“You like them?” Sable mocks. “I could chain you to my bed, allow my twin to watch. I share her face; I’m sure I could get you hard. Oh, come on, give me a snarky reply.” Sable turns. “Nothing from you, Selene? Oh, this is no fun,” she pouts.
“Enough, Sable. It smells. Let’s move.” Sofia’s sister lights another mage light and inspects her nails.
“I’m going to say this once.” Hector’s voice is ice as he looks at me. “I need Selene, not you. Sable, you can do what you want with him, but if he tries to attack, he’s dead.” He looks down at me. “Understood?”
I grind my teeth.
“Hector.” Sable rushes to his side and kisses his lips, but his eyes remain open and on me.
Sable thinks she can wrap every man around her finger, but the higher she climbs, the less they bend and break. Hector stands tall, unmoving. Sable was the one who was bending, not him.
“It’s a straight path down.” Hector steps back, flexing his fingers; even his knuckles are tattooed. “You will go first.” He glares at me. Slowly, I stand, pressing my hand to my ribs so he thinks they still pain me. “Then Sable, then Selene, and my sister and I will be last.”
Sable pouts. “But I want to have fun with them.”
“You can have fun.” Hector grabs her chin. “Once I get our book.” He kisses Sable with a lover’s fury.
Sable grinds her hips into him as she moans. I’m about to look away when Hector opens his eyes and glares at me again, like a knife ready to peel flesh from bone.
He fists Sable’s hair, pulling her away. “Go,” he orders me.
I take a hesitant step, eyes searching the darkness. The weight of Selene’s stare has me faking confidence. My exhale fans out like heat over sand, stretching far and wide.
“Our brother’s killer is your mate,” Sable taunts, her breath heating my neck.
“It could be worse,” Selene snaps, trying to make Sable think she doesn’t love me.
“Nothing is better,” Sable sings. She traces her fingers down my neck as I walk. “Titus, how much do you know?” she persists. I want to walk slowly, but hearing Sable gloat has me quickening my pace. An expert made the path, and not a single stone is uneven, allowing me to catch my breath.
“I’m more curious,” Selene replies, “why do you need me?”
“You must know a lot, sister. Everett was so detailed, but he had no idea I had someone on my side helping me.” Sable spills like water. Hector’s exhale is a hiss of irritation. Having such a blabbering weakness clinging to his side doesn’t sit well, but hedoesn’t stop Sable… because he needs her to get that book for him.
Has Sable considered what comes after? Once she frees the Vitalis, I doubt Hector will be so tolerant.
“For years, Everett was ahead. Then I met Hector, and he gave me all the tools I needed. Told me where to turn.” Sable blows Hector an air kiss.
“And what did that cost you?” Selene retorts.
Sable hesitates, looks over her shoulder at Hector, and smirks. “Nothing.”
Selene laughs. I close my eyes. I want to hear that sound again.
“You’re just jealous someone loves me. Me. Not you.”
“You’re just his pawn,” Selene sneers.
“Enough!” Hector snaps.
“Do you see what I mean, Hector? This has been my life, tolerating her, enduring her!”
“Endurance builds strength. You should be thanking me, not bitching to your boyfriend,” my mate quips back.
That’s my girl.I smirk.
“I’m going to end you slowly.”
“A slow death will seem fast compared to the years I’ve had to look upon your face,” Selene replies.
