Seconds passed with more small ripples and whispered words. Hopefully, they were finally planning. I focused on Oliver. He sat on the ground. Small pulses surrounded his hands. Was he fidgeting?Playing with snow? I refrained from scoffing. This was supposed to be a team effort.
A bigger ripple pulled me away from Oliver and back to Alexei and Lucille. I frowned at the oddly shaped heat signature on the ground, trying to process what I saw. In hindsight, I already knew, I just didn’t want to believe it. Once the red glow dimmed from the items, I forced myself to look at their combined signatures. Then she moaned.
My ears rang as I dropped my shadows, and it felt like someone shoved a hot fire poker in my gut.
Alexei, half-dressed, leaned over Lucille, nipping at her breast. He held her up as he thrusted his fingers into her core. Her hair pooled down her naked back as she gasped to the sky.
For a second, I just stood there. Alexei flirted with everyone. He also stuck his cock into any gorgeous body that’d let him. But I didn’t think Alexei would ever touch her, not after all his prying questions and suspicions. Even if I shut them down, I never thought he’d go this far. I never thought she’d let him.
Unholy heat seared through my stomach and boiled my blood. My shadows consumed my eyes and whipped out in a chaotic storm. Lifting my chin, I luscelered to Alexei and ripped him back by his neck.
His hands gripped the arm I had secured around his throat. “I’m sorry, Ro,” he croaked. He didn’t even fight me as I squeezed tighter.
I didn’t want his apology. It was worthless now. He did the deed. After berating me with questions and assuming what she was to me, he still fucking did this.
The hellion hit me from behind, begging me to let go, but I couldn’t. The pain stabbing through my chest wouldn’t let me.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not with the male I’d shared all my hardships with. Not with someone I called my brother.
Seven fucking Hells, her scent was all over him. Another shot of rage seared through me.
I squeezed tighter.
“Ronen! Stop! Don’t hurt him!” the hellion screamed behind me.
Bile gathered at the back of my throat.
Then the scene dissolved and shifted.
We were at the Shard Field, but Alexei stood fully clothed next to Oliver, and Lucille was next to me, pulling her hand from my face.
I should’ve been relieved. Oliver never touched me. It wasn’t a fear—it was a manipulation.
Dread dug its claws into my chest. A voice—hisvoice—slithered through my thoughts, echoing in my ears. My lungs seized. My hands trembled. One moment they were clean—the next, coated in blood.
Seven Hells. Not again.
This wasn’t real.
A distant voice pierced through his oily, controlling words—familiar and warm. I snapped my head up.
Alexei’s face flickered—golden and concerned, then pure white and apathetic.
No. He wasn’t here. He didn’t know I was in Hell.
Unless I wasn’t here.
Snow crunched beneath my shifting boots. In a blink, it was gone—replaced by blinding white marble.
“Ronen, are you okay?” It was her voice, distorted and echoing, but it washisface. “I didn’t mean?—”
I jerked away from her—histouch.
Lucille
Shadows wrappedaround his heaving chest, brushing his face as if trying to soothe him.
“Ronen, are you okay?” I touched his shoulder gently. “I didn’t mean?—”
