Page 74 of Bonds of Pain
MAYA
The girls are fighting and it’s hilarious.
Leaving the club is a vague memory. I remember half-stumbling to the door, toes barely touching the floor as Ares supported my weight. His barreling progress was only momentarily halted by Dani stepping in our path to press my wrapped-up dress into my arms.
“Can’t leave something this expensive behind,” she cheekily commented.
I had laughed, but Ares just grumbled for her to get the fuck out of the way. That just made me laugh harder.
The drive back to the palace must have lulled me to sleep because I wake with a jolt at the sound of raised voices.
“Where the hell have you been? She was supposed to back here hours ago.”
The world sways in a blur of colors and sounds, but I can recognize the apartment from smell alone.
I squint my eyes open to see Poe approach us, decked out with weapons like he’s playing one-man army. Was he about togo out searching for me? With the world all bright lights and shiny colors, that almost seems sweet.
I wonder if there’s more of that special beer here somewhere.
Or I could just go back to sleep.
“She just wanted a break from the palace,” Ares insists.
Poe doesn’t hold back the sound of his anger. “I couldn’t even fucking track her.”
“I turned off my location data,” Ares admits.
“Are you fucking serious?”
“I figured we’d be back before anyone noticed. I was just trying to do something nice.”
Ares sounds like a little kid explaining to his teacher why he arrived late to the class. I think about him trying to squeeze his oversized hulking form into a desk built for a child.
That makes me giggle hard enough that the sound comes snorting out my nose.
“Is that what you’re going to tell Logan when he finds out?”
“Depends. You planning on telling him?”
Poe sighs and I hear the distinctive sound as he rubs his hand across the stubble on his face. “Where did you even take her?”
Ares shrug bounces me in his arms, sending a brief wave of nausea through me. “Just out.”
“Liar, liar,” I sing-song, poking Ares’s chin with a wobbly finger. “We went to the fighting place. I learned how to pin down an Alpha. Pretty sure she let me win, though.”
“You took her to Dani’s, didn’t you?” Poe’s voice is dangerous. “Is she fucking drunk?”
“I swear she only had two drinks. I don’t know what the fuck happened.”
I giggle and press my face against Ares’s neck. He smells so good. I bet he tastes almost as good as the honey beer. “Mmm, you’re delicious.”
“Fuck, she can’t even stand up.”
“I can too.” To prove my point, I wiggle until Ares reluctantly sets me on my feet. My knees immediately buckle. Poe catches me before I hit the floor, his hands gentle but firm on my waist.
“This is more than alcohol. What did you give her?”
“Nothing.” Ares throws his hands up. “It was some special beer the bartender had. I didn’t know it would affect her like this.”
