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I eased my hands away. “Now it’s all you.”

Scar drew the cue back too fast. “Easy,” I said softly.

She paused. Another breath. Slower this time. The cue glided forward with a satisfying crack, and the ball followed an invisible line over the pool table. It clipped the striped ball, heading toward the far corner.

Every head followed it.

It kissed the inside of the cushion, hovering on the lip before finally disappearing into the pocket.

Cheers erupted through the garage, and Scar spun around so quickly she nearly smacked me with the cue. She laughed, just as my hand came up to halt it before it made contact. “Did you see that?”

I let out a laugh, a wide smile on my face. “I might’ve noticed.”

“I actually did it!” She threw both arms around my neck before I could say another word.

“You did.”

She jumped in my arms. “I won!”

I wrapped my hands around her waist, laughing into her hair. “You certainly did.” She pulled back, staring at me with suspicion in her eyes.

The bet.

I chuckled.

“And somehow you win, too.” She dragged her hand up the side of my face, and the hairs on my body reacted to her touch, lifting.

I shrugged innocently. “I fail to see the problem.”

Morgan groaned dramatically from the other end of the table. “Can you two stop flirting for five minutes?”

Scar laughed, shaking her head before slipping her hand into mine. She looked up at me with that smile that always made the rest of the world fade into the background.

“I think,” she said quietly, “I’m going to like playing pool after all.”

My heart did a victory dance. That had been the whole point. Not the bet. Not the teasing. Not even the promise waiting for us later. Just this.

Watching an old hurt lose its hold on her, one shot at a time.

I squeezed her hand. “Good,” I said tenderly. “Because we’ve got a lifetime of games ahead of us.” When she smiled back at me, gratitude settled deep in my chest. For so long, I had believed the weight I’d carried my entire life was nothing more than a curse. But it had, in fact, saved me.

Being a blood mage had unknowingly broken the mold, halting my transformation before I could become a full vampire. The burden I’d spent years trying to escape had, in the end, become the very thing that gave me a future.

A future with her.

And, for the first time, that felt like enough.

Scarlet

Stepping out of the shower and back into my room, I pulled out a thong and matching bra set. Burgundy. Because, tonight, I had the excuse to wear the sexiest lingerie I owned thanks to a certain bet. Sliding the thong up my thighs, the slow creak of my door opening startled me. I turned to find Reid leaning lazily against the door frame.

“Hey.” His eyes dropped hungrily to my naked breasts. “Need some help there?”

“Ah, hey.” I didn’t know what else to say, instinctively feeling the need to cover up. I’d never let someone see me this naked before. As confident as I was with my body in clothing, it didn’t back me up when my curves were on full display. Although, the look in his eyes told me I didn’t need to worry.

“Fuck, look at you.” He sauntered toward me, one hand landing on my hip, the other cupping my breast.

Pulling back to admire me, his thumb brushed my nipple, and the gentle twist that came next made my breath hitch. His free hand climbed up my neck, bringing my eyes to his, holding me there. As he did, the hand on my hip slid south, beneath the material of my thong.