Page 164 of Bliss & Her Idols

“Tell us what’s really going on.” Cricket leans up to run his thumb over Torin’s lower lip. “No lies, deflection, or banter.”

Wow, that’s going to be difficult for Torin.

Torin leans down and captures Cricket’s lips, lingeringly.

Torin draws away with a sigh. “Good move by the way. I’ll have to remember it. Jin would love being lead around like this, but it’d be rather hard in his typical leather trousers. These suit trousers are loose enough for…”

Cricket squeezes Torin’s balls lightly in warning. “Deflection.”

Torin smirks. “Can we use this in all our conversations? Or how about an orgasm system of rewards where…? Okay, okay, stop squeezing. I get it. No banter. Look, we’re here in the estate because Jin, Zero, and I made a pact with each other when we were fourteen that we’d never leave each other behind. Right now, Zero is being punished somewhere because of Jin’s behavior. It’s how the Idol system works. Jin and I always intended to find a way to rescue him.”

My heart aches for my brother’s favorite Idol, Immortal.

“Is that what happened to Immortal? Why he didn’t perform?” I demand.

Torin nods. “He’s not as successful as Jin. He would have been thrilled about the chance to perform in front of so many people. He’s always lived for live performances. Taking that away from him would have been punishment enough. But not as much as whatever was done to him, as soon as he was sent back to the camp.”

“But there’s more.” Cricket is scrutinizing Torin intently. “I told you my secret identity. Bee has shared that she’s a resistance member. You could have us arrested and locked up.Maybe executed. Don’t you trust us enough to share who you really are too?”

Cricket is trembling with hurt.

He finally releases Torin, beginning to turn away.

Torin snatches him by the shoulder, turning him back. “You’re right, mo stoirin. My little darlings are braver than I am. Yet I have played two identities since I was a kid: one with my siblings and one with the Idols. It’s hard to risk finally dropping my mask that’s kept me alive.”

“Try,” I say.

I watch Torin closely, unsure what he’ll admit.

I know how hard it is to let your walls down, when they’ve been built to help you survive.

Torin drags Cricket by the hand to sit on the edge of the bed with him. Then he grabs my hand as well.

“The pact was also to protect each other and all the Idols,” he explains. “I’m breaking it by telling you this. We weren’t to tell outsiders. You’re my promised bondeds, however, plus Jin’s as well. You’re inside my soul already. You have to understand that I wouldn’t only risk being permanently locked up for the Idols; I’d die for them. Our pact was to bring down the entire Idol system, no matter how long it took.”

I lean forward, giving a dark grin. “Then it’s lucky that you’ve hooked up with an Omega resistance member and hacker who are committed to exactly the same thing.”

I enjoy watching the way that Torin’s mouth falls open.

See, I can surprise him too.

Cricket chuckles. “Admit it, Charming, you’re turned on that you have Omegas who you can be bad with.”

“Oh, you’re not bad, although I have definitely corrupted you beyond my wildest desires.” Torin’s pupils are dilated. “You are the perfect level of wicked masterminds for me. Look how you’veworked your way onto the estate. So, it wasn’t only your mission to rescue Jin then.”

“I’m ambitious.” I smirk.

“So am I. Here’s the plan. You’re going to meet my family in order to avoid me being sent to the Alpha Center.” Torin grimaces. “Mena is a business woman before anything else. Jin’s music downloads are higher than they’ve ever been. If we’re not seen again in public because they’ve tried to lock us up, then the company’s profits will suffer. There will probably be a round of interviews, where they’ll want us to smile and hopefully, be bonded. That buys us time.”

“What for?” My heart is beating fast.

Torin looks cool and commanding.

He’s stroking his thumb in circles across the back of both Cricket and my hands in a hypnotic way.

“For me to stage a coup of course.” Torin’s icy gaze meets mine. “I’m staging a revolution to overthrow my Head Alpha and set the Idols free. My strength is my invisibility because no one will see it coming.”

My heart is beating wildly.

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