Page 43 of Claimed By Rage

Rage nods in agreement. “Definitely not.”

Ruin leans back in his chair and doesn’t argue. That doesn’t mean he’ll listen, though. It just means he won’t put everything on display.

We’ll have to keep an eye on him.

“Anyway,” I sigh, “new rules. She gets to pick who she sees.”

“Or does not see.” Ruin tilts his head to the side and cracks his neck. “I like this.”

Rage puts the dumbbell back on the rack and picks up a lost one from the floor. Once it’s back in its proper place, he frowns at Celia’s reflection in the mirror. He clearly doesn’t like it, but it’s two against one.

“Meeting adjourned.” I bury my face in Celia’s hair and take a deep breath, ready for the next six—five—whateverhours left to be over. Once she wakes up, everything will be different.

Excitementzingsup my spine and crackles through my bloodstream, better than any drug.

Maybe the next time Celia goes to bed, she’ll take me with her. We can burrow under the sheets in the middle of the afternoon, hide from the daylight, and pretend that at least for a moment, we’ve only ever beenours.

Chapter 13

Celia

Rage is moody all afternoon.Even something as simple as brushing his teeth becomes a battle with his toothbrush, the short, jerky movements so violent that it’s clearly self-mutilation. When he spits out blood, I’m not surprised.

But Iamconfused.

“What’s going on?” All three brothers have been twitchy the entire morning. “Did I talk in my sleep, or something? Kick someone in the balls?” I slept like the dead, which would have beenwonderfulwere it not for the circumstances surrounding it. I should have never let my guard down like that around three ridiculously horny men.

As it stands, it’smortifying.

If I kept them up all night snoring—or worse,sleeptalking—I’ll never live it down. The humiliation alone is enough to ensure I never fall asleep around them again. Not to mention, I might as well revoke my woman card for trusting them to keep their word about not fucking me. If I was knocked out cold, they could have doneanythingto me.

It was reckless and stupid andI can’t believe I actually fell asleep with three crazy men in bed with me.

Rebel’s gray eyes light up from across the kitchen island. If he lost any sleep last night, he doesn’t show it. He’s been bouncing around the apartment ever since we stepped outside of Rage’s room, like a golden retriever let loose after a night locked inside a cage. “You talk in your sleep?” He pours me a glass of orange juice and slides it across the countertop. Lifting an eyebrow in Ruin’s direction, he asks, “why didn’t you say something sooner? I bet she’s spilled all kinds of secrets by now.”

Thankfully, Ruin isn’t much for conversation. He slips a piece of buttered toast beneath his mask and munches in silence.

“We need to talk,” Rage interrupts, stabbing an egg like it’s next in line for murder. He glares at the dripping yolk before shoving the plate away from him. “It’s important.”

I blink owlishly at Rage, unsure about this new development. “Um. Okay.”

He grinds his teeth for a full ten seconds. “Pick someone.”

I take a slow sip of my juice. “You’ll have to be more specific.” He could be asking me who his next target should be.

If that’s the case, the obvious choice should be himself.

“Pick someone for what?” I ask.

Rage looks like he’s swallowing battery acid, the heavy bob of his Adam’s apple somehow painful to watch. “You get to go home,krosotka.” He goes back to glaring at his untouched breakfast plate. “Only one of us can take you.”

“The rest of us have towooork,” Rebel whines, spinning on his barstool. “So you should definitely pick me. I’ll make the drive fun.” He grabs the edge of the island and steadies himself, then tosses a wink my direction.

I still don’t understand. “Aren’t you taking me home?” I ask, peering up at Rage. That was our deal: I spend the night with him, and he takes me home once it’s over.

He won’t return my gaze. “You get to choose.” Rage’s frown twitches at the corners. “Hurry up.”

I look between the three of them for a long moment. “Is this some kind of trick question?”

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