Page 81 of Not All Himbos Wear Capes

My mother released another sob, and I used the distraction as an excuse to turn and race from Vortexio’s office. I didn’t stop until I’d reached the guest room and began throwing my few belongings back into my bag.

“Where could you possibly run to?”

I sank onto the bed, defeated. If I went to Xander, I would have to come clean about who I was, and if he didn’t hate Captain Masculine before, he certainly did now.

There’s nowhere for me to go.

As if the vision of a grieving Xander wasn’t enough to torture me, I grabbed my phone and scrolled through the dozens of texts he’d sent since I abandoned him—all unanswered.

Because I’m a coward.

Daddy Xan:Call me right away.

Daddy Xan:I need to know you’re ok.

Daddy Xan:Baby answer me.

Daddy Xan:Please.

I’ve really messed this up.

A light knock on the door had me quickly hiding my phone under the pillow. “Butch?” My mother’s voice sounded strained. “May I come in?”

I sighed, but obediently stood and walked to the door. When I opened it, I found my mother looking as disheveled as I’d ever seen her—her eyes puffy and red-rimmed, as if she’d been crying.

What the…

“You didn’t kill him, did you?” she whispered, clutching the front of my shirt and searching my face for the answer.

“I… I took care of the problem,” I haltingly replied, unsure what the correct answer was at this moment.

Whose side are you on?

“You didn’t,” she stated as she entered the bedroom and shut the door behind her, sounding relieved. “You’d be in much worse shape if you did.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “How would you know what shape I’m in? You know nothing about me.”

She flinched, but nodded. “It’s true that I haven’t been the most attentivemother…” Her gaze drifted to the window, traveling a million miles away before returning to meet mine again. “But I know how it feels to lose one’sinventus.”

Something buzzed beneath my skin—a recognition. “What’s aninventus?”I asked, although I had a feeling I already knew.

Xander.

My mother sighed as she sat on the bed, gesturing for me to join her. “Aninventusis a superhero or villain equal to you in every way—able to receive any power you have to give, and return it in full. This closed circuit creates formidable teams, and sometimes the deep connection turns into more—making the pair truly undefeatable.”

She swallowed hard, clearly struggling to continue. “These power couples are usually seen as a threat to the established hierarchy, so many seek to destroy them. Somewhere along the line, it was discovered that if you cut ties between twoinventusearly enough, they won’t bond completely. The way to do that is to… kill one of them.”

Fuck.

I dropped my head down, suddenly nauseous. “That’s what father was trying to do—stop my connection with Xander from happening. What kind of mandoesthat?!”

“The kind who’s done it before,” she murmured sadly. “Your father eliminated myinventusso he could marry me instead—to create the strongest heir.” When she saw my horrified expression, she huffed a laugh. “It’s simply how the game is played, darling.”

This game is bullshit.

“So, what are you saying?” I growled. “If Xander was awoman,our relationship would be approved of—because then he could pop out supe babies to continue the proud Holt bloodline?”

She pressed her lips together and rose to leave, apparently finished with our heart to heart. “The only way it would be acceptable to your father is if you were both heroes.”