Page 112 of The Bonding Games: Part 2

Grabbing the shard in both hands now, I bring it up before bending my arms at the elbows and stabbing it down and inwards into—

I’m yanked backwards into a solid wall of muscle, my arms jolted so hard and fast from the right at the same time that I lose my grip on the shard of glass completely. It clatters to the taalk, but I can hardly see anything through my blurry eyes as I scream and shout like a madwoman, thrashing about in whichever dead man’s arms I am in.

“. . . stop her! She’s still hurting herse . . . shards all over the floor!”

Stubble rasping roughly across my cheek. “Stop moving, Vengeance. We’ve got you, and we’re not letting you go until you stop hurting yourself—”

More unwanted hands reaching for me.

“. . . still for me, Love. Stay still.”

I kick out madly, strike my arms out all over the place.

“Fuck . . . Havoc. Baby . . . promise you . . . kick my lights out, but only when you’re better—”

“. . . why?! E-Ezla . . . n-need to ho-ld her . . .”

“Stay back, Alby . . . not herself. It’s not safe.”

Not myself. Not safe.

Alby.

As if I would ever hurt my shy boy. As if I would hurt one of my Bonds.

Blinking rapidly as I still, my vision finally clears. Panting heavily, entire body trembling, I take in the scene before me:

My arms are held captive by Scotty, whose horrified blue eyes stare into me. Large bands that I find to be Tate’s shaking hands are wrapped around my calves firmly when I look that way, and that unhinged look in his stormy-grey gaze is not attractive in the way it usually is, only concerning. Just behind Scotty is Tiger, paused mid-stride as if he had been about to try to help, his skin papery white, tears soaking his face. And behind him, stood frozen before the now-open doorway, is Alby. I feel physically sick at the look on his face.

All of that tells me that the owner of the damp, burning bare chest pressed tight to my back is Cooper. His legs are wet, too, the hair on him even darker than usual, telling me he rushed from the shower to get here, only throwing on boxer briefs from the feel of things.

Lastly, I take stock of my own body. I had not noticed before, but there are lacerations all over it.

Funny. I cannot even feel them.

For a while, no one speaks. I do not think anyone can.

I break that silence with the only thing I can think to say when I find my voice: “How did you get in here? Your fingerprints are not on my biometric scanners.” My voice is hoarse and low.

Cooper lets out a bitter laugh, shaking my body with the action. Arms tightening around me, he says, “Yeah, fuck that, Vengeance. You’re not avoiding talking about this.”

My blood boils. “I was not going to—”

“Your bonding cube, Ezla,” Scotty cuts me off quietly, and I snap my eyes to the right when I catch the inky-crimson glow in Tiger’s shaking hand. “We didn’t know if it would work, but we don’t have your fingerprint anywhere, and we thought the scanner would accept the Avri since bonding cubes are intrinsic to the Bonded, essentially a fundamental part of us. It would be expected that the cube is in the owner’s possession at all times, equally as much a part of that individual as a fingerprint.”

My hand attempts to snap out, but Cooper holds on tight. Still, I demand, “Give it here, then. I would not like any of you to be able to come into my private space—”

“Are you fucking serious right now?” Cooper spits. “We let you into ours, let you put your fingerprint on ours, without question.”

“Because you are comfortable with that. I am not comfortable with you having access to my private space around the clock.”

His teeth smash together, hold on me tightening further.

Before he can say any more, Scotty speaks, his words containing barely suppressed pain, shock, horror, and some anger. “Talk to us, Love. What happened?” He tries to ask the question in a soothing tone, but it does not pair well with his unwavering grasp on my arms and the crack of his voice.

A well-polished mask comes down over my features. “Nothing.”

“Stop. Bullshitting,” Cooper bites out in my ear, his fury making the air around him heat and vibrate. “You’re fucking— Why? What happened? Why do you keep doing this to us? Do you know how it felt to find you like this?” His voice breaks, and I feel as though someone has reached into my gut and clenched their fists around all the rot inside. “We’ve just got you back, and now you try to take yourself from us on purpose? I can’t— We can’t live without you, Ezla. Why would you . . . Fuck—fuck . . .” This time, his chest shakes with the force of the sobs threatening to break free of him. Bile rises up my throat as he hides his tears in my shoulder, but drops splash onto my skin to give him away. “Gods, please. Please, Vengeance. Just let us help you. Let us fucking help you. What can I do? What do you want from me? I’ll give you anything. Just don’t leave me. Don’t leave us.”