Page 38 of Inside the Sun

"I wanna take a good look at my newest acquisition," he says like he might smile, but doesn’t.

There’s no saving me now, so I start undoing the buttons on my pale green silk shirt.

Usually, I don’t have the slightest problem with getting naked, I love my body and I’m proud of it, but… this is different.

Still, I keep going. I shrug the shirt off, then get rid of my jeans. Finally, without a word, I pull down my boxers.

I feel oddly numb about whatever might happen next as I go back to my kneeling position.

Anzo watches me with intensity.

"You’re very pretty. And fit," he says, almost approving. "Haven’t seen many alphas more beautiful than you. If any. So you are, in a way… special."

"Oh yeah. I’m special, all right. You have no fucking idea. But I guess it won’t stay a secret for long."

He tilts his head. "And what won’t stay a secret?"

"My ass isn’t like other alphas’."

There’s darkness in Anzo’s eyes.

"On your knees, kitten. Show me."

With a grim look, I turn around and kneel facing away from him, letting him get a good look.

Anzo rises from his perch at the edge of the table and comes over. He crouches down, and then I feel his hands on my ass. I flinch, instinctively; his touch is cold, rough.

"Well, I’ll be damned," he mutters. "Didn’t think that was even possible in an alpha."

"See? I didn’t lie. I’m special," I mumble, hoping maybe the more unique I am, the better my chances of not being so ‘useless’ to him.

His finger runs down my spine, then touches my hole.

Another shiver. Gosh, I wish it were a good kind, but that’s not the case. The whole ‘being kidnapped and electrocuted’ thing ruined the idea of a sexy meeting with a mafioso for good.

"What would you even call yourself… a rose alpha?"

"I don’t know," I say, voice tight, feeling all kinds of wrong like this, exposed, vulnerable. "I wasn’t born this way. Myparents don’t even know. When I was like eleven or twelve, my body started to change. Actually, I thought I’d turn out to be an omega. But then I hit a growth spurt, and by seventeen my glands matured. Turns out I’m just an alpha… with a different kind of outlet."

"You produce slick."

"Yeah."

The whole thing feels almost clinical. I’m trembling like I’m cold, even though the room’s a normal temperature.

But then Anzo straightens up and walks back to his desk.

"Get dressed," he says, and I do it with pure relief.

"Will you finally tell me what it is you actually want from me?" I ask, kneeling again once I’ve buttoned up my shirt and pulled my pants back on.

"As I said, we’re going to start with your behavior. Do you know how to conduct yourself at the table with dignity and class?"

"I’m not sure my manners live up to your standards, but I can try."

"I can forgive a lot, overlook plenty, pet. But one thing I won’t tolerate is insolence." He narrows his eyes.

That’s when I feel it, Anzo gives me a reminder.

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