Page 14 of Cost of Courting

“We’ll need to have a street party to welcome you home properly!” Match says. “Street party tonight!” he shouts.

Despite his age, he’s got a set of lungs on him, and I see doors opening and heads poking out.

I open my mouth to protest when my idiot captor squeezes me hard enough to stop me.

“Say a word to stop this, and I’ll kiss you and give everyone something to really talk about.”

I can feel my face drain of blood. The threat works. The last thing I want is for him to kiss me.

Isn’t it?

“You touch me, and I will bite it the fuck off.”

He grins at me and leans down almost like he will. I hold perfectly still, staring up at him. I’ll play chicken with this ass all day long, but instead, he just opens his arms and lets me go.

I stumble back, almost losing my footing.

“You ass!!” I howl.

Retaliation is my first impulse, but I muzzle it and stand up, stalking away from him. I’m wet now and covered in the food Luna left in the fridge that made perfect ammo.

He inhales sharply. I glance over my shoulder and find him staring at my ass like he’s in pain.

This sleazy typical alpha. Why do I get such a tingle from the way he’s biting his bottom lip? No, no. Bad, Selene.

I almost cover myself up so he can’t see it, but, at the last moment, I keep my hands pinned to my sides and keep walking up the steps. I need a shower and help.

Lots and lots of help, clearly.

I was not thrilled to see that look on his face. It does not make me feel good.

Ten minutes and a blast of cold water from the shower is enough to push the anger from my mind.

I hear the commotion and quickly rinse my hair. I’ve just shoved open the cheap plastic curtain when the bathroom door crashes open.

Mael and Kingston stumble in. I let out a shriek and wrap the curtain around myself, but it doesn’t deter them at all.

Kingston grabs my wet hair and drags it to his nose. When that doesn’t give him what he wants, he buries his nose in the side of my neck.

My skin breaks into goosebumps, and, I swear, my skin tingles where he touches me. Has he always been this tall? I bite down on the moan that tries to escape. My nipples tighten and between my legs, slick, for the first time in years, gathers.

My reaction is completely unexpected and familiar. It’s humiliating.

“Fuck!” Kingston whispers. “It’s true.”

I snarl, but it’s either let go of the curtain or smack him upside his head.

I let go of the curtain. Edric’s sharp inhale from the door just makes me even angrier. I shove at Kingston, but his fingers curl in my hair, holding me perfectly still.

So, I knee him in the junk.

He lets go of my hair, and I look up, straight into Mael’s fierce and dangerous glower. There is something so still about the way he’s looking at me. His eyes drop, slowly taking in my body, over my breasts, my tummy, down my thighs, all the way to my feet and back up.

It’s powerful.

And I’m helpless to do anything but stand there and let him.

“You lied to me.”

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