13 #3
“You do?” Tiger pops back up again from where his face had dropped with her previous words.
“I do,” she confirms, not meeting anyone’s gaze, though I don’t know if that’s deliberate or if she’s as intrigued by Tate’s arm that he subtly flexes for her as she outwardly appears.
Honestly, I think it’s probably a mixture of the two.
I’m not appearance-obsessed, but I can say with pride that recently, as Ezla lets herself indulge in us more, it’s blatantly clear how much she appreciates how we look.
“I am . . . I have not tried another escape since in that sense. You are . . . I . . . I think I am sure I would like to stay now.” Her nose wrinkles in that adorable way of hers as she struggles with her words, and my heart squeezes.
“And you have no idea how fucking good that is to hear, Love,” I murmur, thumb drifting along her hairline.
She hums absently, briefly eyeing that thumb like she’s considering biting it off, but I only smile softly.
I’m not expecting her to immediately be able to accept me touching her in all these affectionate ways so easily, even if she has been phenomenal with it all lately.
And when she has reactions like this, it’s honestly a little cute.
Slowly, a malice-filled glare slides up to meet my gaze.
I roll my lips in. “I’m sorry, Love. I didn’t mean to call you cute.”
Cooper snorts while Tiger gushes, “But she is! Look at this nose!” Ezla’s eyes flare with a concerning amount of menace as he boops its slightly upturned tip.
“Do not do that again, Puppy, or I will whip you until you are crying for mercy I will not give you, and then collar you like a true pet and drag you around on a leash whilst you crawl on all fours for me for as long as I see fit.”
It’s soundless for a beat.
Then Tiger breathes with goo-goo eyes, “Oh . . .”
Ezla moves on without comment on my brother’s clear arousal, but this time in our minds: Show no reaction, but I must ask this of you now.
I try not to stiffen at the sudden shift in the atmosphere.
I need your bonding cubes.
Surprise, intrigue, and confusion all roll over me.
Tiger shimmies closer to her and nuzzles his head into her cheek, and I know he’s putting on a show for possible cameras as he whines, “I wanna be your pet. Want you to leash me.” However, I know for a fact that none of that is really a facade.
And he can get away with that, even if it would anger Joseph, as he’s not got to the stage of believing the Game Master’s lies in our ongoing performance yet.
And yet I’m not oblivious to the fact that none of the rest of us have been acting in this room, that our Bonded doesn’t react appropriately by throwing him off and hissing venomous words at him as she has been.
So I can only pray he isn’t watching, because like me, I don’t think Cooper or Ezla can put on our show right now.
Not after what we’ve just been through. But at best, Tiger’s words should at least help hide the fact we’re talking mind to mind.
Ezla hums and runs her fingers through his thick golden hair again as Cooper sends down the bond, Why? What do you need them for? Don’t they have no use after Game 1?
Are you questioning me?
No, Vengeance. Of course I’ll give mine to you. Then his right eye twitches like he’s struggling not to thin his gaze. Well, not unless you’re about to try and unlink us from you.
Panic spirals through the bond from me and my brothers.
I hadn’t even thought of that. She wouldn’t try that, would she . . . ?
No, Tate seethes as if he’s taken Cooper’s words as fact. No, you’re fucking not, Havoc—
Scathing anger radiates from her, and her grip tightens a fraction in Tiger’s hair. You truly believe that? After all I have . . . after all I have said, all I have done? Some hurt manages to trickle into her harsh questions. Just a pinch, but no one misses it.
I immediately feel like absolute crap.
Gods, we’re sorry, Love. It’s just hard to know what you’re thinking, how you’re feeling, when you hide so much from us. But you’ve done so well, and we know you care for us.
Her lips try to tighten before smoothing out again, controlling her visible appearance flawlessly. She doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t deny it.
So if it’s not that, what is it? Why do you need them? Cooper demands, but I can tell after what I’ve said that he’s trying to tamp down on his temper.
I do not have to share my reasoning. You should trust me.
We do! Alby rushes out. We do! You can have my bonding cube!
And mine! Tiger pipes up.
You’re not trying to get rid of us in any way? That’s Tate as his darkened grey stare digs into Ezla.
No. I would not do that, she snaps.
Then you can have mine, Havoc.
You can have mine too, Love, I send her way along with a caress.
Cooper hesitates.
Cooper, I will subject you to the most torturous punishments known to man—
You can have mine, he cuts our Bonded off. If you’re going to keep me, and this is part of whatever brilliant plan you’ve come up with that will ensure all of us are safe, including you, Vengeance . . . then you can have anything you want.