Page 167 of Sweetheart: Part Two

“I don’t usually make a point of advertising it around you.” I snorted. But I could see the strange… something in his gaze that continued to linger on me. I lifted my hands. “Oh no. Absolutely not. Shut that look off.”

“What look?” Healmostseemed startled.

“There’s nothing between us.”

“What?” he asked, a sneer curling his lips.

“You’re getting all… claim-y. You claimed Drake. Love’s yours. But not me, Ebony. There’s no claim. No thank you. Not one damn thing—nothing—between us.”

He sneered. “I’m notclaimingyou.”

“Good,” I said. “Then we’re golden.”

He paused, glancing back down at Wheatgrass for a long moment before flicking his eyes back to me. “I didn’t realise you didn’t want my claim that bad.”

I narrowed my eyes. Oh no. No no no. “Thatwasn’ta challenge.”

“You fucked her in my bed,” he murmured. “Only one way I let that slide.”

I folded my arms, all my irritation draining away as he reminded me of that, and returned my attention to the alpha.

“You said you can make them scream without a single cut? Go on then.”

He perked up, finally ripping his eyes from me. “I can.” He tugged out a pouch and withdrew a needle. “I’ve always been curious. What do you think would happen if you put Agritox right into an alpha’s bloodstream?”

* * *

I stared over the metal railings at the peaceful flow of River Oxford below, stretching into the infinite darkness of the night.

“And you’resureabout this?” I asked.

“After tonight,” Ebony said. “No one will be looking for him in this city.”

“Why?”

“He got a text before we arrived that sent him into a panic. His home is in a state of chaos—exactly what you might expect of a criminal who just learned he’d been discovered. Packed in a hurry and his suitcase is missing. He escaped just in time for the fireworks.”

“The fireworks?”

Ebony grinned. “We have an omega to go home to. The night has only just begun.”

FORTY-FOUR

Chia pet’s 9th day of life. Hair length 9cm.

Time until execution: 113 seconds

VEX

I jumped as the door to my nest banged open.

It was late—really late. But Ebony had promised me a date tonight and I was waiting up with Drake and Love.

Ebony stood in my doorway. He smelled of twilight grass and a fresh shower, and I’d never seen him glowing like he was right now.

“Ebony?” I asked, but he was crossing toward my window sill, eyes fixed on my line of gifts.

I tugged away from Love’s arms and ran to him, heart taking flight in my chest as he picked up the chia pet.

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