Page 181 of The Bonding Games: Part 2

“Don’t be. I’ve been thinking about it so much, there’s no way she doesn’t know,” I admit sheepishly, running a hand over my hair. “And you didn’t say anything directly, just . . . implied, which . . . How did you know? Are we that obvious?”

Something like a secret little smile plays on her lips. “A little.”

I fight back a groan. How are we ever meant to surprise Ezla if she doesn’t even need to be in our minds to read our plans?

“It’s how I knew what Ezla and these gentlemen meant to you before I even saw you today—your feelings are written clear as day all over you.”

Bright red, I can’t help but ask, even though the answer has already been made more than clear, “Do you . . . approve?”

“In every aspect,” she confirms, gentling her tone as she tucks some of her shoulder-length jet-black hair behind her ear. “All I’ve ever wanted was for you to find your place, for people to see your worth. All I’ve ever wanted was for you to find this.”

My throat clogs, and I pull her into a hug. She’s small, hardly reaching my chest, and so it’s not hard to see my dad when he glances over at me and gives me a proud smile full of happiness for me too.

My emotions crowd me quickly, and I sniffle around the words when I say, “Me too.”

***

“Do you want me to bark for you?”

I’m not sure how I thought today was going to end, but I certainly didn’t expect to come back to the Headquarters after visiting Tiger and Scotty’s parents and be dragged into our Bonded bedroom to receive an “overdue punishment” with my best friend.

The best friend who’s currently being attached to a leash.

“You may do whatever you wish. I simply would like to spend this time with the two of you alone, as I have not fully . . . recovered from Game 4’s events, and we have not had the time for this until now.”

I gulp. I haven’t recovered either. I don’t think I ever will. And much like throughout the day, her words have a mixture of something fierce and hardened in there along with the softness that’s reserved just for us peeking through. It has me thinking back on those moments right now, if only to escape the dread that comes roaring back at the reminder of Ezla’s scream for us, that dark red sword . . .

“You’re . . . you’re the woman who killed our eldest son.”

Without a care, Ezla stands with her arms casually folded over her chest, looking steadily at Cooper’s parents before her. “Yes. It was immensely enjoyable.”

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Cooper wraps an arm around her waist while his mum and dad gape. “I love Ezla. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with her. And she . . . she saved me. I would have been dead if she hadn’t killed Danny.”

Cooper looks quite similar to his dad, who opens his mouth to respond, but the latter’s stubble is slightly longer, and there’s grey flecks in the strands on his head. “We know,” he says roughly. “We just . . . This is a lot. I think we’d both like to say we appreciate that, but I guess no matter how much of a monster your child turns out to be, that still feels wrong to say.”

“But we . . . we’re not at all against this,” Cooper’s mum puts in from beside him.

“I would not leave him if you were,” Ezla tells them tonelessly.

Her lips twitch upwards. “That’s good to know. Cooper deserves that kind of loyalty.”

It’s safe to say that was the most tense visit, but I could tell Cooper’s parents approved. And despite being clearly wary, especially with Ezla’s personality and Tate appearing ready to bash their skulls in if they said one thing out of line, they relaxed more and more the longer we talked. At one point, Cooper pulled his dad away, which had our Bonded’s intense gaze tracking him the entire way to the kitchen before they disappeared, and I’m almost certain he had a similar talk to the one me and my mum had, because my brother looked elated despite trying to hide it when the two of them walked back into the room, and his dad smiled over at Ezla as if the awkwardness upon their initial introduction never happened.

Our last visit, however, was completely different, with Ezla’s softer side threatening to show its face multiple times, which me and my brothers could tell was really pissing her off:

“Oh, she’s so perfect! Look at her!” Tiger gushes, nearly dancing around Ezla as he shows her off to his parents. “I’m so, so in love! And I have so many adorable nicknames for her!”

Which you will not be sharing, Ezla sends down the bond darkly.

“Oh, of course not, DN!” Then his eyes widen. “Sorry, I swear that one wasn’t meant to come out.”

Her lips purse while Mr and Mrs Gold watch the interaction in what’s seemingly fascination. That one is fine, she concedes.

“Oh, yay! Okay,” he says excitedly as he looks back at his parents, “so that stands for Deadly Nightshade—you know, ‘cos my Bonded is a baddie. And like, she compliments my brain! Ez thinks I’m so smart!”

Ezla’s mismatched eyes narrow while his parents visibly melt. “I do not think, I know.” Her words can’t be called anything other than a threat. “Your words are an insult to both our intelligence.”

Eyes popping wide, he nods his head eagerly. “Well, duh! That’s obviously what I meant! But other than you guys and Scotty, she was the first to say it, you know?” Tiger tells his mum and dad while snatching up Ezla’s hand, bouncing on the balls of his feet in a near-childlike way.