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“What does my behavior have to do with going shopping?”

“Well, Pet, you need something suitable to wear since you complain about wearing anything in storage,” Asher said with a smug grin. I couldn’t disagree. All their ‘storage’ consisted of what belonged to Imogen. “Your first show by our side must be done in style.”

I harrumphed, not liking the spiel. “And how exactly are we going? Everything is closed.”

“A Coven Sire we know owns a shopping center,” he said, his nose practically touching mine. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to overwhelm me into just going along with whatever they said, but it was working.

“A Sire that runs an escort service and now one that owns a mall. Vampires have their fingers in a lot of pies.”

“We mold ourselves into society. It’d be stupid of us not to evolve and build wealth,” Jax said. “Money equals power.”

Asher straightened and I clawed myself out of the cobwebs he conjured whenever he neared. And a small part of me, the smallest, teeniest bit, craved going shopping. Such a silly desire considering the dramatic shift my life had taken . . . but Icouldn’t change anything. And I’d decided to accept this new life. Tentatively accept it.

“Fine, when are we leaving?”

“Now,” Tobias said, withdrawing his palm from my back. The absence left a cold spot on my spine.

“We’ll have to chain Bastien up again.” Every follicle in my body fought against that sentence. I nudged past Asher to swing my glare at Ren.

“No.”

“No?” he repeated, eyebrows raised. “She’s failing at her role.”

“He shouldn’t be chained up, he hasn’t done anything. And it’s not like there aren't four of you that could stop him from doing anything. Plus, didn’t you say they’re opening the store, that means there won’t be any humans, so he should be safe to come with us?—”

Asher smirked, placing his finger across my lips. “Take a breath.”

“We shall bring him, Love.”

Well, that was easy. There was no bluster from Jax, either.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. They were giving into what I wanted so quickly. They had been giving in with suspicious ease.

“I can’t go out like this,” I huffed, raking my hand over my clothing.

“Your new clothing should be in my wardrobe. Maddy unpacked and organized them there since we hadn’t completed your room,” Asher murmured in my ear.

“You had clothes for me the entire time?” I scowled, plucking at the overlarge top draped over me.

“I don’t see the problem.” Asher dragged his gaze over my form and settled on my breasts. I could feel my nipples stiffenunder his gaze. I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head, then turned on my heel.

TWENTY-SEVEN

catalina

They pulledinto a parking garage and headed toward one of those gates where the plastic barrier swung up when you pressed a button. Ren had been on his cell phone for the last few minutes, listening to whatever the buzzing voice said on the other end. The others seemed to hear the conversation based on the glances they offered each other.

The curiosity ate me up, but I kept my mouth shut.

“Did you find them?” he snapped and swiveled his head to look at me squished between Bastien and Tobias.

“You need to go handle it,” Tobias said.

“Weneed to go handle it.” Ren ended the call.

Tobias’s jaw twitched.

The garage wove onto a ramp that turned into an upward spiral spanning floors; I lost count how many, until Jaxon pulled the SUV into the parking spot in front of a glass wall.