Page 7 of Nest Of Lies

“So beautiful,” I murmur.

The guy in front of me tenses. I can feel how intent he is on me, but I’m not scared. I know I should be. He steps away before I can move my fingers and turns back to face me.

“Lia?” he says, and the way he says my name has me unconsciously stepping towards him.

“Hmm, she said her name was Lia,” the guy who kissed me says. His eyes are blue and smile just as wicked as his lips.

“Where did she come from? Is she a cop?”

I glance back at the dark-haired and dark-eyed guy and add suspicious to the list of things I know about him.

“What’s your name?” I challenge.

He storms into my space, moving so fast I barely have time to back up. He ducks his head so we’re face to face.

“My name, little girl, is Valen, and you’d best remember it.”

His eyes are the most intense brown, like bitter chocolate. But this guys’ eyes are full of life, anger, interest, intrigue. He fascinates me. I want to see if the tattoos are everywhere.

“Why would I be a cop?” I ask with a frown, and he inhales. I shiver as I realise he just took my air into his lungs. Why is that such a turn on?

“She’s not a cop, Valen.” My captor, Zaden, murmurs. “She’s someone else.”

I frown, confused.

“Who are you?” The guy on the wall asks. His voice is low and husky, and there is an innate threat that exists wrapped around his person, making me shiver.

Still, I must be stupid because I’ve unconsciously taken three steps towards him, blindly ignoring the others. Compelled by the darkness in him.

“Lia,” I whisper. “Who are you?”

His eyes search over my face, and then his lips tip up. “Ianto.”

I suddenly realise that all five guys are alphas. Wow, I haven’t been around so many before. It must be why I’m so tongue-tied. Sure, blame it on that.

The final alpha is studying me in silence.

“Do you like to eat cakes, Lia?”

“Mills!” Zaden snaps.

We ignore Zaden, locked in our own world.

“Yes, I like cakes.”

Mills grins, and it’s like the sun shining through storm clouds. He’s got the most amazing hazel eyes and a kindness that makes me want to curl up against him.

“This is a nice space,” I say in distraction. I take in the room. The desk, the heavy curtains, the wall of books. I rush past them and scan the titles. “Oh, wow, I haven’t seen a copy of this in print before.”

“Is she mentally ill?” someone asks

I don’t know why that question hurts the way it does, but it rips through me. I don’t know them, it shouldn’t matter. Yet, it does.

I turn and force a smile. “Why would I be ill?”

My captor advances on me, and I end up backed up against his precious books as he looms over me. My heart bangs against my ribs, and all I can do is stare at him.

“Because you are here, and you aren’t scared. Ianto,” he tilts his head at the wall, “could snap you like a leaf. And Mills, well, he’d make you scream.” My eyes find Mills, who asked me about the cake. Would he make me scream? What kind of scream? Mills grins at me. He doesn’t look like he’d want to hurt me. He looks friendly.

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