Chapter 18
Plutonium
Zoe
I wake up to the sun beaming in my window. It’s the first time in days the fog isn’t obstructing the sunlight. It’s only when I stretch out my muscles that I realize Teddy is no longer lying next to me.
I opened up to them about my past and now I no longer feel a vendetta against them.
We worked together so well at the museum, everything felt so natural.
Like I clicked into their fucked-up puzzle as a long-lost piece.
It became very clear very quickly that I fit in, easily, and it may be against my better judgment, but I trust them.
The way they all reacted to my story last night told me enough.
They didn’t know anything about what my father did, and they have no direct involvement with the Cambions.
They are fighting a battle on the same side as me.
Last night I decided I’m not fighting these urges anymore.
Max was right, I do want these men. I want all of them, selfish as it may be. I’ve never been allowed to be selfish in my life, but this is something I want. I want them all for myself, though I’m not ready to admit it to them. I can admit it to myself.
I roll over in the bed, enjoying the softness of the luxury bed sheets. I take a deep breath, inhaling Teddy’s scent that he left behind. He smells like firewood and whiskey; he smells warm and dangerous. A smell I can easily get drunk off of, and I can’t get enough.
“Sleep well, princess?” Brandon’s voice scares me out of my trance, and I practically jump from the bed on high alert.
I quickly adjust my shirt to make sure I'm somewhat covering my underwear, “Um, yes. I slept fine. What are you doing here?”
He chuckles, “Good morning to you too.” He leans against my door frame in a lazy stature. He’s still in a pair of gray sweatpants that show off a jaw dropping length that I poorly try to not linger on. He is shirtless, of course, and his hair is in a rumpled bed-head state.
“We have a busy day ahead of us, and there are some things we need to catch you up on. Go ahead and get dressed and I’ll meet you downstairs.” He looks me up and down with a knowing look and saunters out of the room.
Fuck, the camera. I look up in the corner of the room and see the camera that Teddy pointed out to me last night.
I was too drunk on lust to object to it last night, but now it’s all flooding back to me.
Someone was watching, or they all were. The thought makes me flush, and not in a bad way.
Did they like what they saw? Did they get off too?
I can see a little blinking red-light shine in the camera, and I know someone is viewing it now. I scold it and give it my middle finger before I head to my bathroom. I take a quick shower, avoiding getting my hair wet so I don’t have to spend time drying it.
I hurry into the closet, and I finally peek into the luxury bags that Max got me days ago.
I take out a halter crop top and a pair of black cargo pants to match with my chunky black boots.
I put on some light makeup to make my eyes seem more awake and throw on a gold chain necklace I found in a little velvet box.
I give myself a last glance in the mirror before jogging out of the room and down the stairs.
All four men are sitting around the table in their usual seats. Max, Dean, and Brandon all sipping coffee and Teddy drinking chocolate milk. This time he prepared a glass for me in front of my usual seat and my heart warms.
“Good morning.” I say, more chipper than I intended as I plot myself into my chair, already starting to make my plate of breakfast.
“Good morning, Harpy. How did you sleep?” asks Max. He places his phone next to his plate and relaxes into his chair.
“I slept fine, but I’m sure you already know that.” I smirk over at Teddy who is staring at me.
“What do you mean?” He feigns innocence when I know if anyone was watching those cameras it was either him or Brandon.
“I’m talking about you watching Teddy fingerfuck me back to sleep last night.” I decided blatant honesty was the route for the day, vulgar or not.
The men choke on their drinks, obviously not prepared for the words that have left my mouth.
Brandon is clearly loving this, Max looks like he’s in the middle of an internal battle and currently losing, and Dean looks like he’d rather be anywhere but here.
Teddy just continues drinking his chocolate milk like he is oblivious to the conversation.
“You think Max is the only one that watched?” Brandon leans back and crosses his ankle over his knee. Now it’s my turn to choke.
“You?” I sputter.
“Dean too.” Brandon winks over his coffee mug before giving Dean a pointed look.
“All of you?” I shriek and stand.
Max gives a sideways nod and goes back to looking at what was on his phone.
“Yes, all of us. And might I say, you are quite addicting to watch fall apart.” Brandon says in a dreamy tone while he runs his fingers through his hair.
I sit back in my seat, refusing to recognize how my body is humming at the thought of all of them seeing just how well Teddy treated me last night.
He held me in my sleep, replaced the fear from my nightmare with the pulsing need in between my thighs, he cleaned me up, and fixed the damage he wrecked on my body.
They watched it all, and not one of them is showing jealousy.
It’s possible I read everything wrong, and Teddy is the only one who wants me, or I’m the luckiest woman on the planet, and they all want me, and they don’t mind sharing. Well, at least I know Brandon and Teddy want me. Max and Dean are just broody pains in my ass.
This makes me think back to Max’s words last night about the other two playing with my “needy cunt”. The coarse words make me shiver in place causing my knees to lock together making an audible clack. I feel a warm throb in my core.
“So,” I say, desperately wanting to change the subject for the time being. It is way too early to talk about this. “Brandon mentioned that you needed to share some things with me and that today will be busy. What’s on the schedule?” I pop a strawberry into my lips followed by a bite of a banana.
“We have a plan on how to draw out the Cambions, possibly take them down once and for all. But first we need to find out who’s in charge.
” Max says. “For now, we will continue as usual. We do our regular work and our routine appearances, just with you in tow. We still aren’t ready for anyone to know you’re the Sparrow just yet, but they will see that you are an asset and not just my current love interest.”
I think on his words before I respond, taking a sip of my chocolate milk. “You think they are still after me, don’t you? You think after my appearance last night that they’ll recognize me after all this time.” I think out loud.
“That’s correct,” Dean adds.
“As for today, we have a few things we need to take care of. We need to take a trip to two warehouses to make a random appearance as a team, catch them off guard and possibly remind them that we aren’t soft.
Then later today we will sit down with our existing guards, and you will help us drop the weak links.
” Max continues. “After your assessment I agree that there are necessary changes needed. After seeing how you fight, it’d be best if you had a say in who stays or goes.
Since you’ve been surveilling us and the Cambions for some time now, let us know if you find any rats. Sounds good?”
“Sounds like a plan to me. Am I dressed appropriately?” I ask and stand.
I see that Brandon is still in sweats, Teddy is wearing ripped jeans and a tattered band shirt, Dean is in his dark jeans and black tee as always, and of course, Max is in a full three-piece suit— vest, tie, jacket, slacks, and I’m pretty sure a pocket watch is hanging from his pocket.
“Hm, give me a spin.” Brandon quips.
I let out a huff, but do it anyway.
Brandon hums as he assesses me, but I can feel all their eyes burning holes into my body.
Brandon turns to Max, “She’s going to need some weapons.”
19
Alpha Radiation
Zoe
Dean helps me into a double shoulder holster and straps me with two Mossberg MC1sc’s before we head to their garage. This is the first time that I’ve been in their garage. My jaw goes slack, and I swear I have to scrape it off the concrete.
The entire garage is filled to the brim with subtle but luxurious vehicles.
I was hoping we’d be taking the sparkling Audi A8, but there is no way all five of us could squeeze in.
Instead, we pile into a Lamborghini Urus.
It’s so nice I’m worried that I will taint the leather by just looking at it, but I mimic how they act and quickly relax in the middle seat in the back.
I’m flanked by Teddy and Brandon, Max takes the passenger seat, and Dean claims the driver seat.
I’m already heating from the close proximity, but then Teddy puts his hand on my upper thigh, and Brandon follows suit with wrapping his arm around my waist, slightly pulling me closer to him. “Comfortable princess?”
“Mhm,” I squeeze my lips in a tight line and try to ignore the fire igniting in my lower stomach.
Dean takes off out of the underground garage. We speed run through a tunnel, then appear on a side street once we spit from the opening. Max looks intently at his phone while Brandon and Teddy begin to tease me with their fingers, tracing little circles into my skin.
Needing to focus on what we will be doing at the warehouses, I shoot forward, knocking both of their hands off of me, leaning between Max and Dean. “What is expected of me once we get there?” My question is directed at Max.
“It depends if we see anything out of the ordinary. But the warehouse crews will need to know you are one of us, so if anything arises- you should be the one to act.”
“Act as in?”
“I’ll let you determine that.” Says Max, still not removing his eyes from his phone screen.