Page 43 of Glutton for Punishment

We reach the helicopter, and I move to help her inside—

but Ryker’s hand catches her wrist.

“Let go,” I say, my voice low but edged.

He ignores me, leaning in toward her, speaking quickly, too low for me to hear over the blades.

I don’t like any part of this.

Arwen’s expression hardens as she listens; whatever he says is clearly not landing the way he wants it to.

“You will always be a selfish person, Ryker,” she yells over the noise, her voice steady despite everything. “And I will always hold you partially responsible for what happened here.”

There’s no hesitation when she adds, “If you’re looking for forgiveness, you won’t find it with me.”

She pulls free from his grip and climbs into the helicopter without another glance.

I follow, not missing the brief flicker of worry on his face before it disappears.

As the doors shut and the helicopter lifts, I look at her, finally with no bars between us. And I feel something settle deep that I don’t quite understand yet.

Chapter 13

Arwen

When we left Greed, the sun was rising. I fell into a deep sleep, cocooned in Atticus’s arms. When I finally woke up, the sun was on its way down again. I feel like I’ve lost all sense of time. Atticus explained we were taking a longer, more confusing route to throw off anyone who might follow us.

The first thing I notice when we begin to land isn’t the city.

It isn’t the loud noise of club music, or the sprawling, multi-colored, sparkling lights, or the smell of sour liquor hanging in the heat like heavy smog.

It’s him. Or the feeling of him.

The second my feet hit solid ground and the chaos of Greed falls away behind us, something inside me settles. It feels like a wire that’s pulled too tight, fraying, breaking… suddenly loosens. My shoulders drop and my lungs expand deeper than they have in weeks. The constant buzzing under my skin goes quiet.

Maddox.

He’s close.

The bond hums low and steady, no longer frantic, no longer clawing. Just… there. Anchored. Relief floods me so fast it almost makes me dizzy.

And I hate it.

It’s infuriating. I hate how immediate it is. Hate how my body recognizes anyone as something essential. Hate that after everything—after pain and fear and betrayal and fighting so hard to stand on my own—I feel stronger just because he’s close.

I force my shoulders back, swallowing it down before it can show on my face.

Gluttony is nothing like the small bit I saw of Greed. Where Greed was cold and metallic, tall and sharpened, Gluttony breathes. It’s loud and alive and heavy with movement. Even from the helicopter pad, I can see people everywhere, bright colors layered over each other, huge sparkling lights that make it hard to look away. It’s excess in a way that feels… overloading to my senses.

We don’t make it far from the helicopter before we’re stopped.

“Freeze! Lay down on the ground."

Guards in tailored suits run up and surround the helicopter with their weapons drawn.

I’m still covered in the aftermath of Greed’s experiments—burns not healed, bruises fading unevenly. Even after holding the stone the entire way here, even after forcing my body to knit itself back together, I’m not fully whole.

I wince as I get down on my knees before I hear a commanding shout.