Aaren scrunched up his face. “I don’t know. Maybe I should get caught anyway. I need to break up with him.”
He lit up then. When Hades first met Aaren, the omega had seemed tired, weary and weighted down. But the more time Aaren spent with Hades, the more nights he slept over, the lighter Aaren had become.
Right now, Aaren was slowly turning incandescent. Like he was on the verge of losing the last things holding him back.
“I could go with you, if you’d like,” Hades said.
Aaren brightened further. “I would totally show you off to him, but I don’t think he would recognize a good thing even if it punched him in the face.”
Hades snorted. He wrapped Aaren in a quick hug and kissed his temple, his instincts purring when Aaren snuggled closer. “Let’s get this over with.”
29
THE SHOWDOWN
It didn’t take longto arrive at Ballus’ house. This time, Hades parked across the street instead of hiding his car on the next street over. Aaren peered through the passenger window.
“What do you think?” Hades said.
“His truck’s there, but I don’t see movement in the house. Maybe he’s asleep.”
Hades studied the house too.
He had never liked Ballus’ place. For all his criticisms about Aaren not meeting his idea of perfection, Ballus’ own living conditions were subpar; the windows falling apart, the paint faded and peeling.
What a fucking hypocrite.
They got out of the car and crossed the street. Hades waited in the driveway while Aaren sneaked up to the windows, peering in.
Aaren waved him over to the front door. “No movement. I think now’s a good time.”
Just in case he was wrong, Hades rolled his shoulders and flexed his limbs. He stayed close as Aaren unlocked the door, watching closely when the door swung open.
The house was silent as they stepped in. Aaren made his way to the bedroom, passing rooms and furniture that Hades had grown familiar with.
“Is everything you want in the closet?” Hades murmured.
“I want my chocolate chip cookies. They’re in the pantry,” Aaren whispered back.
Hades nodded and followed Aaren to the bedroom, to make sure Ballus was still asleep. He was.
Hades slipped away to the kitchen and found Aaren’s cookies—a disappointingly light package, like there was only one cookie left in there. Had Ballus eaten the rest of the package?
Either way, there was no point in carrying one cookie out of this place. He would buy Aaren a new pack.
Scarcely had he turned back to the bedroom, when Aaren tripped.
Hades watched in slow motion as Aaren lurched forward, arms flailing, trying to catch himself. His own stomach dropped.
Ballus snuffled at the sound; not a priority. Hades was in the bedroom and catching Aaren before he knew it, so Aaren wouldn’t crash face-first onto the floor.
“Sweetheart,” Hades murmured. “Are you okay?”
Aaren looked up and gaped, like he was surprised not to be curled up on the floor in pain.
“What the fuck is this?” Ballus snapped, shooting upright in bed.
Aaren stiffened. Hades glanced over; Ballus wasn’t a threat yet.
