebony said.

“Happily.” Rook smirked. “If it means going wherever I want. If she decided she wanted to ride you right now—and she does look about five seconds from it—I could insist on staying for the view.”

I raised my eyebrows.

“I’d throw you off the edge before I let you watch,” Ebony snorted.

Uh… How had we gotten here?

Rook leaned back with that cocky grin on his face. I saw his eyes roam again across the way I was seated on Ebony’s lap.

I opened my mouth to remind them I hadn’t agreed to fuck either of them, but then closed it, wondering if I could play this to my advantage. I don’t think I’d seen either Rook nor Ebony as open as they were when they were at each other’s throats.

“It’s Ebony’s day today.” I placed a hand on Ebony’s chest. “His choice.”

Rook’s lips parted as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing, but I was distracted by something else. A vibration that had just passed through my palm.

“Did you justpurr?” I asked, looking back to Ebony.

“I’ve never purred in my entire life.”

“Why?” I frowned. “Are you secretly a beta or something?”

Rook choked on his drink.

Ebony’s lip curled, but he said nothing.

“You don’t have to suit up around her like she doesn’t know,” Rook said.

“Suit up?” I asked, glancing between them.

Ebony rolled his eyes.

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