Page 112 of Psycho Alphas: Part One

It didn’t take him long.

“She’s… yours?”

I cocked my head, watching him work through that out of the corner of my eye. For a moment, I caught the ghost of a smile on his face. “He bought her to taunt you?”

“Probably. Hurt her to get to me…?” I said with a shrug. “I’m not inside that fucked up brain of his.”

Vance sneered, hackles so clearly rising.

“Nah. See, you already have more than you deserve here ’cause he wouldn’t hurt her.” I could hear the conviction in his voice.

Unsurprising.

They believed in Knox. It’s why they stayed. For each other, but also for him.

I could see Vance gathering confidence as he worked out the truth that would fit his idea of Knox. “He doesn’t need to hurt her. Once she understands who he is—who you are—she’ll never pick you.”

I thought of Thistle. Of those wide violet eyes and the animation that lit up her whole face. Vance should be right by all accounts, but I didn’t think he was.

Shedidwant me.

It was a dark, guilty void that warmed at that thought.

I knew how much pain it would bring her to keep caring when Knox would take her from me, and yet I’d never wanted anything in this world like I wanted her.

Vance grinned, folding his arms, clearly satisfied with the conclusion he was drawing.

“You’re so fucked,” he said. “Think this will be it, Scum? Will we have a fully feral pet in the cage downstairs?”

I knew that’s what they wanted to see more than anything else.

The muzzle wasn’t enough for them, not for what I represented to them.

Vance waved at his own cheek, eyeing up my bruised face. “Can tell she’s already getting you into trouble.” He grinned. “I’m feeling nice today, so I’ll let you know: Knox said if we saw you, to say punishment’s gonna be worse if he doesn’t find you behind bars with the muzzle on.”

I rolled my eyes, entirely unsurprised. That’s why I was out here with a smoke. Didn’t know when I’d get fresh air next.

I frowned, feeling something odd on my arm. I glanced down, then flinched away, a snarl on my face.

The cigarette was still between Vance’s fingers, even with his arms folded, and he’d left the burning end pressed against my bicep.

Of course, I hadn’t felt it, even though there was a circular burn, clear and pink, on my skin.

He stood in an instant, and I was after him, a furious growl rising up in my throat.

It took everything in me not to deck him—since what would it matter with the trench of shit I was in with Knox, anyway?

I took a breath, burying it as he squared me up, neck craned, not taking even one step away, as if it were a dare.

Which it was.

He knew for a fact that whatever I did, Knox would pay it back to me a hundred-fold.

That all too charming smile on his face did a hell of a job distracting from the flames of madness smouldering in the depths of his dark brown eyes.

That, I think, was visible only to those searching.

I took another breath.

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