Page 144 of Bliss & Her Idols

He looks exhilarated and like he’s in the middle of doing something that we may both regret.

I’m on board with that.

I feel fully awake for the first time today.

“Shit, did I hurt you?” I let go of Jin’s arm to push his fingers away from his throat to examine it myself.

Then I hurriedly lick over the faint pinkness where I struck in apology.

Jin shakes his head. “Worth it to see you in action. That was incredible, my Queen. This contest should have had a fighting task, rather than dancing. You’d win over the Alphas.”

“What are you doing?”

“Just out for a run.”

“Seriously? Or are you running from someone?” I narrow my eyes in worry.

I examine Jin’s suit, but it’s intact.

Did Easter do something to Jin on the date?

My chest tightens.

Jin blows the hair out of his face.

“Zoe…Mr. Stapleton…security…the men with the guns, yeah?” He doesn’t look repentant.

In fact, he looks filled with the same vivacious spirit as on the first day that I met him in the arena. He no longer seems crushed.

Perhaps, Cricket’s feral nature has rubbed off on him.

Can I be blamed for loving Jin like this, even if he’s being chased by men with guns?

“I’d call you reckless, apart from the fact that Torin and I are taking the same risk. We came out here to interrupt your date with that bitch Easter.” I kiss Jin’s long neck.

“You just can’t get enough of this sexy ass, huh? But about that date. I’m kind of on the run from my keepers because I refused to go on it.”

I stare at Jin, as pride as well as fear rushes through me. “Won’t you be in trouble?”

“So? I’ve been controlled and punished my entire life. I earned Philomena Idol and her pack over a billion dollars last year, but I didn’t see a dime. Now, they’re selling me off in a fucking TV show. Tomorrow is the final, when the three remaining packs will compete to bond with me. What the hell more can they do to me? I won’t go on any more fake dates. I’ll never let Easter near me again.”

Satisfaction shoots through me at his words.

“My good Ice Beauty.” I tip my head up, kissing Jin slowly and deeply in reward. He moans. Fuck the cameras. Let them have a show. “I love you. I hated the idea of you on even fake dates. Every moment that you’re not in my nest has killed me.”

Jin tenderly draws his thumb underneath my eye. “Look at these shadows. You should be asleep.”

“I can’t sleep, eat, fucking breathe without bonding you.”

Jin rests his forehead against mine. “My Queen. My Chirp and Charming. You’ve the only ones for me, my bonded pack. I don’t want anybody else.”

“One more day. We can get through the final.”I hope.“Do you have any clues about it?”

“Only that it’s a masked ball. You’ll be the most gorgeous woman there, my Queen.” He pulls back, stroking my back. “Look, I know that Charming can be a grumpy, repressed Alphahole, but he’s also my savior. He’s the savior of all the Idols. He’s our Prince Charming, the only Alpha who we’d follow into battle. Fuck, we’d start a war for him.”

I scrunch up my nose. “Why?”

Jin flicks his gaze significantly at the walls.

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