Page 87 of Worse Fates

Rurik curses, hand grabbing the ends of his hair. “You know what I mean, brother.”

Ramy, though shorter than Rurik, looks down his nose at him. “Since no one has ever loved me like you loved a mate, thenapparently I do not.” And with that he turns on his heel back intoKings.

“That went well,” I mutter.

Rurik’s fist slams into a brick wall.

“I fucking get it, Lucero,” he growls. “I’ve fucked up. I keep fucking up, everyone hates me! I’ll make amends later. I will get on my knees and crawl over broken glass if I have to. But first I have to find Apollo. Imagine this was Golden. Just imagine. What would you do for him? What would youbecomefor him?”

His glare burns into mine, searing with desperation and begging me to understand. My brother doesn’t need to—I already do. How many times have I thought Golden is above all others?

“Damn the world. Damn you all. He. Is. Mine.” He pounds a fist to his chest, solid as his resolve.

“You’ll get him back.” I leave no question in my voice. Because if Rurik loses Apollo a second time, the weight of that pain will crush him to a point he’ll never recover.

I give Rurik a moment to compose himself, before we head back inside, the bell announcing our return. Immediately, I seek out Golden, but already he’s coming my way and slipping into my embrace like he never left.

“I wish I could go with you, and before you say it, I understand why I can’t. So stop looking all frowny.”

“I look frowny, do I?” I chuckle, his curls tickling my nose.

“Yep.” He pops theP. “So frowny every time I wanna do something that could give me even a splinter.”

“When I was human I actually knew a few people who died from splinters.”

Golden’s head snaps back. “How the fuck did people survive back in the day?”

I grin, showing off my fangs. “They didn’t.”

Approaching footsteps pulls my attention up to Summer, the shadow mage.

“I’m coming with you.” Summer crosses her arms, eyebrow raised as if waiting for a fight.

I shrug, disinterested. “Sure.” Then return my attention to Golden, running my fingers through his silky curls. I wish I could count each strand.

“Sure?!” Golden growls like a wet kitten. “You’re just gonna say ‘sure’?”

“Mhm,” I hum, kissing his forehead.

“Golden, I’m an eighty year old magical badass,” Summer grins. “You’re just a cute little button.”

Golden huffs. “I’m not fucking helpless…”

“You are the strongest out of all of us,” I coo genuinely, though it makes Golden’s eyes roll. “Besides, I need you safe. Which is why you’ll be returning to the mansion. Not whatever disappointing little flat Kai lives in.”

“Disappointing?” Kai squawks from another room.

Vulnerability shines in Golden’s lovely hazel eyes. “You don’t think I need you safe and whole, too?”

“Of course, beautiful.”

‘However, to keep you safe I’d rip this world in two.’

But I keep that deranged little thought to myself.

“Normally, my life is very boring, Golden.”

“It’s me that came into yours and got you involved in all this shit.” His face nuzzles into the crook of my neck, and my cock stirs in the knowledge he’s seeking my comfort. “Jace is my problem.”