Page 22 of Prey

“She’s an acquisition.” My voice comes out rougher than intended.

“She’s not, though.” Raphael’s tone stays mild. “We didn’t have a job. No buyer, no file, no name on a list. You went out alone and came back with a woman who has nothing to do with any of this. That’s not an acquisition. That’s a woman you wanted for yourself.”

“So go handle it,” Theon suggests. “Get it out of your system. You look ready to tear someone apart.”

“Maybe I’ll start with you.”

“Ooh, touchy.” Darius pushes off the doorframe. “When was the last time Nikolai Vex wanted to fuck one of his captives?”

Never. The answer burns in my brain. Every name I’ve ever collected earned the cage—they built the program, ran the wings, signed off on what was done to children like us. You don’t look at people like that and want them; you feel the cold weight of what they’re owed, and nothing else. Jenna doesn’t fit the pattern. She never has. And I still can’t explain why I took her.

“Jesus, look at his face.” Marcus has opened his eyes. “He’s got it bad.”

“I don’thaveanything.”

“Right. That’s why you’re white-knuckling the counter.” Lucien doesn’t even look up from his carburetor. “And why your breathing changed when Damon mentioned her.”

I release the counter. Force my hands to relax.

“This is adorable,” Theon declares. “Nikolai has a crush.”

“I don’t?—”

“Does she have a name?” Darius asks. “Or are you just calling heracquisitionwhile you jerk off thinking about?—”

I’m across the room before the thought completes. My hand closes around his throat, pressing him back against the wall. Not hard enough to cut off his air. Just enough to make a point.

“Easy, brother.” Darius’s grin doesn’t falter. “We’re just fucking with you.”

“Find another topic,” I suggest.

“Why? This is the most interesting thing that’s happened all week.” He glances at my hand on his throat. “Well, second most interesting.”

“He’s right, though,” Damon says calmly. “You need to either fuck her or send her to Wisconsin. This in-between thing? It’s making you sloppy.”

I release Darius. Step back.

“I’m not sloppy.”

“No, you’re just death-gripping counters and threatening us over mild teasing,” Ezra observes. “Completely normal behavior.”

“Fuck you.”

“See? Sexual frustration.” Darius rubs his neck theatrically. “Classic symptoms.”

“We done with the analysis?” I grab paper towels to clean up the spilled water. “Because I’ve got actual work to review.”

“Work can wait.” Theon stretches out on the couch again. “This is more entertaining.”

“For you maybe.”

“For all of us,” Lucien corrects without looking up. “You’re usually Mr.Ice Cold Professional. This is… different.”

“Different how?”

“You’re acting human,” Dominic says quietly. “It’s unsettling.”

“Thanks. Really helpful.”