Page 201 of Psycho Beasts

It dawned on me what she was doing, and I slapped her hands, pulling it off her. “Really, in a public store?”

“Better than being queen of the fucking fae,” she snarled and pouted as I held the leather strap away from her.

“Shut up,” I whispered furiously. “Someone will hear you and take you back.”

“Kinky, Sadie.” Ascher walked by and grabbed the strap. “Didn’t know you were into props.”

Before I could explain the situation, Aran chimed in, “She also wanted that ball gag,” and pointed to the most terrifying-looking device I’d ever seen in my life.

Ascher smirked and added it to his pile of toys. “I like the way you think.”

“I’m going to stab you,” I whispered aggressively at Aran as two very tall beta women, with hair down to the floor, sashayed by.

They had black whips in their hands and an assortment of revealing clothes.

“Why haven’t you come up to check out?” Xerxes asked as he walked over.

He must have found clothes, because he had a sparkly black bag on his arm.

Xerxes wore a baseball cap and had sprayed some type of enchanted mist that temporarily masked his cinnamon scent.

“I need to find new clothes. Can you believe this?” I shook my head and showed him the price tags.

His purple eyes crinkled with confusion. “Do you need a different size? I can ask.”

“Yeah, it’s not gonna fit her muscles,” Aran said sarcastically.

“Now you’re just being mean. See if I stop you from strangling yourself next time.”

Xerxes looked back and forth between us with confusion.

Aran rolled her eyes like she didn’t care and chewed at her fingernails.

“No, the price, Xerxes. Can you believe this? It’s robbery!” I showed him again.

Xerxes shifted back and forth awkwardly. “I don’t get it.”

“See, Sadie, you’re just being dramatic. Stop being poor,” Aran said as she looked around warily, like she’d just noticed that she was exposed in a public place.

I had a sick realization. “If you ever rule, you’re going to be a bloody dictator, aren’t you.”

“One could fucking hope.” Aran itched at her back and walked away like she was bored with the conversation.

Xerxes cleared his throat and said softly, “Baby girl, you’re not buying this.” He took the hanger out of my hand and gave me an intense expression that made my stomach flip.

“I know. I just need to find a different store.”

He stared at me for a long moment.

Ever since the “heat incident,” where I’d accidentally come on his vibrating dick a dozen times, Xerxes had been looking at me with a dark expression.

I love you hung in the air between us like a tangible weight.

I breathed shakily, unsure how he could make me feel so on edge just by staring at me.

Xerxes turned around, but instead of handing the items back to the lady who worked for the store—she was modeling one of outfits that had cutouts around the boobs and lady bits, which was truly inspirational—he walked to the counter.

“You’re back, Sir Xerxes. Did you find everything you wanted today?” the beta sales lady asked sweetly, leaning forward to showcase her exposed boobs.

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