Page 602 of The Bonding Games: Part 1

His mouth snaps shut and he glowers, but smartly attempts to even his tone. “Please, get back on the bed. I’d just like to be close to you and know you’re okay.” He heads over himself and sits on the edge of the mattress, patting the spot beside him. Scotty, Tate, and Tiger also walk over, the wild one plopping himself down with a bounce, a smile, and an enthusiastic thumbs-up aimed my way. Tate stands with his bulky arms crossed over that firm chest of his like a sentinel, and Scotty decides to be his twin opposite him and by Cooper so that the spot they have left for me will cocoon me in.

Folding my own arms over my chest, I scowl as I debate my options: go to my father now and explain why I am late for dinner for the first time since I made that particular mistake when I was thirteen and endure a beating and rape, or stay here, have a little chit-chat with my— these men, maybe even receive a massage if I decide to, I am sure, and then return to the Techtis Council building to enjoy said beating and rape.

Hmmm . . . decisions, decisions . . .

Alby gently tugs on my hand with a shy smile.

“Fine,” I snap, ensuring they see I am ready to kill if they push too far while I graciously allow my shy boy to lead me to the bed, brushing off the relief and happiness that permeates the air the second the word leaves my mouth. Flicking my hair over my shoulder, I let go of Alby’s hand and find my place beside Cooper, shuffling back a bit to get comfy, sitting with my legs criss-crossed. Then my chin lifts.

Their eyes all bore into me.

A few blinks.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Cooper mutters, a hand reaching up to scratch absently at the stubble he has grown and maintained over the weeks, which is possibly a tad sexy—not that I care—and I send daggers his way.

“You’re sat so adorably!” Tiger provides with a squealing pitch to his voice and places his hands on my shoulders from behind, forcing me stiff as a board once more. He immediately snatches them back. “Sorry, Ezzy!”

“I am not adorable.”

“Of course not,” Scotty reassures, but reading his thoughts and emotions tells me he is no better than his brother.

I fight back a growl, trying to maintain my cool composure.

“Okay, let’s get back on track.” Cooper hesitates before trying his luck and placing his own hand on my shoulder next like I am a wild animal, and I have the strangest urge to snap my teeth at him to prove him right.

So I do.

He yelps, darting backwards and almost falling off the bed.

And something odd bubbles up my throat.

I cackle like a supervillain.

Oh, wow. I cannot remember the last time I made this sound, if I ever even have, or a time I have felt like this. There is pure glee and amusement in me at the look that had overcome the grump’s face when he had actually thought I would bite him. Hilarious.

When I regain control of myself, five men gape at me, slack-jawed and wide-eyed.

My expression hardens at once. “Stop looking at me like that,” I hiss, flashing my teeth in hopes of getting more of those delightful reactions from Cooper.

And he smiles. Smiles at my damn threat.

“Cooper, I will annihilate you. I will cut off your dick, chop it up like a cucumber, then feed it to you in a sandwich—”

He sucks in a sharp breath, looking at me almost as starry-eyed as Tiger does every moment of every day. “Cooper?” He is obviously trying to hide the smugness in his tone and expression.

I do not know why he bothered. The attempt was truly disgraceful.

“Would you prefer ‘Player 17’?” I threaten darkly.

“No! Fuck no!” he spits out as if the idea alone is abhorrent. “‘Cooper’ is fine. It’s . . . it’s perfect, actually.” Great, and now he is attempting—and failing yet again—to hide a softer smile than the previous smirk.

“You have a beautiful laugh, Havoc,” Tate murmurs in his deep, rumbly voice, and I flick my gaze to him while sounds of agreement from the other Evots meet my ears.

“Hm.” I do not offer more than that as I study his pitch-black eyes, the grey only a thin ring around the pupils.

That one is always hard for me.