Page 126 of Sweetheart: Part Two

It would make everything worse. Zeus could ruin the whole thing.

I hated this. I hated how fucking impossible it was, even when they were right there. When Ebony was metres from them.

But that, I realised, was the point.

It was why they’d asked for Drake.

To torture him some more.

I shut my eyes, calming my breathing. I felt something unusual on my wrist as I tugged at my embroidered sleeve. I tugged it up to find myself looking at a peach and green bracelet. There were two silver charms on it: a waffle and a falcon.

For a while I stared at it, lips parted. Could it be what I thought it was? Now that I’d pulled my sleeve away, I caught the faint scents from it. Rainfall and fire tangled with jasmine and myrrh. I’d been high out of my mind yesterday, but I remember Love mentioning visitors. I stared down at the glittering silver on the bracelet.

Havoc and Prey had come to visit me?

“Theyrememberedme?” I whispered, looking up at Ebony.

He nodded, examining my expression. “The nurse said their scent settled you.” I felt a little flash of green from him in the bond at that, and almost found it in me to smile, which was a gift in itself.

“You’re glad they came?”

I nodded. I’d been hurt and they’d come, and they weren’t my scent matches or anything. They’d just shown up like… like maybe I mattered…

I tugged the bracelet off.

“Keep it safe for me?” I asked, holding it out to him. I didn’t want Zeus to read into the foreign scents. He was good at picking out what I cared about.

Ebony nodded.

“And don’t… scent mark it.”

He narrowed his eyes, a faint smile twitching on his lips. “No promises, Little Omega.”

“Okay.” I steeled myself. Zeus might be worse now, after my happiness with my mates, but I had a newfound courage. From Ebony and the bracelet in his fist. “I’ll be in and out, and then we’ll go back and it’ll all be over.”

And Rook was going to set up a date with me tonight…

It was going to be okay.

“I gave you space, Vex,” Zeus said. “I told them you could do what you’ve done all along. Cerus, on the other hand. He has doubts.”

Today, he wasn’t alone. For the first time, Cerus was at his side. His short black hair was gelled back, and his dark brown eyes looked like voids.

I hated how vulnerable I felt, with my fists balled in my lap, kneeling at their feet.

“I hope Ebony waits like a good dog,” Zeus snorted. “If he breaks the rules, I won’t give you back.”

I clenched my jaw. Ebony knew that. He wouldn’t. But I was regretting the bond between us now. I had to manage my fear more carefully.

Zeus glanced at Cerus as he went on. “He doesn’t know if we’re doing enough after you made that scene on TV. That you have enough rules to make sure you don’t fuck this up. Most of all, he’s worried.” Zeus leaned back, a sneer on his face. “He’s worried I’m going soft. That I’ve given you too much leash and now you’re smashing all the china.”

Cerus looked bitter, as his gaze slid from Zeus to me.

“He’s worried, because he’s used to more cruelty from me. But that’s a mistake. I’mnotcruel, I’m practical. There’s a beautiful day waiting for me at the end of this. If we want this to work, they have to be obsessed, Vex. We’re not going to get there by making your life miserable, by banning you from affection or tripping you up. You’re pathetic enough without my commands making it worse.”

None of it was a question. There was something wrong. Zeus wasn’t like I was used to. Was he talking to me, or Cerus?

“Have you fucked them, yet?” Cerus asked.

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