Page 27 of Broken Obsession

Add that to the fact that Eden couldn’t for the life of him—and maybe even literally, at this point—tell if there was a sexual attraction between them, or if he was imagining things.

Heshouldn’t be attracted to Ares, that was for certain, but he couldn’t control his dick, as frustrating as that was.

How absolutely mortifying would it be if the Black Hart didn’t feel the same, though?

“How did you know about Galen Stone?” Eden figured since he was finally face-to-face with Lucifer, he may as well get answers to the questions that’d been burning holes in his brain. “Was that because of hacking as well? Have you been spying on me?”

“Reconnaissance is important,” Ares said. “I don’t start anything I don’t think I can finish. Does that bother you?”

“Finding out that my privacy has been completely invaded?” he snorted. “Not at all.”

“That’s sarcasm.”

“Aren’t you a genius.”

“Yes, actually.”

Well, shit. That wasn’t too surprising. All of the Black Harts were said to be intelligent bastards.

“You targeted me just because you like Ransom?” Eden had to think smart himself. Was there a chance he could use this to his advantage? So far, Ares had roughed him up a bit, but he hadn’thurthim, not really. There was the whole murdering Galen thing, sure, but if everything he said about the investigator was true, the asshole had deserved that bullet.

No, he’d deserved worse.

If that made Eden a monster? Who fucking cared. He’d stopped being the kind and caring version of himself the night his family was killed.

Maybe this was an opportunity. Alone, Eden was powerless, but a Black Hart…

“I told you,” Ares corrected, unabashedly, “I don’t just like him. I love Ransom.”

Eden quirked a brow. “You know he isn’t real, right?”

“You’re real.”

“Ah,” he chuckled humorlessly, “so you’re settling for the next best thing.”

“That’s right.”

Damn, that shouldn’t sting, but it did. Eden momentarily dropped his gaze and recollected himself, not wanting the other man to see. He couldn’t give Ares that type of power, especially since he already held most of the cards.

“Can I call you Starling?” Ares asked.

“That’s Ransom’s nickname, not mine.” Maybe he shouldn’t be pushing this. If Eden played along, it’d probably be more beneficial for him in the short term.

But what about the long term?

He wasn’t a complete idiot. No one controlled a Black Hart, and Ares already seemed off his rocker, which meant he was most likely even more sporadic and unhinged than the rest of them. If this was nothing but a game to him, what happened when they came to the end? What did Ares get if he won?

And what did Eden lose?

“It may have been yours,” Ares disagreed. “We can’t be sure. Reality is tricky that way. Why did Yarrow choose it for you in the first place?”

“Something about mythology, I don’t know.” He shrugged. “What does it matter?”

The Black Hart seemed disappointed, but he didn’t force the issue. “We’ll save that for later then. Let’s talk about the nickname you gave me instead. Lucifer?”

“What about it?” He refused to be embarrassed.

“That’s me?”