Page 92 of Let Us Prey

“Driving a hard bargain, eh? What are these conditions? I have to know before I agree to anything or my twin will murder me.”

Bad Girl

Delores

I’m sonervous I can barely finish the delicious array of sweets the servers bring us. It’s not even close to the first time I’ve been intimate with Fitz, but things have taken a serious turn. The playboy rumors about my tiger don’t line up with the conversation we just had, and if I think about it, they don’t match the way he’s treated me from the moment I stepped on campus. But a guy who acted like he cared has burned me before, and even though I want to take this next step, I need a moment to wrap my head around it.

What should I do? I don’t want to hurt his feelings with my mini-panic attack.

My body moves of its own volition as I stand, placing my napkin on the table with slow, controlled movements. I can see the confusion on Fitz’s face, but he stands as well. “I have to go to the restroom. Can you point me in the right direction?”

A relieved expression comes over his handsome features, and he snaps his fingers, bringing a well-dressed giraffe scurrying to our table. “Take my girl to the ladies. I don’t want her getting lost in this crowd.”

I smile at the harried-looking server, whispering my thanks as he leads me across the room. The stares are hot on my back as I pass by tables full of big cats from all ends of the spectrum—wealthy to rough looking. I’m sure Fitz has brought dates here before, but I’d bet it’s the first time a prey animal has beenseated,not serving. Keeping my chin up, I thank the giraffe again before entering the large powder room leading to the ladies’ bathroom.

Okay, Dolly. Just breathe.

My reflection is perfectly coiffed and primped, but the emotion in my eyes gives me away. I’m not scared of getting sexy with Fitz after this, but the dating part is freaking me out. I’m just… I don’t know if my heart can take another blow like prom night, and I’m placing some serious trust in this tiger—and the others. Saying ‘yes’ to his… poly-posal... was easy until I realized I’m going to have to reciprocate the things I asked of them. I have to trustthem—with my heart and my body—and that means I will need to share the goodandbad parts of my past as well.

Stuff I’ve told no one, not even Mattie.

I sigh and shake my head. My nightmare childhood is a bridge to cross later; now I need to get my jitters under control before he thinks I fell in the fucking toilet. I reach under my skirt and pull my phone out of the little concealed pocket Cori cut into the side of my dress. Hitting the phone icon on my group chat with my friends, I tap my foot while I wait for them to pick up.

“Girrrrrrrrl. Why are you calling us instead of being twisted like a pretzel?”

Rufus’ drawl helps to calm the knots in my stomach, and I let out a slow breath. “Guys. I can’t talk long, but someone needs to help stop me from having an episode… because I just agreed to be the girlfriend offivedudes.”

“Wooooohooooooo!” Cori whoops in the background.

I wince. Sensitive ears—I can’t help it. “Yes, yes, it’s very cool, but how do I keep my fucking hands from shaking?”

“Easy, Dollybear. Get out there and shake your bunnymaker so he’ll dick you until you forget your name.” Rufus snorts, clearly amusing the hell out of himself.

I hiss into the receiver, “Your advice is to get fucked and I won’t worry anymore? I could have thought of that by myself.”

“Just think, if you had, you’d already be naked and happy,” Cori chimes in, her giggles tinkling over the line.

Son of a bitch, they’re right.

“Hanging up now!” I sing-song as I end the call, and look in the mirror again. Tucking the phone back into my pocket, I walk out into the restaurant with my head held high once again.

It’s time to rock Fitz Khan’s world and the rest will fall into place on its own.

“This is the Khan suite.They keep these everywhere we do business, so family members have a place to stay,” Fitz says, as he throws open the door to a room that’s easily as big as the entire floor of my original dorm room.

I have to physically stop my mouth from gaping as I step inside, so I don’t look like a rube. Sure, Lucille and Bruno are loaded, but they’ve never taken me anywhere like this. I should have known it was going to be ridiculous when he had to wave off an actual fuckingbutlerthat wanted to follow us onto the private elevator, but I don’t know if I could have prepared myself for this place. There’s a grand piano in the living room, multiple doors to Hera knows where, a full kitchen, and chandeliers. A panel on the wall, full of lights and buttons that must control this space shuttle, blinks at me as Fitz takes my coat and hangs it in the closet.

Holy Aphrodite, what in the hell have I gotten myself into?

The smug grin he gives me makes my thighs clench, and I wrinkle my nose. “I can’t believe your family owns a royal suite at the Plaza. This is like… king shit.”

“Baby Girl, your other boyfriends are kings—whether Raj or royals—or theyshouldbe. At least, most of them. Chessie and I don’t need that kind of responsibility.”

He winks at me like a jackass, and I cross my arms over my chest, suddenly self-conscious. I didn’t make that connection, especially about Aubrey or Rennie, but hearing it out loud brings me back to reality. “Gods, Fitz. What in the hell do you guys want with a nearly virginoutcastwith a truckload of baggage?”

The look in his eyes is downright predatory as he stalks over to me, yanking me against his body. His hand buries in my hair, tilting my head back so I’m gazing up at him, and my heart thumps like it’s going to escape my ribcage. He must feel it because he leans in, his lips almost touching mine as he growls softly. “Never talk about yourself like that again, baby girl. I won’t stand for it, and neither will the others.”

To reiterate his point, his free hand squeezes my ass, pulling me against his erection. I almost ask ‘why me’ again, but he takes my open mouth as an invitation to kiss me like he’s trying to crawl inside my body—which he probably is. My fingers inch up his chest and I loop my arms around his neck, returning the kiss eagerly. The hunger in the air is palpable, and I make a split second decision to simply let things happen.

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