Page 26 of Sweetheart: Part One

Love had always been a solid pillar, an older brother, and Ebony was… well, he was Ebony. But Rook had been a friend; pulling me right into acting sessions, advocating for role changes to allow for me to integrate easily—and then he worked with me to match all their styles in acting. Hours and hours he’d spent, until I’d felt confident. It had forged a friendship between us that hadn’t wavered since. Never once had he asked about my baggage—the shitallof them could feel.

The nightmares, the panic, the anxiety.

He was solid for me from day one, handing me a piece of him he reserved for very few people.

I wasn’twithany of my pack mates—the others were far from romantic, though that had always given me a sense of safety—but I still loved him.

Yet,noneof that changed the fundamental truth of what he was. “You lot are dicks,” I said, tugging my shirt on. “I’m making sure she’s alright.”

Rook snorted. “Me and Ebony sure, but what did Love do?”

“Let Ebony get this far with the whole Sweetheart shit in the first place.” We all knew it was a power play from Ebony. A fuck you to us, to the system, to the fame he resented being bound to, even when it was what delivered him the power he wanted.

It was fucked up, but before now he’d always recognised lines he couldn’t cross—even if only for the fear of screwing up the pack bonds.

Except for today. Today, he’d crossed those lines and then some, without even a flicker of recognition—as if Vex had wounded him personally. I loved Ebony—truly, but I wasn’t foolish enough not to realise my relationship with him was contingent upon the fact that his coldness was aimed everywhere but me. And it never would be aimed at me. That was a promise I trusted.

Yet, I didn’t carewhohe was—or I hadn’t before now. There had to be people to love the ones who were different or nothing stopped them becoming the monsters the world promised they’d be.

But it still set me on edge when it came to Vex. To Ebony, she was other.Othermeant an open playing field. And Rook? Well, he thought she was other, too, and he could deny it all he wanted, but he could be just as destructive as Ebony.

I wouldn’t be complicit in any of the fucked up corruption we all knew our money and power and fame would allow us.

Rook was still looking at me like I was missing a joke.

“What?” I asked as I made for the door.

“That’s all?” he asked. “You’re staying with her fornoblereasons only?”

I scowled, turning to him before leaving my room. “You won’t see me signing her in.”

And I wouldn’t, no matter what she was like.

I loved my pack, but it was broken, and there was no room for the sweetness I saw in Vex.

NINE

VEX

Even with the scent of Drake’s blackcurrant wine lingering in the air, it was hard to sleep.

There was Ebony to think about, the pack waiting for me if I failed, and the new room. All my stuff remained in my suitcase. I was too afraid to take anything out and make any of this space my own… I couldn’t nest, and luckily the suppressants I was on dampened those urgesalmostcompletely.

Drake was comforting and sweet, even if much further away than I would have liked, though I appreciated the space he was offering me.

It felt like a sleepover. Like we were friends, and he was here for me.

I left my contacts in, which wasn’t a first. They were fine to leave in, I just had to make sure to blink a few times to let them set back in place in the morning. So I curled up in my bed, trying to refrain from glancing over at him too many times before I drifted off.

Still, no matter how much comfort he brought, it wasn’t enough to ward off the nightmares that stole me away.

Two Months Ago

I finished doing my hair beneath the constant threat of the gun tucked into Wheatgrass’ belt.

Then, I was blindfolded and led along a dozen hallways. When my feet ached in the heels he’d had me wear, I was finally shoved into a car.

The blindfold, at least, gave me hope.If I couldn't see my potential buyers, they were still attached to anonymity, and might not be set on bonding me.

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