Page 41 of Broken Obsession

He’d done the job Galen had failed to do.

And all it’d taken him was a few days to do it.

“Not at all,” Ares said.

“Then make him stop.”

Ares let out a low whistle before turning back to Zonnie. The bullet he put in the guy's right thigh next was so unexpected, Eden jumped as though he’d been the one shot.

Zonnie screamed and wailed, but the zip ties at his wrists and ankles prevented him from reaching for the wound. Blood pooled from the hole, tiny rivers spilling out over honey-toned flesh to puddle around his naked form.

“Wanna do the next one?” Ares held out the blaster, and Eden stared at it for a moment.

He did. A part of him really, really did, but…

“Can’t bring yourself to do it?” Ares hummed like that made all the sense in the world. “Don’t worry, babe. That’s what I’m here for. All you have to do is tell me how bad you want it. Should I make it quick? I could slash his throat and we can be done with all of this. There’s a diner nearby that’s open twenty-four seven. We could grab a bite.”

“You want to kill him?” His brow furrowed. “Just like that?”

His father had suffered from multiple skull fractures and three broken ribs. One had punctured his lungs, which had been his cause of death.

His mother’s hand had been shattered, her left leg snapped, and her heart shredded from four bullets shot at close range directly at her chest.

His sister…

“Starling.”

“What?” Eden was still stuck on his own shortcomings. This was what he’d wanted, wasn’t it? He’d wanted to punish those responsible. Had dreamed of doing so. A bullet to the thigh was the least of the ways he’d imagined inflicting sufferingon Zonnie. Yet now that he was presented with the very real opportunity…Why couldn’t he bring himself to do it?

“Hey,” Ares softened his tone as he turned and rested the gun down on a single metal table, “don’t beat yourself up. This isn’t as easy as it looks. Lots of people would struggle with causing another living being real harm. There’s nothing wrong with you, Eden. On the contrary. This just means you’re more normal than you gave yourself credit for.”

The Black Hart picked up an item, seemed to give it some thought, and then replaced it, opting for a different one. When he finally turned back, he was holding a metal bat. He gave it a good swing.

“What are you going to do?” Eden asked.

“What would you like me to do?” He tapped the end of the bat against Zonnie’s head. “One good blow here should do it. It’ll be Game Over. Death to player number thirty-three.” Ares bent over, as though to insinuate he was talking to Zonnie, though it was clear as he spoke, his comments were meant for Eden. “The only way to guarantee they don’t come back is a head shot, you know. Once the brain is severely damaged? No coming back from that. Not enough nanites in the world. It’ll be,” he snapped his fingers and Zonnie whimpered and flinched, “light’s out. Quick.”

“Quick?” Gods help him, Eden didn’t like that. His family had suffered. He had suffered. And Ares wanted to deliver a swift death to one of the monsters responsible? “I thought the Black Harts were supposed to be merciless.”

Ares straightened. “Murder isn’t one of my vices.” He shrugged. “It just happens to be something I’m really good at. Really,reallygood at.”

Eden licked his lips. Whatever conscience he had left within him screamed to turn back. To let Ares kill this man if hehad to, sure, but to let it end there. To walk away while he still had a shred of decency—a fraction of a soul.

Galen had been different. He’d threatened Eden. He’d clearly been about to hurt him if he hadn’t been stopped.

“Why are you doing this?” Eden asked, but no, that wasn’t the right question. “What do you get in return?”

“It’s not about getting, it’s about wanting. What do Iwantin return.”

“Okay.” His skin was buzzing, and he couldn’t tell if it was in anticipation or horror. “What do you want?”

Ares pretended to think it over. “For finding him?” He jabbed the bat into Zonnie’s side. “A kiss.”

What happened next was almost like an out-of-body experience. Eden was walking toward him, crossing the short distance that was still keeping him safe from getting too close to the reality of this situation. His hand reached up, captured the Black Hart by the base of his skull, and pulled him in.

If he minded, Ares didn’t show it. He allowed him to set the pace and didn’t argue when Eden’s lips pressed over the mask.

The kiss was soft, tentative. Filled with the same hesitation and restraint Eden was still internally struggling with.