Page 92 of Broken Obsession

“What if he had?”

“Then it would have been a headshot. That’s the only way to guarantee—”

“Stop.” He held up a hand and inhaled, trying to calm himself. He wasn’t upset by what he’d just witnessed. He was irritated by how easy it’d been for Zar to get Ares to jump on command. His lack of a moral compass was something that would need to be unpacked later, but right now…

“Does it only not bother you if I kill for you specifically?” The intensity of Ares’ gaze shifted. “Can I only harm people on your behalf, Eden? What about that makes it just?”

“This isn’t about justice.”

“Do you feel bad for him?” He pointed toward the glass doors with the end of the tool he was holding. “For a man you don’t even know the name of?”

“Are you seriously jealous right now?” Eden snapped, only to realize it was the wrong thing to say when Ares nodded to himself as if he’d solved some great riddle.

“You’re upset I listened to Zar,” he concluded, and even though he’d hit the nail on the head, Eden bristled and stubbornly denied it.

“I am not.”

“What was that earlier about not being a child?”

“Says the guy not wearing a shirt in the middle of winter. Put some damn clothes on.”

“I removed it so you would see,” Ares said. He rested his arms on the seat of the bike and leaned over it, getting as close into Eden’s space as he was able with the vehicle separating them.

“If you wanted me to be in the mood,” he flicked Ares' forehead, “you shouldn’t have shot someone in front of me.”

Eden headed for the glass doors, intent on escaping to his room before the Black Hart could see how close he still was to jumping him. There had to be some lines. He couldn’t be the type of person who gave in to lust right after witnessing a potentially innocent person getting dragged off, literally kicking and screaming.

No part of him had any interest in helping the guy—which was arguably bad enough—but that didn’t mean he’d let Ares get away with acting like a villain with zero consequences.

The sound of metal clattering clued him in too late that Ares wasn’t planning on letting him leave that easily. Before Eden could so much as turn, he found himself shoved forward. He tripped into the glass entrance and was pushed again until he came up against the metal doors of the elevator.

Ares reached out and hit the button, holding Eden by the scruff of his neck as they waited. It only took a couple of seconds before there was a ding and the doors slid open.

Eden fell forward, catching himself on the metal rung built into the wall. By the time he’d spun around, the doors were already closed, and Ares was caging him in against the wall.

He had not put on a shirt.

“Back off,” Eden said, keeping his gaze lifted. The smell of Ares’ skin was intoxicating, and he struggled to keep himself from leaning into the heat of his body.

“You’re so lascivious,” Ares told him, one hand dropping to massage Eden’s thigh. “That may be my favorite unexpected thing about you, Professor.”

“Don’t call me that.” He put a hand to the Black Hart’s chest, with the intent of shoving him away, but pulled back as soon as he made contact.

“Why? You’re a professor.”

“I’m notyourprofessor.”

“But you are mine, aren’t you, babe?” He dropped his forehead to Eden’s, laughing when Eden turned his head to break the connection. “I don’t know who you’re trying to fool here, but you’ve been hard since you stepped onto the driveaway.”

Eden had been certain Ares hadn’t even noticed his arrival.

“Tell me you want it,” Ares urged, “and I’ll give it to you.”

“Why?” Why did he have to ask?

“Because you enjoy being forced too much,” he replied with a grin. “I’m also not giving you any chances to place the blame all on me. If you use this pretty little mouth to tell me no,” he pressed his thumb against Eden’s bottom lip, “and I fuck you anyway, you’ll seize the opportunity to convince yourself you didn’t want it. You’ll make me out to be the bad guy.”

“Lucifer, youarethe bad guy.”