Page 47 of Sweetheart: Part One

She’d said that was out.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only tempting place my mind was going right now.

“You’ll… offer the others this?” I asked. That gave me pause, ice seeping into my veins at the thought of her offering this to Ebony. He couldneversee this—never feel what I was feeling. In fact, I almost rushed to the door right now to ensure it was locked.

“My job as your Sweetheart, would be to assess your needs individually,” she replied.

I swallowed. She wasn’t wrong. That’s what we would be hiring her for: a true look at what our pack needed. “And you think this is whatIneed?”

She nodded.

“And what exactly…isthis?”

I didn’t know why I needed her to define it for me, but I wanted to hear it from her.

There was a long pause.

“Control,” she said. “A chance to claim something back.”

Control?

I didn’t think that was what I was lacking. I was pack lead. Yet, the reaction she was getting from me told a different story.

Silence passed between us as I stared at her.

I should tell her to leave right now—tell her again that I didn’tneeda Sweetheart.

When I opened my mouth, those weren’t the words that came out.

VEX

I’ddaredLove Hightower into inviting me into his room, and he had said yes. Now, I had to convince him to give me a chance. I had to find a way to give him what he needed, to prove that I had something to offer.

Silence passed for an age as I knelt, and I could feel his eyes on me from where he sat. Thankfully, his scent was giving him away. Vanilla winter filled the room with an edge of desire.

I felt a faint flicker of hope. So much had been stolen from me, but tonight I would steal something back.

So now here I was, kneeling before my mate.

And he wantedme.

Something softer brushed my soul, a threat in how comforting it was. I let it in, unable to stop myself, knowing I shouldn’t.

“You’re going to sit with me while I read,” he said at last.

How did he manage to say that, like it was the most normal thing in the world?

I waited as he got to his feet and retrieved a book from his bedside table. My mind was reeling. Somehow, it had worked.

He wanted me to sit with him.

What did that mean?

I got to my feet with as much grace as my nerves allowed, letting the dressing gown fall open just enough to flash what was beneath—even if it was lace I despised.

I’d chosen all my outfits when I’d come here, but I hadn’t chosen this. No, instead, the lingerie I was supposed to wear for my mates had been chosen for me. And it would be beautiful if it wasn’t a taunt: lace made of a golden fabric in a dozen different styles. I’d forced myself to ignore the hatred searing my veins as I’d picked one out, knowing I needed it for this wild plan.

The room around me was expansive, I’d noticed that first when I’d snuck in. There was a balcony facing the back gardens and pool, the same couches and wall-mounted TV as the Sweetheart’s room, and it also matched the colour scheme of neutrals and creams. He had a walk-in closet, a small table for two topped with an empty chess board, but besides that and the indoor tree with large green leaves in a corner, it was quite empty. I noticed there was no art or posters on the walls, and not much to be said for decor at all. It was pristine in here, almost clinically well kept.