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“I won’t let him do anything to you.”

“Cat!” she shouted and pulled on my arm. I whirled to face her.

“Nothing will happen to you.” I extricated her grip from my arm and left her cussing up a storm.

THIRTY-FIVE

catalina

I marched inside.

“Enough personal time?” Asher smirked. I glared and headed right for him. His expression smoothed and he put his hands up.

I jabbed my finger in his chest.

“Get the others upstairs, the bedroom.”

“What?”

“Now, Asher,” I snapped. His eyebrows twitched.

I didn’t stick around to watch him do as I asked. Anger made my steps heavier than usual. I reached my room and paced to the window. From here I couldn’t see the bench behind the tree. A slim shadow stood on the lawn. I squinted. Talia was still freaking out? I mean I knew how scary they could be, so I understood where it came from, but I wouldn’t let them hurt her.

I’d left the door wide open, so I could hear them coming. Tobias was the first one through the door. I thinned my lips and turned to face him.

His eyebrows furrowed and he approached me.

“Is everything all right, Catalina?” he murmured. “Has someone bothered you?”

“Yes.”

His eyes narrowed.

“Who,” the icy tone would have sent me running before.

“You.” I poked his chest.

“At least I’m not the only one that received a chest poke,” Asher grumbled as he entered. I glared at him, and he sprawled across the bed.

“Why didn’t you tell me.” I scowled up at Tobias. He still looked confused. “Why didn’t you tell me you were already given a date for the trial?”

His lips thinned.

“Which of your sluts fucking told her,” Ren snarled, storming inside. I jumped from the shout. Ren faced Asher who’d sat up. Jax and Bastien entered a beat later.

“Oh great, deflection.” I narrowed my eyes.

Ren scowled.

“Back to my point. I’m going.”

Tobias’s eyelid twitched.

“You cannot go. If someone recognizes you?—”

“I’ll wear a disguise.”

“Your smell?—”