Page 37 of Taming the Beasts (Crooked Point #3)

Tuesday

Zoey

“This is complete bullshit.” I started pacing back and forth.

Emma shrugged. “I think it’s actually nice that they’re finally bonding over something.”

“But we’re the ones that figured out that Kebe is a liar. We should be part of the conversation of what to do with her.”

“Yeah.”

We both stared over at the vault that my boyfriends and Callum had locked themselves into to “discuss” the imminent threat of Kebe. Vault number two. The one with all the stolen relics.

“What do you think they’re discussing exactly?” Emma asked.

I folded my arms across my chest. “Probably how to torture another supernatural creature successfully. It’ll be hard since she can disappear.”

“Do you think they have an artifact in that vault that will help with that?”

“No idea. But remember when Kebe was in there? And she kept talking about the auras of all the items being gray? That’s pretty bad energy. I think the guys have some seriously evil stuff in there. ”

“Hopefully something more evil than she is.”

I nodded. “Seriously, what is her game here? Because there’s no way she’s just here for a cure. What do you think that Anubis coin actually does?”

“No idea. I want it to be a cure for Callum. But we can’t possibly trust her.”

“I know. I wish there was a way to talk to King about it. But Kebe may have compromised him at this point anyway. They’ve been having private sessions.”

“You sound jealous.”

I laughed. “No. I’m just annoyed. I want all the answers and our boyfriends literally locked us out of the conversation.”

“Maybe they don’t want us to hear what horrible things they have planned for her.”

“Maybe. But I’m really bad at being told what to do.”

Emma smiled. “I know. Having one protective boyfriend is a lot. But five? Quite the handful.” She laughed at her own joke.

“Hilarious.”

“I know. I am kind of happy to not know what they’re going to do to her though. This way I don’t have to feel guilty about the plan.”

I stared at her. “So if they’re planning on murdering her, you won’t feel guilty at all?”

“I mean...”

“Emma. We’re not killers.”

“Our boyfriends are.”

Well, she had a point there.

“And Kebe is so horrible.”

I laughed. “I know. I wished she’d never stumbled upon Crooked Point. Or searched it out. Or whatever she did.” She probably had sought it out. For the coin specifically.

“You’re probably right though.” Emma sighed and leaned against the counter. “I’d feel bad if they did that thing to her that they did to those people in the hay maze.”

I pressed my lips together. Why was it my boyfriends doing the murdering in this scenario? I hated that one of them had lost control. I’d never asked them which one. I wasn’t sure I could handle the truth.

We were so close to them never having to lose control again. This coin was supposed to work. It was supposed to fix everything.

I stared at the vault door. But maybe nothing needed to be fixed. I felt guilty for even thinking that the guys weren’t perfect exactly the way they were. And they had the magical pocket watch to help control them. There were solutions other than a cure.

“Ugh this is taking forever,” Emma said.

“I can’t wait any longer. Screw them being protective. I want in.” I walked over to the vault and started typing in the code.

Emma laughed. “I totally forgot you knew that.”

“I was showing restraint.” The vault door hissed as I unlocked it.

Otto pushed the heavy metal door open from the inside. “Zoey, we need a few more minutes...”

I ignored him and stormed into the vault.

Callum and Bennett were inspecting a few relics. Huxley, Ace, and Titan were looking at several other relics.

What were they doing? “We want in on the plan,” I said .

Bennett lifted his head. “No.”

It was such a simple, infuriating response. “What do you mean, no?”

“I mean absolutely not.”

I knew what the word meant! “Bennett!”

“It’s a no, Zoey. It’s something Callum and I finally agree on.”

Callum nodded. “We want you and Emma as far away from Kebe as possible. One of the guys will drive you out of town tonight...”

“We’re not leaving you alone with her,” Emma said. “She’s dangerous.”

“Which is exactly why neither of you are going anywhere near her,” Bennett said.

This was ridiculous. “We’re not skipping town and leaving you guys high and dry.

We want to help. Besides, Kebe is comfortable around us.

We can lure her into a trap or something.

Now tell us the plan. Are you going to use one of those relics on her?

Which one? Because that sword over there looks useful. ”

Bennett turned to Titan and nodded.

Titan handed Ace the gold goblet he’d been holding and walked over to me.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

He ignored my question and lifted me over his shoulder.

I screamed. “No! Let me down!”

All I could see was the ground as he carried me out of the vault.

“Titan, put me down this instant!”

He kept walking.

“Release me!” I slapped his butt.

He ignored me and started walking up a set of stairs .

“Titan, put me down or else!”

“Or else what, doll?”

“I’ll...I’ll...”

“Oh I’m so scared.”

“Shut up, you neanderthal!” I slapped his butt again. His very firm, perfect butt. And I realized this was the closest we’d ever been.

A chill ran down my spine and I knew that he had carried me outside.

The cool autumn breeze made me shiver. He kept walking.

I pressed on his back to lift my head to see where we were.

He was walking across their rooftop hangout on top of the bank.

Oh my God, was he about to throw me off the roof of the building?

“Put me down!” I screamed.

“I’m still waiting to hear this threat of yours.”

“I’ll...I’ll slap you.”

“You’re already slapping my butt. And it doesn’t hurt. I actually don’t feel a thing.”

Good to know that he felt nothing when my hands were on him. Asshole. “Let me go, Titan!”

“Fine.” He lowered me down onto the table where we’d eaten cookout the other night. And also where all the guys but Titan had eaten me.

I swallowed hard.

Titan didn’t move. He stayed between my thighs, his hands on my waist. Like he was worried I would try to run back downstairs.

He had every right to worry. I was planning on doing that. “Seriously, let me go.” I tried to push him back, but he was like a brick wall.

“I’m debating whether or not I need to tie you up to keep you out of trouble. ”

I pushed on his hard chest again. “Move. I have to help come up with the plan.”

“Not happening.”

“Titan, get out of my way.”

Instead of releasing me, his fingers tightened on my hips.

I tried not to let it affect me. But I’d be lying if I said his touch didn’t do something to me. And my stupid thighs betrayed me and tightened around his waist.

Titan wasn’t the smiling type. But his eyes seemed to be dancing with humor as he stared down at me. “Not happening,” he said again. This time he seemed to be talking about us though.

“Screw you.”

“You wish.”

“Oh fuck off.” I shoved his chest again.

“I dare you to do that again, doll.”

“I’m not your doll!” I shoved him again.

He caught my wrists in just one of his hands.

I gulped.

“You’re playing a good game, but you’re not hiding anything now that you’re not wearing a mask.”

I glared at him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You’re practically grinding against me.”

“I am not!”

He looked down at where I was pressed against him. “Remind me, Zoey. When my friends were claiming you right on this table, were you not looking at me?”

I tried to pull my hands out of his grip, but I couldn’t. “No.”

“Liar.”

“I’m not a lair. ”

“You lie all the time,” he said.

“I was trying to surprise you with the cure!”

“I don’t like surprises.”

“Well I didn’t know that. I won’t surprise you ever again. Happy?”

“Hardly. Admit that when you were getting fucked right here, you stared at me because you wanted it to be my cock down your throat instead of Bennett’s.”

“You are such an asshole.” I wiggled backward.

He released my wrists to grab my waist again. He pulled me back toward him, slamming me against him.

I stifled a moan. I could feel his hardness pressed against me.

He chuckled. “I bet you’re dripping wet just thinking about me instead of them.”

“You’re the one that’s hard, wishing you could feel how wet I am.”

“So you are wet just thinking of me?”

I lifted my hand and slapped him hard across the face.

The low guttural growl that escaped his lips would have scared me. But he didn’t look like he was about to shift. He looked like he was about to devour every inch of me.

“Admit it,” he said.

“Have fun wishing it was true while you think of me as you fuck yourself with your hand tonight...”

His lips slammed against mine.

I hadn’t expected it. But I’d wanted it. I’d been dying for it. And I immediately parted my lips for him. I loved being with all my boyfriends. But Titan tasted like sin. And I’d always wanted a taste. It was even better than I imagined. My lips were frantic against his .

His hand slipped beneath the waistband of my leggings. He wasn’t slow or gentle. He thrust two fingers inside of me.

I moaned into his mouth.

“Just what I thought. Desperate for me.”

I couldn’t deny it. Instead I grinded into his hand.

He cursed under his breath as he pumped his fingers. “You like looking at me when my friends make you come. Admit that you’ve been dying to come around my cock.”

“If you admit that you’ve been masturbating to me for years while you watched me camming.”

“While I watched you with your legs spread, dripping wet from your own fingers?” He removed his fingers as he shoved his pants down.

Jesus he was massive. Thick and long.

He wrapped his hand around his length, smearing my wetness on himself. He ran his hand up and down. “Yes,” he said. “I loved those little snippets you shared on your livestream. And I’ve done this to this exact sight so many times I’ve lost count.”

I stared up at him. “Really?” I’d been so worried that he hated me.