Page 44 of Taming the Beasts (Crooked Point #3)

Grudge laughed. “Okay, fine.” He turned off the music.

“I’ll get dressed. But I can’t believe I didn’t get a single dollar bill thrown at me.

” Grudge pulled on his pants and started re-snapping them on the sides.

“Good thing I’m in a clothing store. I’m gonna need a new dress shirt.

Do you think you could help me with that? ” he asked the owner.

“Good heavens,” she said.

Emma stood up. “Let’s get me in that dress.” She practically ran into a changing room. The owner followed her.

“What the hell was that?” I asked with a laugh.

“I thought it would make you laugh.”

“Success.”

He smiled. “I don’t think Emma liked it.”

“I think she liked it a little. She was totally looking through her fingers.”

He laughed and leaned back on the couch. “But really. Not a single tip?”

I grabbed a ten from my purse and slid it into the waistband of his pants. “Happy?”

Grudge smiled. “Yes.”

I rolled my eyes.

“It really is good to finally meet you in person.”

I smiled. “It really is. ”

“So about a replacement shirt...” He started looking around.

“This boutique only has women’s clothing.”

“Maybe something with a deep tuck?”

“What?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Like a long women’s shirt or a shirt dress that I could tuck...”

“I’ll have Otto let you borrow something.” Otto was tall and lean too. He might not be super happy about it, but it was the only quick fix before the wedding that I could think of. I pulled out my phone to text him when I saw that there was an emergency alert on my phone. I clicked on it.

Fuck. There was a serial killer loose one town over from Crooked Point. Five known victims already. They were warning all the towns in the vicinity to be on high alert for a man wearing glasses, khaki pants, a blue button up shirt, and having no visible piercings or tattoos.

For some reason I found myself glancing at Grudge. I quickly shook the thought away. He wasn’t a serial killer. And he’d driven straight here from wherever he was from. Plus he never wore glasses. And I couldn’t really picture him in a pair of pants that didn’t rip away.

Emma stepped out of the changing room.

I forced myself to keep my face even. The last thing Emma needed was to hear about this. I tried to focus. Her dress had been amazing already. But the extra length to the bow in the back was so romantic.

Grudge whistled and Emma blushed.

“You look so beautiful.” I abandoned my phone and ran up to hug her.

“If there’s nothing else you need,” the owner said. “I might go grab a seat for the ceremony. ”

“Of course,” Emma said. “Thank you so much for everything.”

She nodded. “The door will lock behind you. I’ll see you out there.” The owner left the store.

Emma looked so happy as she turned to me. “And you really think Callum will like it?”

“No, he’ll love it.”

She smiled so brightly.

“So what now?” Grudge asked. “We still have a bit of time to kill. Should we look at the lingerie selection?”

“Grudge,” I said.

“What? She needs to look hot under the dress too. You gotta go for something red, right?” He stood up like he was about to go over to a rack of lingerie.

“I really don’t need anything,” Emma said. “I already got something new for tonight.”

Thatta girl!

“Well, let me see,” Grudge said. “I’ll let you know if it’s any good.”

Emma shook her head.

“Did you get a new set for tonight too?” he asked me. “I think I’ve seen everything you own.”

“Stop it.”

“But I have.”

My phone started ringing. I cringed. My boyfriends had probably gotten the same alert on their phones. They probably wanted to cancel the wedding. And I couldn’t let that happen.

“Hold that thought,” I said and hurried over to my purse.

“Absolutely,” Grudge said.

I ignored him and grabbed my phone. Sure enough, Bennett’s name was lighting up my screen. “Hey,” I said as I answered the phone. “I can’t really talk right now.” I didn’t want Emma to overhear about the serial killer.

“I know you’re getting ready, but this can’t wait.”

Why did he sound so excited right now? He’d reassured me a ton about not being into Emma anymore. But it really seemed like he was thrilled that her wedding was about to be postponed. “Bennett...”

“They’re alive, Zoey.”

“Wait, what?”

“Patrick and Ray. They’re okay.”

“Someone found them? Bennett, that’s amazing news! Have you talked to them yet? Have they said anything about the coin?” This couldn’t be better timing. Right before Callum was about to take the cure.

“Yeah, I’ve talked to them. They’re both in town.”

What? “They’re in Crooked Point right now?”

“They wanted to talk in person about the coin. I hope it’s okay, but I invited them to the wedding. We were all getting ready when they showed up.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that’s fine. But what did they say? About the coin? And what happened to them?”

“It’s a cure, baby. They both confirmed it. It’s actually going to work. For Callum. For all of us.”

“Really?” I couldn’t hide the excitement from my voice.

“Really. We’re all going to take the cure after the reception.”

I put my hand over my mouth. I couldn’t believe it. They were all going to be okay. They wouldn’t have to worry about shifting and hurting anyone ever again.

“What’s going on?” Emma asked.

“I need to tell Emma the good news,” I said .

“Go. Tell her. I’m sure she’s a pile of nerves. But she’s going to be okay, Zoey.”

I’d been so worried about her too. I didn’t think Callum would hurt her on purpose.

It was an accident that worried me. “I love you,” I said into the phone.

Oh no. What did I just say?! For a second I panicked.

I hadn’t meant to say that to him for the first time over the phone!

I meant every word. But I should have done it in person. ..

“I love you too, baby,” Bennett responded without hesitation.

I was smiling so hard that it hurt. It was really good to hear those words out loud. Especially before he took the cure.

“I’ll see you in a few minutes, alright?”

“Mhm,” I said. “See you out there.”

He hung up.

I hadn’t realized that it was just about time for the ceremony. I turned to Emma. “Ray and Patrick are okay!”

“That’s fantastic.”

It was sweet of her to be so enthusiastic about that. I’d barely even started the good news. “And that’s not all. They think the coin is a cure too. It’s safe to use.”

“Really?” She looked so relieved. “You’re sure?”

“Yes! All the guys are going to use it tonight right after the reception.”

She exhaled heavily like she was releasing the weight of the world off her shoulders.

I understood the feeling.

“This really is the best day ever,” she said.

I smiled. “I know.” I was so happy for her. And for me. And for all of our guys. I was still nervous that things might change. But I loved my boyfriends. They wanted this cure. And that was all that mattered. “Let’s go get you hitched.”

She nodded. “Let’s do this thing!”

I pulled open the door of the shop. “Huxley is supposed to meet us at the end of the street with the bouquets. Is there anything else we’re missing?”

“I don’t think so,” Emma said.

“Are you sure?”

“You’ve thought of everything. It’s going to be perfect.”

“Um...I have one thing,” Grudge said.

I turned to him as we walked out onto the sidewalk.

“I need that shirt from one of your boy toys.” He gestured to his shirt under his tux that was missing all its buttons. He’d put his tie back on and the whole outfit made him actually look like a stripper.

“Crap,” I said. “I forgot to text Otto about that.”

Grudge frowned. “But I saw you on your phone...”

“It was nothing. And don’t call Otto a boy toy,” I added to hopefully distract everyone from serial killer worries.

“He’ll hate that. Besides, you look great,” I said.

I should have let him look for that shirt dress or whatever the fuck he’d said.

He was probably going to tell everyone why he was dressed this way now. My boyfriends wouldn’t be pleased.

Grudge shrugged. “If you say so. Not sure it’s a great look for meeting your boyfriends.”

Yeah, I know.

“But Kebe will probably like it. Speaking of which, Kebe is going to the wedding, right? I’m excited to meet her.”

“Yeah, yeah. You can sit with her and everything. ”

“Great.”

No, nothing was great. Because it wasn’t Huxley with a warm smile who met us at the end of the sidewalk. Titan was waiting with the bouquets instead. He glared at Grudge.

Oh screw me. This was not a good last minute change. “Thank you, Titan,” I said and grabbed both bouquets. I handed the bigger one to Emma as we stepped behind the hedges at the end of the lane so that no one from the town square could see us. “Where’s Huxley?”

“Callum needed help with something last minute.”

Well, that was sweet of Huxley to help. I liked that the guys finally all seemed to be getting along.

“Are you going to introduce me to this random shirtless man?” Titan asked.

Emma laughed.

I was glad she was finding this amusing. “This is Grudge.”

“Grudge.” Titan lowered his eyebrows. “Right. I’ve heard all about you. Where is your shirt, man?”

Grudge laughed. “Zoey didn’t plan a proper bachelorette party so I did a quick striptease for the girls...”

Titan lowered his eyebrows even more. In a way that had me a little worried.

I stepped in front of Grudge to block him from view. “Titan.” I grabbed both sides of his face so he’d focus on me.

I swear his nostrils flared.

“Titan,” I said again. “I love you.”

His eyes softened.

If there was one thing I’d learned this week, it was that I loved every single one of my boyfriends.

Otto and I had told each other how we felt a while ago.

And now that I’d said the words out loud to Bennett too, I wanted all my boyfriends to know how I felt.

There was no point in holding back. I was scared about what was going to happen to us in a few hours.

But for now, we were still an us . And I wanted him to know.

“A striptease? Really?”

It was okay that he didn’t say he loved me back. We were still very new. I did my best to push the thought to the side. “You have nothing to be jealous of.”

He looked at Grudge over top of my head and then back at me. “No stripteases from other men.”

“Does that mean you’ll give me one?”

He just shook his head.

I smiled. Yeah, I loved him even when he was ornery. Which was good, since that was most of the time. “I’ll take that as a yes, big boy.”

“Stop it.”

“You love when I call you that.”

He shook his head, but I swear he was holding back a smile. He looked down at his watch. “It’s just about go time. Anything either of you needs?”

“I think I’m good,” Grudge said.

“Not you,” Titan said with a frown.

Emma cleared her throat. “I think we’re all set.”

“Good. Let’s go find our seats.” Titan patted Grudge on the back really hard.

But Grudge just laughed as the two of them walked off.

“Well, that could have gone worse,” I said.

“You love Titan,” Emma said with a smile.

“Of course I love the big oaf.”

“I’m really happy for you.”

“ I’m really happy for you .” I squeezed her hand. Everything was finally going to be exactly as it should be. This truly was the best day ever. “You ready for your happily ever after?”

“Oh, I’ve been ready for ten years.”