Page 48 of Queen of Diamonds

My breathing eased slightly.

Not real. Not this time.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“I brought dinner,” he said coolly. “Wasn’t expecting to be mounted.”

I loosened the fist at his shirt.

Once, ice-blue eyes had been a reminder of Zed, but Ace had become so much larger than life, and now my mate was an echo of a monster, instead.

“...I want to be more to you than they ever were…”

I shook the whisper away, looking around. There was a plated sandwich on the floor by the door, along with a bottle of water.

“Why were you… down here?” He could have just dropped the plate off and left. Instead, he’d been crouched at my side.

“You were whining like a wounded puppy. It was pitiful to watch.”

“I’m fine,” I lied.

He raised an eyebrow. “Do you plan on dismounting?”

“We have to talk.”

“Is that what this is?”

I swallowed, pushing back off him and staggering to my feet, grabbing my wrist with my other hand so he didn’t see the lingering tremors from the nightmare. I looked at the door, but it was shut. Was it locked from the inside? Did I dare try? I glanced back to Zed, and a faint smirk curved his lips as I scanned him.

“Checking me out?”

“Looking for keys,” I told him flatly. “You know, people are going to start asking after me.”

“I got into your phone and let slip to…” He frowned. “…Leisha, I think? That you eloped.”

I sneered. “She won’t believe that.”

“You kindly told the doorman that you scent matched us. I think we’ll get away with it. Love can do funny things to Omegas and all that.” He waved a hand.

I glared at him, wondering how much of it Leisha would buy. She knew I wasn’t the eloping type. But he was right about the scent match changing things.

“Plus,” he added. “Since you nearly got Kyan killed getting Lucy, your cat is gone. I’m sure that made you look much more committed.”

I scowled, but honestly, it was good. I didn’t want anyone asking after me.

“Is she doing okay?” I asked. She was my comfort, always there when I woke to my infinite visions of Ace, sweating and terrified that he was truly here. Lucy would curl up on my chest and let me hug her, the faint vibrations of her purr settling me.

Zed shrugged. “She’s obsessed with me.”

I narrowed my eyes, but didn’t reply. I would be having stern words with Lucy if he was telling the truth. She was not allowed to bond with them.

“How did you convince Knight you were going into heat?” he asked. “He said it really felt like you were.”

“Uh…” I blinked at him like he was stupid. “How do you think?” All I’d really needed was to make him think I was aroused, and my panic had done the rest.

He just stared at me blankly for a moment before his eyebrows shot up.

I gave him a fake smile. “Five times, and if you want all the details, I find it easy to get off to thoughts about?—”

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