Page 107 of Scavenger's Oath

He glares at me. “I still don't like it.”

“You don't have to. I'm not asking permission,” I say, tone clipped. “You just have to work with me. I've always protected this group.”

He doesn't respond but he's staring at me with something venomous in his eyes. And it takes me a second to realise what it is.

Jealousy. But no, there’s a hint of guilt. Maybe regret?

He sees it now. The shift. The way I look at her. Talk about her. The quiet fear tightening around my spine every time I imagine her alone, defenceless, waiting for us to come back.

And he hates it.That must be it.

He's always been the patient one. The one she looks at with those soft eyes like he's the safest place in the world. But now he knows he's not her only refuge.

That jealousy’s coiling tighter around his throat by the second. It's not just that he's worried he's losing her. He’s seething because I’ve had her. Because Myles has had her.And he hasn’t.

“You done glaring at me,” I say evenly. “This plan works. It's the only way we can create a diversion and keep her hidden. We’ll booby-trap the streets and use one route to come and go.”

His nostrils flare, hand clenching into a fist. He's not even paying attention to the fucking plan.

Staring at him for a beat, I try to control the annoyance grating my nerves.

No. Fuck his shitty attitude.

I toss the pen on the table. “Alright,” I snap. “What the fuck is going on with you?”

That gets him to blink.

“You've been an asshole all morning. Snapping at Myles. Ignoring Ivy. Stalking around like you can't stand your own skin. I've seen you pissed before, but this? This is rare. What the fuck happened?”

He stiffens. Doesn't answer. But that's all I need.

Somethingdidhappen.

My voice drops as I step closer. “Zane.”

“I said it's nothing,” he growls.

“No,” I say, narrowing my eyes. “You didn't say shit. Did something happen?”

His jaw locks. “Nothing happened last night,” he snaps through gritted teeth.

My eyebrows jump up as my stomach twists.

Last night?

We stare each other down, and I can see he’s on the verge of losing control.

My throat goes dry as I realise… he would’ve got back late last night to Ivy asleep in his bed… unguarded. Vulnerable.

“What did you do?” I growl.

“Nothing,” he bites out, firm. But then something flickers across his eyes that makes my stomach twist more and my pulse stutter. “…but I almost…” he rasps.

I step back, my breaths the only sound in the stifling silence. My stomach flips. “Fuck,” I breathe.

Zane hangs his head and yanks on his hair with a shaky fist. “You think I'm pissed because she's choosing you? Or Myles? I'm pissed because I almost…” he huffs. “I can’t even say it. I want to tell her, I do. I want to confess and apologise. I just, don’t know how.”

Silence hangs heavy between us. We stand there in the tension for a long moment. The map between us. Ivy’s name written in invisible ink on every fucking inch of it.