Page 16 of Claimed By the Feral Wolves

“Nah, not like that,” Cayson says, raising his eyebrows. “A different kind of a game. An even more fun one. How about every time you land on someone else’s property, you have to take an article of clothing off? How about that?”

Ezra laughs. “Knowing you, you’ve got nothing on under those pants.”

Cayson raises a brow. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I’ll pass.”

“Faye?” Cayson asks, turning to me, making my cheeks go pink. “What do you say?”

The wine warms my insides. A night of laughter and smiles fill me. I glance between the two of them and I feel safe with these two men. I know, deep in my bones, that they’d never hurt me.

Something inside me tugs, hard, and I say the words before I can think about the consequences. “Sure, why not?”

6

Faye

Neither Cayson nor Ezra have the chops to beat me in this board game. Cayson is just too reckless, moving before deciding on a strategy, forgetting to collect his money, missing obvious choices that would benefit him. Ezra, on the other hand, is just too nice. He keeps purposefully avoiding buying properties so I won’t have to risk landing on them and isn’t actually playing the helpful cards he collects. Between these two losing strategies, I’m sitting in my pajamas, having only lost my robe.

Meanwhile, both Cayson and Ezra are sitting in nothing but their underwear—Cayson in a pair of black boxers, Ezra in a very nice pair of dark blue boxer briefs. I never thought I’d be so happy to be near two half-naked men, but I’m not minding this one bit. Cayson and Ezra are ridiculously beautiful men, with the kinds of bodies only written about in steamy romance novels. The kind of books I’ve had some experience reading, at least the ones hidden in the back of my grandmother’s closet.

The second they took off their shirts and my gaze ran up and down their washboard abs, my mouth had felt as dry as a desert. When they’d both landed on one of my properties, I’d blushedand said they didn’t have to take off their pants, but they’d insisted. Which, you know, Iguesswas okay.

More than okay.

“Well,” Cayson had said, laughing, “I guess you don’t have to ask usboxers or briefs?”

As thoughthatwas a question I would ever pose to one of them. I think of the matching set of lace underwear I’m wearing—courtesy of The Selection—and blush down to my collarbone.Whatever I do, I need to keep my clothes on.

Cayson passes around our second wine bottle, and I take a greedy sip, hoping to calm my nerves. It works, a little, as more warmth blossoms inside of me, and I feel the tension in my muscles easing, and my mind working just a tiny bit slower. I’m far from drunk, which is probably smart, but hanging out in Tipsy Ville is just what I need.

“Ha!” Cayson says, when I finally land on one of his properties. “Go ahead, Faye! Lose a piece… I’m hoping for the top, if you’re taking suggestions.”

He raises his eyebrows suggestively, but I just laugh, grabbing my calf and pulling my leg up so I can peel off my remaining sock. I had intended for it to be the least sensual article of clothing I could have chosen, but when I glance up at the guys, they’re both transfixed, their eyes wide and dark.

“I didn’t know you were so flexible,” Ezra mutters, his voice low.

“I stretch every morning,” I say, but it comes out so quiet, I’m not sure either of them heard what I said. Cayson is just staring at me intently, his throat working in his neck, like he keeps thinking to say something, but pulls himself away at the last moment.

We keep playing, rolling and moving, the tension in the room growing with every turn. When Ezra lands on one of my properties, his gaze shoots up to meet mine, and I try to lookaway, but my mind is racing with the possibilities.What would it be like to see a man completely naked for the first time?I’m pretty sure every square inch of my skin is burning, red hot.

Slowly, he reaches down, taking off the necklace he wears around his chest and setting it to the side, next to his neatly folded clothing. On the other side of Cayson is the haphazard pile he’s been adding to each time he has to strip.

“The idea here was not for me to seeEzranaked,” Cayson grumbles, slouching down and pouting.

I reach out and roll again, just missing Cayson’s property and landing on a bonus square.

“Ha,” I say, holding my hand out to Ezra, who’s functioning as the bank. “Go ahead, pay up.”

“I wish you were cheating,” Cayson says, rolling the dice again and groaning when he has to go into jail. “I wish there was an explanation for why you’re beating us so badly.”

Ezra rolls the dice. He lands on a neutral space and breathes a sigh of relief.

“There is an explanation,” I say, giddily reaching for the dice. In a few turns, I’ll buy Cayson out of his properties and have effectively won the game. “You’re too chaotic, and Ezra is too nice.”

“I knew you’d been letting her win!” Cayson says, jabbing his finger lazily in Ezra’s direction. “Why won’t you let me have nice things, man?”

“I have not been letting her win,” Ezra mumbles, but his heart isn’t in it.

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