Page 51 of Friends With the Monsters
Vanessa and her group make their way over and the crowd parts for them. I face the bar. “May I have a bottle of water, please?”
“You got it,” a good-looking guy behind the bar replies quickly. Before I can drag a twenty out of my bra—these pants don’t leave room for pockets—Calix places a bill on the bar right next to my left elbow.
I know it’s him by the way he feels. Everyone else in this place is tarnished, but somehow it makes his purity shine even brighter.
“Anything for you?” the bartender asks with a chin jerk.
“Nothing, just hers.” Calix pushes the money closer to the man.
I lick my lips before cracking the lid on my drink. I know Grim is close, too. My stupid fucking body is somehow tuned in to his as well. I spin on the stool, using my boots on the bottom riser. Lifting the bottle to my lips, I whisper, “They feel like the oily guy,” then take a sip, covering my mouth.
I watch the entire VIP lounge, but keep an eye on the group. Gunnar is speaking to the man that interrupted us, but he’s not being very subtle about keeping an eye on our small group. Every time I glance past him, he’s looking at us.
“He’s not very stealthy,” I mutter, making a big deal about looking over the crowd.
“We don’t really need stealth, Damiana. What we need are answers.” Calix leans his arm behind me on the bar.
“Well, if they’re up to shady shit, and they realize we’re on to them, it could foil our plans.” I look up at him and smile like I’m really just flirting with Calix.
He grins down at me. “Foil our plans for what—world domination?” I can tell he’s teasing me and my excitement.
“No, but if they’re hurting my friends, I’m going to stop them.” Who’s to say they wouldn’t go after Uncle or Theius the next time they need a boost of magic.
Grim bumps into my side. I look over and see a tall redhead sidled up a little too close to him for comfort. Without thinking, I reach across Grim’s body, place my hand on her hip, and shove her away. “Mine.”
The redhead gapes at me, her pretty mouth hanging open as if she can’t believe my audacity. “Move along.” I shoo her with my fingers and wrap my arm around Grim’s back, tugging him closer. Grim turns so the front of his body is flush to my side. I give his butt a nice little pat as a reward. There’s no way I’m going to let someone else touch him. They don’t know it yet—hell, I’m not even sure when I decided it—but some part of me did choose all three of them as mine.
I wrap my other arm around Calix just for good measure. I don’t need anyone getting any ideas.
“Comfortable, queenie?” Calix asks. I give his ass a pinch in response. “Don’t distract me. I’m working.” He bursts out laughing, attracting way more attention than we need. Vanessa even looks over at our group, and her brow furrows.
“Great.” I scowl.
“What’s wrong, bad blood?” Calix’s hand goes to my shoulder near Grim.
“No. I’ve just never liked her. Now I know why,” I theorize, but it’s probably just an excuse. Even if she weren’t a witch, I still wouldn’t like her.
“She’s the head of the coven,” Grim comments, as if he’s answering his own question.
“Shush,” I warn, and look around. We’re still drawing some attention. It would probably be hard not to, with two gorgeous guys and a woman between them. I bet they’re wondering what we look like when we fuck, importing our faces into the countless pornos they watch. I know I’m doing a little imagining myself.
Grim would be under me, tied to the bed so he couldn’t escape. Calix would be behind me. A little double dipping sounds so damn good right now.
“Should we go over and introduce ourselves?” Calix interrupts my thoughts. I glower at him and the thought of speaking with her.
Not one to back down, I stand up, but I need to set some ground rules. I grab hold of Grim’s chin and pull him down so I can see that he’s looking in my eyes. His mouth parts just slightly, and I feel the breath of hot air that escapes. “You may not like it, but Irefuseto share you.” Grim licks his lips in response.
I turn to face Calix. “Same goes for you. Don’t do anything that will piss me off,” I warn him. He seems way flirtier than Grim, and watching him flirt might just send me over the edge. Not to mention, who knows what would happen to me if I ate a witch’s soul, nasty thing that it is.
“Come on.” I take a step and pause. Grim hits my back. I like that he’s staying so close. I spin on my heel. “Are we pretending we don’t know Gunnar? I don’t know the plan.”
“Let’s let him decide.” Calix places his hand on my back, urging me forward.
When I turn around, I suck in my already flat stomach and smooth my hand over my hair.
“Back again so soon?” Vanessa grates through a fake smile as we approach. “And you brought friends.” She doesn’t hide her lecherous stare as she gives Grim and Calix each a good once over. “And you are?” She leans forward just a bit, but it allows the low cut of her loose fitting top to dip even farther, exposing her nipple. If I can see it, I know the guys can, too. I grit my teeth.
Taking one step back so I’m between the two men she’s asking about, I loop my arms through each of theirs.
