Page 850 of The Bonding Games: Part 1

My knees weaken, and I physically cannot hold myself up, so I drop to my knees at her side, relief, love, and so much exhilaration of my own overwhelming me. Cooper and Scotty look moments from doing the same, their eyes wide and full of hope and happiness at our first ever sight of our Bonded’s, while Tate loosens his hold on her, limbs slackening in shock and wonder, unable to see her smile but able to hear it in her words and additionally through the bond, no doubt—because I certainty can. And when Tiger lets out a joyous whoop and wraps his arms around her in a crushing hug . . .

She doesn’t try to pull away.

54

TIGER

“Do I look okay?” I run my hands over my thick golden hair, trying to get the voluminous waves to sit just right, the smell of creamy chocolate from the scent patch I secretly picked up from a stand in Techtis Ballroom to make sure Ezzy knows I’m edible, ready for consumption, and that I would love for her to take a bite filling my nostrils.

“Yes, Tiger. You’ve asked that about ten times now,” my brother sighs, slapping my hands away from my hair, and I pout at him. “But you’ll mess it up if you keep doing that.”

I huff. “Gotta look perfect for Ezzy, brother.”

“And you do—you look great.”

“Awwww, come here.” I pucker up and lean in to kiss his cheek, but he dodges and pushes me back by my head.

My head!

“No! Not the hair!” Frantically patting at it to get the strands back into position, I look at Scotty with betrayal in my eyes. “How could you?! You’re trying to sabotage me!” My eyes widen as the realisation hits me. “I knew it! You’re jealous that I look better than you! You know Wifey won’t want to look at anyone but me at the ball tonight!”

He sighs like the weight of The Bonding Games Headquarters’ buildings are on his shoulders. “As dashing as you look, that is not the case.”

“Do I look okay?”

At the quiet voice, I turn around, shooting one last narrowed-eyed stare at my brother before facing Alby.

I gasp. “Yes, Bestie!” I cheer, then bring my hands over my sparkle-filled heart. “Awww, my child is all grown up.”

“Thought he was your brother?” Cooper mutters as he comes out of his own room, adjusting his golden tie before smoothing a hand over his slicked-back cocoa head of hair.

“He is, Cocoa Coops. Keep up.” I roll my eyes before taking in Alby again, ignoring the grumpiest of my new brothers as he bitches about my awesome nickname:

Like me, my bestie chose a grey suit and golden bow tie, but his grey is a few shades darker than mine. He mentioned not wanting black because it felt too dark for his personality, especially when paired with his ebony hair—which I totally agreed with, by the way. These are the important things everyone should be concerned about when questioning fashion choices.

“Ezzy’s gonna drool for you, Bestie! Don’t you worry!”

He quickly resembles a strawberry.

“Fuckin’ hell, this thing is too small.”

Whipping my head to Tate’s door as he walks out of his bedroom, I fight back a laugh. His black suit jacket appears close to bursting at the seams, and he’s glowering as he shifts about in attempt to get comfortable.

Scotty’s brows draw inwards. “Didn’t you try it on when we were in Techtis Ballroom the other day?”

“Yes,” Tater Tot huffs. “I thought Havoc would like the way it accentuates my muscles.”

“That was a big word for you,” I comment with a hum.

He frowns. “What?”

“‘Accentuates’.”

The lines on his forehead deepen. “How’s that a big word?”

“Tater Tot, you used to only know two: ‘Havoc’ and ‘mine’.”

He looks proud of this.