Page 109 of A Taste of Bliss

“Well, I guess we should go,” Simon says uncertainly. “Bliss, I’ll stop by later and we can hash out more details?” I nod and Simon motions for Pisces to follow him as he goes after Evan.

Taser, Tubbs, and Blake all retreat to the living room, talking quietly about Amelia’s reaction.

Pisces is about to close the door behind him. He turns back and pins me with his dark blue eyes. His gaze rakes down my body, coming back and settling on my face. Smirking, he comes and stands before me, reaching out and taking one of the strings of the hoodie I’m wearing between his fingers. The one that belongs to Wrath. The one that I keep nervously fiddling with and can’t seem to stop wearing.

He cocks his head to the side as he plays with the string. His eyes flip back to mine as he leans in close and whispers in my ear, “When do I get my hoodies back?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

PISCES

“Well,that was all sorts of fucking weird,” Simon says. We all sit around the living room of our rental. It’s almost exactly the same as the one Goddess’ Trance is in, just mirrored.

Evan sits on an overly plush green sofa, his back straight, his whole body stiff. His anger is wafting off him in waves and he looks pale and drained, like he’s seen a ghost.

Simon looks between Evan, Shaun, and me. Benny must be upstairs.

“Someone want to explain what just happened?” Simon prods. He looks at me and I shrug.

He turns to Shaun, who gives him an incredulous look. “I wasn’t even there. How would I know?”

“What would have Evan this pissed off?” I ask Shaun. Even if Shaun wasn’t there, he has insight into Evan that the rest of us don’t. He thinks for a moment, eyes wandering from Evan to mine.

“His family, for starters,” Shaun supplies. Evan glances at him but still doesn’t speak.

Shaun considers something for a few moments longer. Suddenly his eyes go wide. “No…” is all he says.

“No what?” Benny asks, coming to sit next to me, snuggling closely, a yawn escaping him. I wrap an arm around him and he curls into me more. I can feel my jaw aching, my siren teeth wanting to push through my gums and bite into him, but I focus harder on Evan as he shifts uncomfortably.

After a long pause, Shaun finally says, “He’s found his mate.”

Benny jumps up in surprise, letting out a little whimper.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Simon asks.

A pang of jealousy surges through me. What I wouldn’t do for a true mate bond. And here Evan is furious that he’s found her. I understand his reasons. His family wants him to be bonded so he can take over as heir, but everything Evan chooses to do is the opposite of what his family wants. Amelia looked furious as well. Weird that both of them would reject something that I so ache to have.

“No,” Shaun says simply in answer to Simon’s question.

“I don’t get it. Amelia’s beautiful and talented,” Simon presses. “I thought Born fae mates are supposed to fall madly in love with each other.”

“It’s not that,” Shaun says as Evan gets up off the couch, mumbling about how he needs to be alone. I can’t help but glare at his back, as his tall form slowly disappears up the stairs. I wish I was in his position. I wouldn’t waste it.

“It’s his family,” Benny supplies when Shaun doesn’t continue. He explains in detail to Simon why Evan has never, ever wanted a mate.

As Benny goes into the story again, the one I’ve already heard, I find my anger dissipating. It’s not Evan’s fault that I can’t have what I want. And it’s not like if he wasn’t mated to Amelia that I would have been. And I wouldn’t even want to be mated to her specifically, not that there’s anything wrong with her. I just wish I was worthy of being mated to someone.

“How did they find out they were mates?” Simon asks, but just as Benny is about to start explaining, Simon’s phone rings. I consider asking Benny to explain it to me instead. How do Born fae know? Is it a smell? Is it an aura? Something they just sense?

I’ve never asked before, because my jealousy has always been too much.

I realize it doesn’t matter, because however Born fae figure it out, it’s not like if I know, suddenly it’ll make it so that Made fae can get mates too.

Benny and Shaun head into the kitchen to grab some snacks. I know Evan wants to be alone, but my feet take me to his room of their own accord. I hesitate and knock softly on his door.

“Yeah?” he mutters.

I push open the door, pausing in the doorway and looking at him sprawled out on his bed, shoes still on. They hang over the edge of the bed. He just watches me as I stand there trying to figure out what to even say to him.