Page 77 of Broken Obsession

Ares sent a silent look Eden’s way.

“I just want to know who he meets with next,” Eden replied.

“You hear that?”

“Got it.”

“Fisher?” Ares called him before the man on the other end could hang up. “Discretion.”

“I got you, A.”

“Another Black Hart?” Eden asked once they’d hung up.

“No, he’s just a friend.”

His eyes narrowed. “A friend who gave you a shiny new nickname? What? He’s too good to call you Creation like the rest of them? Or is he special?”

He was still slightly miffed Ellery got away with calling him War. Now there was another man with a unique nickname for him?

Ares grinned, far too pleased for Eden’s liking, and reached out to cup Eden’s cheek. When he was batted away, he laughed. “Don’t be jealous,boyfriend. You’re all I’ll ever need.”

“Screw you.” He turned on his heels and headed down the hall, making it halfway to the stairwell before noticing he wasn’t being followed. With a huff, he spun back around. “Well? Are you coming or what? I’m hungry.”

Chapter 17:

Castle Black may not be a bona fide castle, but it was still massive. There would be a real risk of getting lost if not for the way things were split. Each Black Hart had their own floor, complete with a locked front door that each individual had sole access to. There were two elevators and a winding staircase that even led to the basement and rooftop.

Ares’ rooms had their own kitchen, but aside from a few beverages, his refrigerator was empty. When asked about it, he’d explained he preferred taking his meals in the common area of the first floor, so that’s where Eden found himself on the morning of his first day on the job.

He was standing behind the large, sandstone kitchen island, slathering butter onto a piece of sourdough toast while he waited for Ares to join him. He’d been sent ahead after complaining about being hungry, and told to help himself to whatever he found in the shared kitchen. At first, he’d been wary, since he’d yet to be introduced to any of the other Black Harts, but those nerves had fled the second he’d stepped into the room.

The kitchen was big enough to double as a small cafeteria, with several fridges and two walk-in freezers. There were even multiple ovens. All he’d had to do was find the row of cabinetswith “Creation” carved into the wood to know where it was safe to take food from.

While he ate, he pondered over the past couple of days—mainly how Ares had fast-tracked it all. Only an idiot wouldn’t see things for what they were.

Clearly, the Black Hart had planned this from the beginning. He’d been suggestive and flirtatious to rile Eden up, make him desperate for it when he finally agreed to sleep with him, then went hard enough that Eden would be reduced to semi-conscious goo. Easily transportable.

Malleable.

It’d all been rather easy. Even after waking, Eden had mostly just gone with the flow. As a result, he’d yet to tour the building or even Ares’ level to the full extent.

Hell, last night, when he’d denied Ares a spot in his bed, the Black Hart had pouted but had left. He hadn’t suggested Eden join him in his room instead, hadn’t made any innuendos or anything of the like.

Had he willingly given Eden space because he’d seen he was overwhelmed?

Or was he hiding something?

A rustling noise pulled him from his thoughts, and he glanced up, expecting to find Ares there. Instead, he met a stranger.

He had to be another one of the Black Harts, as he looked around the same age as Ares, with a similar build and silky black hair. But that was where the resemblance ended. This man was dressed in a pair of form-fitting black jeans and a white t-shirt far too thin for the brutal winter weather outside. He was standing in the doorway, staring at Eden through mismatched eyes, one as dark as midnight, the other white as snow.

The man lifted a hand, covering his black eye so that only the white one rested on Eden. He held that pose for a moment,then the corner of his mouth twitched, and he dropped his arm, stepping into the room with a measured pace that had Eden’s pulse thumping.

Whoever this was, they were dangerous. Every single one of his instincts screamed at him to turn tail and run, but Eden held his ground, squishing the corner of the slice of toast he held between two fingers without realizing.

“Starling,” the voice was recognizable, though it took a second to place.

“You’re Zar?” Eden felt a tingle of relief. Surely there was nothing to fear from Ares’ brother.