Page 127 of Let Us Prey

“I think you mean polyam,” I chuckle.

Huffing, he shakes his head. “I didn’t, but that works, too. The point is, she wants to date all of us and that includes you. Stop reliving whatever it is from your past that you still refuse to talk about, even with me.”

Now I’ve done it. I’ve hit our sore spot.

I open my mouth to respond, but the tiny sand kitten he bought for Delores comes skittering into the closet. She immediately trots over to Aubrey, climbing up his leg to his arm, and then onto his shoulder. The tiniest ‘mew’ escapes, and I watch his face soften as he reaches up to scratch her ears.

Jinx to the rescue!

Arching a brow, I stare at him until he finally throws his hands up. “Fine! Something cute distracted me. But I’m not wrong—the past doesn’t need to ruin the future, Rennie. Dolly might be your second chance.”

“But who’s counting?” I reply, turning back to the wall of clothes.

“For fuck’s sake...” he mutters. “Wear the Farmani with the blue.”

My lips twist as he stomps off with Jinx in tow. He’s not mad; he’s worried, and I understand why. Aubrey believes if I don’t talk about my trauma, I’ll never get over it. That’s saying a lot, given his lack of detail about his own banishment, but we’re men. It’s in our DNA, I guess.

He’s right about the outfit, too, damnit.

I pluck the sapphire silk Farmani shirt off its hanger and grab a pair of black slacks before heading down the hall to shower. When I walk into the living room, I can tell his crankiness has faded, because he smirks at my outfit as he pets the kitten on his lap.

Know-it-all.

“Don’t forget your keys,” he says as he nods at the dresser.

Turning back to face him before I head into the bathroom, I sigh. “Thank you. We use vehicles so infrequently…”

A snort is my answer as I close the door behind me, but I know he heard the unspoken apology for being on edge.

I’m not the only mother hen.

“I hadno idea you had a car like this. You guys keep surprising me with sexy machines,” Dolly exclaims as she runs her hand over the hood.

Shrugging, I round the side of the ‘62 Aston Martin. “I went through a car phase in the 60s. I learned to drive long before then, but it had been a long time. Plus, I got a wee bit obsessed with James Dean and so… There’s a warehouse in the city where I store them; I have quite a collection—your Mustang would fit right in.”

Her eyes widen, and she nods enthusiastically. “I love fancy cars. When I learned to drive, it made me feel free. I finally gained the freedom to drive during the summer, unlike all of my peers, and experienced the liberation of not having to rely on a creepy bodyguard for transportation.

The joy on her face makes my heart squeeze a bit, and I tilt my head. “Is that why you enjoy flying so much?”

“Um, no,” she replies quickly as her cheeks pinken. “I mean, yes, but I also like to share things with you and Aubrey. It’s like our special thing.” Ducking her head, she opens the car door before I can, and tucks in the long leather coat I bought her as she sits.

It helps immensely to have a small army of prey animals who will leave gifts on your girl’s doorstep.

She’s wearing the outfit I sent—a thought that makes the simmering beast inside preen with pleasure. I prefer this to his recent fury, so it’s a win. Shutting her door, I head to the other side of the car and drop into the driver’s side, looking over at her. “It is special,petit lapin. You’re the only person here who knows where we go and what we do when we hunt.”

I watch her wiggle in the seat, pressing her thighs together. Finally, she looks up at me, her eyes dark with promise. “I enjoy watching, you know.”

“Oh, I know,” I chuckle as I pull away from the Admission Building and head down the winding road leading off campus.

A pout crosses her lips, and she wrinkles her nose at me. “How could you tell?”

This time I laugh for real. For a girl raised by preds, Dolly has so little knowledge of how we work biologically. It’s curious and adorable at the same time. Her frown deepens, and I take pity on her, tapping my nose with one finger. A hand flies to her mouth, and she turns redder than I’ve ever seen her as she squirms in the seat.

“Oh my gods, that’s so embarrassing! That’s why everyone keeps...”

I give her another amused look as I steer the car onto the highway, taking us away from town and towards Cambridge. “Of course it is. Predators hunt by scent—surely you realize that.”

“Well, of course I do! I just didn’t think… Ugh—men!” She huffs, crossing her arms over her chest in irritation.

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