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“Heads or tails?” he asked, digging in his pocket.
“Tails.”
He nodded, rummaging for a second longer before pulling out a coin. “Ready?” he asked, his eyes that were fixed on me, flashing with delight.
A chill ran down my spine at that look of his, but I nodded.
The nest.
I might be able to get to the nest after all.
He tossed it, catching it on the back of his hand, then paused, gaze still assessing. Ever so slowly, he lifted his hand.
My heart was pounding, desperate dreams of safety careening through my mind. Then it sank like a rock as I stared at the carved head on the side that faced us.
Shit…
I stared at it for a long time, as if it might morph before my eyes.
Finally, I swallowed, throat dry as I looked up at him. His head was cocked, sandstorm eyes dilated as he watched my reaction.
Oh.
Damn.
He’d said if he won I had to dowhateverhe wanted?
I was dizzy with whiplash from Dusk, but now I was caught with Umbra instead. I had to catch up.
What was Umbra Varis going to ask for tonight?
UMBRA
Cuddles.
That’s what I wanted. My hindbrain made that decision for me, bets and trades aside. The eyes… Well, I’d told her I wanted those golden eyes, but it was up to her.
Now she was getting ready in the bathroom.
I’d settled myself down on the edge of my bed, anticipating the omega who’d walk out.
My omega. All mine, all night.
And cuddles.
Would her scent blockers wear off?
Fuck, I hoped so.
I had every intention of fucking her so good she wouldn’t remember her own name, let alonetheirs, but that wouldn’t happen until I’d earned it. A coin toss didn’t earn me a fuck—I’d have to get her to bet something a little more for that.
But a coin toss got me cuddles.
Dusk didn’t understand this fundamental: there was no such thing as free shit. If you stole, the universe stole back. If you gave, it returned.
But the universe was unpredictable and pretty fucking petty, so I preferred living the zero-sum method.
I didn’t rack up debt or payouts. I traded. That way, I always had a say.
