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It took a tremendous effort for me to remain seated, but I didn’t see a way out of them joining us that wouldn’t seem rude. I couldn’t afford to let my fucked-up mental state alienate any of the guys, or worse yet, make them question my past. For now, I would have to tamp down the desire to run and allow myself to be surrounded.
A man with spiky brown hair came and sat on the arm of the love seat, his thigh brushing against my shoulder. My breath hitched, and I felt hemmed in as my eyes darted between Tweak’s larger frame on my right, and the man sitting entirely too close on the left.
He stuck a hand in front of my face. “I’m Colt.”
My eyes traveled up the tendons of his forearm on the way to his face. The surrounding voices suddenly became muted, almost as if I were underwater trying to hear a conversation on the surface.
His dimple melted away, and his brows drew together. Shit, if I didn’t get it together, I’d wind up having a full-blown attack in front of these men. In my head, I started counting backward from a hundred, even managing a tight smile as I shook his hand.
It wasn’t until he dropped my hand and scooted over a little on the arm of the chair that air once again filled my starving lungs. God, I was such a freak. Someone needed to hang a flashing neon sign around my neck that said disaster ahead, proceed with caution.
Legs the size of tree trunks entered my field of vision, and I had to tip my head all the way back to look into his dark eyes. The agency did not exaggerate this man’s overall size.
He grinned, crinkles forming at the corners of his eyes. “Everyone calls me Beast.”
Sitting down on the end of the couch next to us, he stretched out his legs and laid his arm along the back of the couch. He seemed perfectly at ease with the boot that rested against the side of my flats. Oddly enough, that made me feel better. Like he had a sense of my boundaries, and respected them, without wondering what the hell was wrong with me.
“The name’s Gunner,” he said, following Beast’s lead and nodding as he sat beside him.
His blue eyes were arresting, but not for the reasons you might think. Even the man’s eyes seemed at war. The wisdom and warmth of an old man stared back at me, but just beneath the surface flickered the shadows of a haunted man. Having demons that never left you at peace was something I could relate to, and I gave him what I hoped was a warm smile in return.
“Don’t mind these guys. They’re all harmless.” He pointed at Tweak. “Except for the one you’re sitting next to.”
My thoughts went to Hunter, and I highly doubted anyone thought of him as harmless. Probably none of them were, but I appreciated his attempt to reassure me nonetheless. Though, I couldn’t quite figure out why he was warning me about Tweak when Hunter was the one who insisted I stay in his room.
“Hey,” Tweak objected from beside me, a look of mock horror on his face.
Gunner shook his head. “She may as well know now that her panties are in danger of ending up by her ankles around your ass.”
If he only knew how broken I was, he wouldn’t worry about my panties ending up anywhere they weren’t supposed to be. Still, it felt good to have him joke around with me as if I were one of them. Like I fit in. It was high school all over again, only this time I was sitting at the cool kid’s table. And not because Cherry had motioned me over.
Tweak nodded his head in their direction and winked. “Tell these assholes that I’ve been a perfect gentleman.”
“It’s true, guys,” I said, playing along. “My panties have remained around my waist the entire day.”
“They had better fucking have.”
The object of my obsession stood there next to the TV, his nostrils flared, his fists balled at his sides, and a vein in his neck sticking out. His eyes moved over me, a familiar tingle dancing over my skin, making my core clench. He appeared slightly unhinged, and every bit the stone-cold killer I knew him to be. Yet, my body still responded to him. Yup. There was something seriously wrong with me.
I’d always considered myself logical, able to weigh outcomes and decide without the messy emotional attachments other people had. When I killed, it was purely out of necessity. It wasn’t anything I took pleasure in, and unlike my father, I wasn’t into messy dramatics when I did it.
Possession, however, kicked things up a notch. It made me envision how Tweak’s cock would look shoved up his ass. I may even throw in making him swallow his own balls. We’d have to see how satisfying his screams were after I cut off his cock.
He held up his hands. “Don’t go all Hannibal Lecter and eat my liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.”
He must have read my mind, or seen the intent in my face, because he wasn’t far off the mark. That didn’t bode well, given the games that still needed to play out with my brother. I’d have to do a better job covering up the darker side of my nature or the club would end up suffering for it.
Beast snorted. “Good one, dude.”
“Thank you, I thought so.” Tweak grinned over at Beast before turning back to me. He wouldn’t be smiling if he knew how seriously I was contemplating mutilating his junk. If she’d had even a button out of place, I would already have his dick in my hand and my knife at his throat. “She was only joking. Your grouchy ass might not have a sense of humor, but she does.”
My gaze settled on Brandy, her eyes wide and her luscious lips parted. She hadn’t shown the slightest bit of interest in Tweak, even after he complimented her, or he would be short a nut. Ryder would still be upset, but I thought it was an excellent compromise. Still, her reaction seemed odd, given that she looked like a fallen angel.
“Give me some credit.” Tweak leaned forward, his hands resting between his knees, his brows drawn together. “She’s Cherry’s sister, not a she-devil or sweet butt. I wouldn’t have touched her on the first day, even without that weird hissy fit you threw where you called dibs. Now, quit looking at me like I had the nerve to lick your lollipop.”
“Lollipop.” Beast shook his head and leaned forward with his fist extended. “Give me some dap on that one, brother. You are on a roll today.” Beast’s fist connected with Tweak’s and as he lowered his arm, he looked over at me. “Calm down. Cherry kept an eye on her until she had to leave with Ryder for her shift at the strip club, and then we crashed their party.”
All thoughts of mutilating Tweak’s twig and berries were forgotten when Brandy’s middle finger started rubbing along her index finger, her sweet face scrunched up. I would destroy whoever caused her distress. Except for whenever I was the culprit, of course. I was a selfish prick who knew she deserved better but would never let her go.
