The smooth-talker—I’d been waiting for him.
“Come on,” he said in a charming manner, bringing his face close to mine, bending his head to press a kiss to my hand.
“Enough,” Shadow demanded, interrupting for the first time. “You’re here to help me work out what the fuck she is, not seduce her.”
I snorted. “And I thought it was hard in Torma to lose my virginity. Apparently, it’s going to be even harder here…”
There was dead silence as I trailed off, six sets of eyes locked on me, some wide with shock, others with interest.
“Are you trying to tell me…” Shadow started. “That you’re untouched?”
The laughter burst out of me before I could stop it. “Definitely not. I’ve touched myself more times than I can count.”
More silence, although there were a few smiles around the room now—Len and Lucien in particular.
Shadow leaned closer. “Don’t deliberately misunderstand me. You know what I’m asking… you’re untouched by another?”
Wow, this was not the sort of conversation I’d expected to be having in a room full of powerful men. Since it was none of their business, I just shoved past Shadow, taking care not to touch him before dropping into a squishy sofa.
“One of you assholes better get me food,” I said grumpily. “Since this is supposed to be a dinner.”
There was laughter, although Reece and Shadow, who were still doing their stoic enforcer thing, remained silent.
“She’s legitimately not afraid of us,” Len said, shaking his head. He leaned forward in his chair. “Why are you not afraid of us, lamb?”
I mimicked his movements, crossing my legs as I leaned forward, no doubt flashing everyone way more cleavage than they’d expected to see tonight. “I’ve been tortured by powerful men my entire life. Growing up in my pack as an outcast, there’s very little that wasn’t inflicted on me, outside of rape. At some point, I had to stop fearing my demise and start living for every day I got to remain on Earth. I choose to embrace my power and strength—and never show my fear. This is who I am now, and I won’t change for anyone. Not even you six scary motherfuckers.”
Len was no longer smiling. Instead, he was staring at me like I’d just stripped butt naked to wave batons and do a cheer.
Reece took his first step from Shadow’s side, watching me closely in a way he hadn’t until this moment. He didn’t say anything, and while he still looked somewhat pissed, much of the tense anger had left his jaw. My words had thawed a little of his chill. Very little.
“You don’t need to fear us,” Alstair told me quietly, drawing my attention from Reece.
Shadow grumbled. “Speak for yourself. I’m still trying to figure out if my best move is just to kill her and forget about Earth. Would save me a shitload of trouble.”
I flipped him off, because why not, right?
His eyes darkened, and as he started toward me, he grew in size.
“Ah, fuck. She’s gone and done it now.” Lucien groaned. “Shadow is going to beast out and we’ll all have to pick up the pieces. Just leave her alone, man,” he called out. “She’s too beautiful to tear apart.”
“Silence,” Reece demanded. “This is Shadow’s property, and he will choose what to do with it.”
So I flipped him off as well becausefuck you, dude.
Len was in hysterics at this point, half out of his chair as he held his stomach and laughed. “Fuck.” He snorted. “I hope Shadow brings home more stray humans for us to play with. This is the most interesting night I’ve had in ages.”
“Enough!” Shadow rumbled, and it was almost impossible to understand him with so much beast in his words. “Get the fuck out. Now.”
His friends didn’t sweat his mood swings, taking their time getting to their feet and finishing off their drinks. Half of them waved or saluted goodbye and left the lair. The other half probably thought Shadow was going to murder me tonight and they’d never see me again.
And they might be right.
27
Once the room was near empty, I noticed Reece was still there, posed in what I was dubbinghislook.Arms crossed, face expressionless, eyes stripping me to the core.
He was most definitely Shadowthe second.
