Page 116 of The Bonding Games: Part 2

“But why would you want to feel the pain that comes with it?” Ezla’s brows scrunch in genuine confusion.

“No one wants to feel pain, Love,” I say softly, and her eyes shift to me. “Like Cooper said, it’s unavoidable. But all the good that comes with it is worth it, and you have to realise that you are not a sickness. We want you because you’re everything, Ezla. You’re everything we want.”

“I . . .

“And that’s why it’s different compared to Joseph!” Tiger rushes out, but he doesn’t move closer this time, still unsure what to do with himself. “It— You don’t feel good with him at all, right? But—but you said you feel good with us. And—and you told me you like me happy! But he— Joseph doesn’t care about that with you! This is—this is the good kind of love! You don’t have his twisted feelings. When I feel what you feel for us through the bond, I feel . . . I feel amazing. It feels amazing! Nothing about it feels wrong!”

Smiling gently, I add, “And you can feel all of us in return. You know we mean what we’re saying. We’re all having a hard time with things lately, but it’s always to do with you leaving us. Do you get that? The pain isn’t from you being here, but from the idea of you not. First, you having to return to Joseph, then him taking you from us. And then there was the Game . . .” My throat thickens painfully at the memory of Air Battles like always. “And just now . . .” My head shakes, and more moisture builds in my eyes for a multitude of reasons, and then I’m crying, too. “Fuck, if we’d have been a second later . . .”

“I can’t lose you, Havoc,” Tate carries on for me gruffly when I can’t keep going any longer. “We can’t lose you. That’s the only way you ever hurt us. We just want you to stay with us forever.”

Alby nods frantically, sucking in a ragged breath, wiping at his swollen eyes. “You m-make my life so much be-tter, Ezla. It o-only h-hurts when you th-threaten to l-leave it. Pl-please don’t l-leave m-me.”

Ezla’s quiet for a beat, and I don’t think she knows how to respond. So while she gets her thoughts in order, I say to get this out of the way, because it’s still haunting me, “I’m so sorry about what I said in the maze, Ezla. Truly. I didn’t think about the impact my words could have.”

Her expression hardens slightly. “I do not wish to speak of that. That was . . . If people decide to analyse the interaction and conclude there is any weakness in me, I will simply have to go and tear those ridiculous thoughts from their heads,” she says, bloodlust flashing through her darkened eyes.

“I’ll come with you,” Tate grunts. “No one questions my baby’s ruthlessness.”

Gaze flicking over to him, her pupils expand, sudden desire swirling through her in slithering tendrils. “Thank you . . . my beast.”

Breaths of relief are huffed out around the room. If she’s still calling us hers, then that’s what we are.

Tate’s own eyes become molten in response, and the mood in the room is trying to change a little too fast for my liking. This is too big of a mess to move on from so quickly, to allow to be taken over by arousal when there’s so many other feelings in the room that need to be addressed. So I say quietly, raggedly, “I love you, Ezla. And it means everything to me—fucking everything—that you love me back. God, you have no idea. I . . . Can I please hold you, Love?”

More of that heavy weight that’s been pressing down on me this entire time lifts as I feel her displeasure through the bond at the fact I asked instead of simply holding her with ease. Before she has to voice it, I move closer to her. But then I pause. “Ezla,” I start cautiously as my eyes flick over the cuts all over her again. “The tablets. Will you please take one?”

Slowly, her attention shifts to her right.

Tiger tries for a hopeful smile, but he looks traumatised.

I don’t fucking blame him—I am too. The sight of our Bonded when we burst into this bathroom, terrified we’d be too late after a barrage of emotions that I could hardly make sense of rampaged through the bond, overwhelming it completely . . . the image of the woman I love surrounded by razor-sharp pieces of a broken mirror, one shard in her blood-soaked grasp, moments from sinking into the flesh that I cherish . . . It’s permanently etched itself into my mind. That’s a scar I know I’ll now always carry, made worse by the knowledge that I was a cause of this.

Ezla can deny it all she wants, but she’s clearly been growing more and more stressed with everything, maybe not even recognising it herself, and today she’s just been pushed over the edge. I’ve failed her yet again—

“Scotty, I would like to inform you that you have just added to your already-overloaded list of punishments to come.” I startle at Ezla’s calm tone, yanked back to myself and the current situation as she continues with her eyes on Tiger, “Come here, my wild one. You were right that I do not like you unhappy, and as much as I wish I could be rid of all these feelings, I cannot. I will do this for you.” My shoulders loosen somewhat as she holds out a hand for a tablet, then loosen further at Tiger’s brightening eyes, especially as our Bonded adds, “You are always so helpful, so good for me.” He’s still upset, of course, but I feel his happy pleasure at hearing he’s helpful when he worries he can’t be in such serious situations.

Rushing over, he pokes his tongue through his teeth in concentration as tries to twist the lid off with his other hand still holding the glass of water.

“Tiger.” Ezla holds her hand out for the glass.

“Oh! Yes! Thank you!” Quickly passing it to her, he then speedily gets the lid off the pot and tips one of the small white pills into his palm. Holding it out to her, he waits with a restless energy.

Tiger yelps when her hand snaps out and seizes his wrist—before a strangled sound follows when she pulls him closer, dips her head, and licks over his skin, her tongue collecting the tablet as she does. “Oh . . .” he breathes when she pulls away, gazing down at his hand as if it’s just been blessed by a goddess. Well, it might as well have been, to be fair.

“Good puppy,” she purrs before she takes a sip of the water.

Tiger whimpers.

When Ezla’s done, I take the glass from her and set it on the counter before returning to her, taking care to avoid the glass on the way. Crouching down, everyone’s soundless as we watch the tablet gradually start to take effect, and my heart calms marginally at the sight of her skin pulling itself back together. It’s a strange sight but extremely fucking welcomed.

“Shit.” Cooper’s breath leaves him harshly, and he buries his face in Ezla’s hair. “Fuck. Please don’t do that again. I can’t handle the sight of you like that, Vengeance. I need you to come to us next time. Any one of us, if not all.”

“I do not need anyone . . .” Ezla trails off at the looks on all our faces. Devastation is likely clear on mine despite how I work to hide it. “I will try.” She sighs heavily. “This does not . . . usually happen. This is not a common occurrence—not to this extent.”

“I believe you,” I whisper, bringing a hand up to cup her cheek, giving her time to reject me before my palm meets her skin ever so lightly. “I just . . . I just have to know . . . Are you with us? Are you . . . And you love us . . . ?”

A beat where neither I nor my brothers breathe. Then, “I am with you. I will stay. I . . . I . . .” Throat shifting with her swallow, she steadies herself, her voice coming out sure and solid when she tells us, “I love you.”