Page 218 of Mama Si's Paradise

My eyes squeezed shut. God, I didn’t want to believe it. Even though I didn’t doubt a single word out of Grey’s lips, Ididn’t wantto believe it.

“There’s a reason why I choose to be the way I am with the people who live here, Fall,” Grey said, inviting my eyes to his again. “I’m good at reading people. I’mverygood at it, unfortunately, and they’re all snakes in disguise. It’s why I keep everyone away.”

My heart broke for him, for the sad look in his eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, not knowing what the hell else to say right now.

Grey’s lips opened, but he didn’t get to make a single sound. His eyes went to the doors across from us instead.

Then he jumped off the bed lightning fast.

Thirty seconds later, someone slammed their fists on the door twice, then pushed them open. By then,Grey had his sweatpants on and was standing in the middle of the room with his wings slightly spread to the sides, hiding me from Romin and Emil, who were striding in like they fucking owned the place.

I held the sheets to my chest for dear life, barely breathing.

“That’s far enough,” Grey said, and both Romin and Emil stopped walking a few feet into the room. I couldn’t see their faces from the wings, but I could imagine they were looking at me or trying to see me in bed.

Oh, God, please…I prayed, though I wasn’t even sure what for.

“It’s time, brother. We’ll be doing the vows in five minutes. Let’s move.”

Every inch of my body froze in place.

I jumped off the bed, wrapping the sheets around me as many times as I could manage as I went closer to them. Grey turned to look at me for a second, and he lookedsorry.

“Time for what?” I asked, though I knew. I knew very well what time it was.

Fuck, I thought it was still midnight. I thought I’d only slept for a few minutes after the shower. I thought there was time!

“The challenge,” Romin said, eyes on fire as he looked at the sheets around my body.

Grey’s wing suddenly came in front of me, covering me up as he gave a murderous look to his brother. The tension was so thick in the air so suddenly, I could touch it if I tried.

“You should keep those shielded, little brother. Spare the energy,” Romin said, nodding at the wings.

“I’ll keep them. You can wait for me outside,” said Grey.

“Of course, of course, yes. I imagine you feel all mighty and strong to see them. To feel them. I was like that, too, when I first got mine,” Romin said, as if to remind him that he had wings,too.

“You can wait outside, Romin,” Grey repeated, his voice low and dark.

“No,” the vampire simply said, a small smile on his face. “We need to go.Now.Dawn is in an hour. Move it, brother.” And he stepped to the side, waving for Grey to walk out the doors. Emil moved, too, though his eyes were on me. I couldn’t stand to be looked at by him now—ugh—when he’d felt so good when he sucked the blood out of me during the Blood Call.

My head spun with another memory that came so suddenly it froze me in place.

Fuck,allof them had been watching Grey fuck me two nights ago, and they’d all jerked themselves off, right there on the bed.

Fuck!How the hell had I forgotten that?!

Grey wanted to argue. I could tell just by the way the muscles on his back tensed.

But then he turned and moved his wings to either side of me, separating us from the rest of the room.

“Please, don’t,” I whispered, grabbing his face in my hands. I rose on my tiptoes and kissed him. “Just ask him to change his mind. He’ll withdraw the challenge.Please!”

Grey wrapped his arms around me tightly. “I can’t. I’m sorry, baby, but I can’t do that.”

“Time’s ticking…” Romin sang, and we both ignored him.

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