Page 204 of Psycho Beasts

“You didn’t do anything to help me!” I said.

“First, you act all embarrassing and poor, and now this. Don’t be a drama queen,” she mumbled but didn’t look at me. She was too busy itching at her back.

Her obvious distress freaked me out.

“We’re not leaving until we find some type of healing ointment for…” I trailed off because Aran was miming stabbing me in my peripheral vision. “For me. Sometimes my bruises itch.”

“Kitten is hurt.” Cobra’s eyes blazed.

“Baby girl, why didn’t you say something?” Xerxes growled.

Thus began a small excursion, where the men panicked that I was falling apart and they hadn’t noticed.

Which was highly ironic because they’d just been publicly choking me.

Their irrational concern over my well-being had its benefits.

Case in point, we finally left the mall with five different creams for itchiness.

One of which was labeled a miracle cure, with a price tag that I was pretty sure was over one hundred thousand credits, but Xerxes had taken it out of my hand and bought it before I could say anything.

Ascher was the only one who wasn’t completely brain-dead.

He kept looking between Aran and me like he knew exactly what we were doing.

At one point, he pulled Aran aside and asked if she was okay, his handsome face twisted with guilt and concern.

Since Aran had responded by hunching lower and biting her nails more aggressively, the worry hadn’t left his face.

It made me feel better to know I wasn’t the only one concerned about her.

When we finally returned to the mansion, we still had a few hours until nightfall.

I followed Aran up the stairs, looking forward to a long nap.

But stopped with surprise.

The girls had made a makeshift track out of toilet paper down the length of the hall and were screaming as Noodle raced against a hamster.

I decided it was not my business where the hamster had come from.

When Lucinda yelled something about Jinx owing her ten credits because Noodle ran off the course and the hamster won, I ignored it.

Frankly, the girls developing a gambling problem was the least of my concerns.

However, my nap plans were interrupted by the scent of warm chestnuts, and a sheepish-looking Jax tapping me on my shoulder. “We need to come up with a plan.”

Aran took her ridiculously expensive creams out of my hand and closed the door.

I opened the door and pulled her back out. “This is a battle, and we only have one day to get it right. You’re a battle strategizer. You’re coming with me.”

Aran bit harder at her nails but allowed me to pull her along as she said, “If you’re too scared to face the men alone, just say that.”

“Really?” I said with conviction, “I thought you knew me better than that. I’m not a coward.”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t comment. She didn’t need to.

We both knew I was full of shit.

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