Page 69 of Psyop Kings

Me: Which group home did you come from?

Then I send another one to Gareth.

Me: You did me dirty earlier. Is Megan even here? Did you give me the keys to watch me get caught? I must be so amusing to you.

Before either responds, I get the creepy sensation someone’s watching me. Jerking my head up, I see Caius leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest, eyeing me intently.

While I showered, he must have changed out of his party clothes as he’s wearing gray sweatpants and a plain white T-shirt that hugs his muscular physique. I hate that I even glance down at his crotch, remembering with a flash of heat how it felt to have his cock rubbing against me. I jerk my gaze back up to his face, where his features are impassive, giving nothing away.

“Spying on me?” I ask in a snippy tone, closing down the internet on my phone, and toss it onto the chaise cushion.

His eyes narrow a fraction. “Nah, that’s you, little girl.” He holds up a folded piece of notebook paper and arches an eyebrow. “Been in my office, I see.”

I stiffen as he pushes away from the doorframe and begins slowly prowling my way. With each step toward me, my heart speeds up until it’s tripping over itself. He makes me nervous, but I can’t tell if it’s in a good way or a bad way. I’d like to think I’m naturally afraid of him. The alternative, that I like when he’s near, is too shameful to even think about.

My phone buzzes and though I want to see what his brothers said, I don’t dare take my eyes off Caius as he nears.

“What were you looking for?” he asks, a hint of irritation in his tone.

“Doesn’t matter. I didn’t find it.”

He doesn’t relax. Every muscle in his body is tense, as though he’s poised to strike like a venomous snake. I pull the blanket tighter around me, unable to shake the chill despite the roaring fire beside me.

“You think you found something.” He unfolds the paper and glances briefly at me. “What do youthinkyou found?”

Calista.

I found the word “Calista” on his notepad while snooping in his office and left the evidence tucked away in a book for him to find. He knows this. We both do.

Rather than stating the obvious, I shrug. “Nothing that makes sense.” I pause and give him a saccharine-sweet smile. “Yet.”

He scoffs and tosses the paper into the fireplace. Tension bleeds from him as he watches it burn. I can’t help but also witness the destruction of it.

“Where’s Megan? She’s a project just like you were, huh?”

His head tilts to the side and his eyes turn impossibly darker. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, little girl.”

Irritation has me flinging off the blanket and rising to my feet. As soon as I catch a whiff of his delicious cologne, I mentally berate myself for inhaling it. Standing so close to him is a mistake. My body warms, remembering his expert touch from earlier.

Or maybe it’s the fire that has me breaking into a sweat.

“I really don’t feel like talking to you,” I grit out, turning to leave. “All I get is more and more questions. Never any answers. I’d rather go upstairs and put puzzles together. Alone.”

At least the puzzles play by the rules.

Those make sense.

I can master those easily.

He grabs hold of my bicep, stopping me. Then he drags me toward the fire until my back is nearly pressed against the mantle. Heat burns at my calves through my pajama pants.

The fingers from his other hand snag my chin, biting into the flesh along my jaw. I suppress a yelp as he angles my head up so he can glower deep into my soul.

“Let go of me,” I hiss, squirming in his hold. “The fire is hot and I’m practically on top of it.”

He steps even closer to me. When I automatically start to retreat, he tightens his grip on both my face and bicep, making it impossible for me to move without pain. “Whatever you think you know, you don’t.”

Calista.

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