“This was Kai’s idea. We never considered she’d be this fucking annoying and shameless.”
“I’ve told you I lost shame a long time ago. I have the four of you to thank for that,” I remind them, groaning as Ezekiel continues to carry me.
As soon as we reach the park, he siphons us, and the next step we take is inside his living room. He dumps me to the couch, dropping me like it burns too much to hold me another second, just as Kai and Jude appear in the room.
“Unless we lock her up, it’ll do no fucking good to leave her here,” Kai gripes, apparently carrying on a conversation I’ve already missed part of.
“Can’t lock her up, jackass. She can just pass through walls. Not even soul stone keeps her in,” Jude growls.
“I can assure you there’s no way you can confine me,” I decide to interject, earning a murderous glare from Kai before he directs his attention to Ezekiel and Gage.
“I told you it was pushing her too far, but you had to be a dick,” Ezekiel says as he starts making a sandwich.
“I find this all utterly ridiculous and a complete double standard. Why is it okay for the four of you to take home another girl but I can’t bring home a guy?” I ask seriously.
“Because we’re guys. It’s allowed,” Kai states just as seriously.
“I’m going to pretend you’re not referring to archaic social proprieties, considering you have none, and try not to stab you for that completely chauvinist remark.”
They don’t even glance my way, as they continue talking amongst themselves.
“No girl or her. Those are currently our options if we expect her to stay chaste while we wait things out,” Ezekiel tells them.
I nod in agreement.
“She doesn’t have to stay with us, then we don’t have to see her with other men,” Jude bites out, even though he seems to say it with strain.
Kai disappears from the room, and I hear him cursing above us as heavy footsteps stomp around the second floor.
“You want me gone now?” I ask, my voice a little quieter as I look at Jude.
He gives me a look that has me flicking my flesh switch off so that I become untouchable.
“No. I unfortunately don’t want you gone. But for whatever reason, I can’t physically allow you to be with another man. At the same time, I can’t physically stand to be without the feel of a woman much longer, or I need to kill something to work off the steam. You’re driving us all crazy.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I blow out a frustrated breath. “I honestly don’t even know how to deal with you right now. Neal might have been my future true love, and I didn’t even get to tell him that I was looking forward to finding out. Instead, I ran off after you four morons barged in like cavemen.”
It grows quiet, and I look up to see the three of them just staring at me for a moment.
“You were going to tell him he might be your future true love?” Gage asks, studying me intently.
“Yes. In case you haven’t noticed, I like to be honest in my intentions from the start. If things change, I’ll inform him,” I state matter-of-factly.
Jude seems to fight a smile for no real reason. Their mood swings grew old months ago.
“Then I suppose we should let you do that,” Jude says, still fighting a smile. “You can go back to the club.”
“He actually gave me his apartment number,” I boast, feeling like I accomplished something, considering the very limited time frame I had to meet anyone tonight.
Ezekiel surprises me the most as he takes a seat. “Then I guess we shouldn’t stop you. True love is nothing to mess with,” he says seriously, though I swear I hear a hint of amusement.
In fact, they weirdly all look a little amused, when only moments ago it seemed like they were ready to kill someone.
“You’ll seriously let me go?” I ask, glancing back at the time. It’s only been thirty minutes…
“Like E said, can’t mess with true love. Even we have boundaries, Key,” Jude tells me, his tone very close to mocking.
“Then I have thirty minutes to kill, because he said to be there in an hour.”
“You should go now,” Ezekiel urges. “Guys prefer for a girl to be much earlier than expected. The more eager you seem, the better.”
I don’t really trust them, so I siphon away quickly, making sure they don’t stow away and ruin my moment with Neal. I land in the cemetery they frequent, then start asking people for directions when I turn whole.
It takes a little while, but I finally find the building and buzz the appropriate apartment. I think.
But he doesn’t answer.
“Already here?” I hear him ask, causing me to whirl around to see him as he grins at me from the sidewalk.
I’m actually late, but I know for a fact men hate it when you correct them. I’ve learned a lot since trying to be a real girl.
“I ditched them faster than anticipated,” I tell him with a shrug. “There’s something I need to tell you before we go any farther.”
His grin only grows. “I can’t wait to hear it, as long as it’s no freaky secret,” he says, holding his hands up, though a teasing glint seems to be in his eyes.
Smiling back at him, I blurt it all out.
Chapter 24
I appear in the living room, where all four guys are lounging and eating pizza, and their attention turns to me as the TV plays on. Four matching, taunting grins mock me with just their existence.
“I hate all of you,” I say flatly, walking up the stairs without a backward glance.
“I guess he wasn’t quite ready for true love?” Jude calls to my back.
I flip him off over my shoulder, ignoring the riotous amounts of laughter that heckles me. I’ve never seen a guy run so fast in all my life, or make up so many excuses as to why he had to get away from me.
Sheesh.
You’d think I offered him a deadly virus. I’m assuming this is a guy thing, and three out of four of them manipulated me into making an irredeemable ass of myself.
Next time, I’ll take it a little slower.
People say “live and learn” for a reason.
I change to my ghost form and fashion me some silk pajamas that I know will be comfy, then turn back and collapse to the bed. I notice the rest helps me grow stronger, which helps me transition easier between both forms.
As I get the TV turned on and get situated on my bed, Ezekiel appears in the doorway, holding a massive bowl of popcorn. My mouth waters instantly as the buttery scent permeates the air, smelling so much better than the times I’ve caught a whiff of it in my phantom body.
“Thought I might could sleep a few hours with you,” he says with a smirk.
“In exchange for popcorn?” I muse.
“You’ve been asking for it. And I’ve had two good nights of sleep in my lifetime. Both those came with you. I’m willing to barter.”
“And the others won’t get upset by this arrangement? You know, since you’ll be sharing a bed with my evil vagina and all.”
He snorts then rolls his eyes, moving farther into the room. He always moves with the same predatory grace as the rest of them, but his movements are lazier, luring one into a false sense of security.
“As long as I don’t do anything sexual, I’m not breaking any rules.”
I pull back the other half of the cover and pat the bed. He smirks again before coming toward me, and I reach out for the popcorn.
I’m digging in, pointedly ignoring him as he strips down to his boxers. The salty, buttery explosion on my tongue has me closing my eyes and moaning.
Popcorn is totally going to be my favorite junk food.
When I open my eyes, Ezekiel is staring at me, and he clears his throat before he slides into the bed, taking up a lot of room. I scoot over to him, and he curls around me, getting comfortable.
“Neal really hated the idea of love, it seems,” I tell him candidly, and he smothers his laugh against my neck as his body vibrates with it.
I shove at his shoulder, rolling my eyes as he continues to grin against my neck. I also pretend that there aren’t a thousand little shocks reminding me how much my body loves one of theirs.
It’s hard to ignore, but I manage to fake it.
“Life lessons are never fun,” he says, though it feels like he’s mocking me again.
I open my mouth to speak when Jude stalks into my room, his glare pointed at Ezekiel. “What the hell?” he snaps.
“Not breaking any rules,” Ezekiel says with a shrug.
“You said being around her without touching her was driving you crazy, and you think this is a good idea?” Jude growls.
I slip my leg over Ezekiel, pretending it’s merely to get more comfortable. Jude’s hands fist, and he levels me with a cold glare.
I, being a little pissy about their manipulation, wink at him as I “scratch” my eyebrow with my bird finger.
“Kiss my ass, Jude. I’m getting some sleep and that’s it. Hell, I’m too tired for sex with all the extra reaping jobs we’ve taken just to work her out of our systems,” Ezekiel groans.
Jude turns and stalks out, but not before he punches my wall, leaving a crumbling hole in the sheetrock.
“I find that to be a violent overreaction,” I state dryly, causing Ezekiel to chuckle against me.
None of the others come in, and when Ezekiel’s hand slips down my body, pushing the thin shorts down, I don’t stop him. His breaths get shaky when he brushes the bare skin over my pubic bone, and I slowly put the popcorn down, pushing it away from me.
His lips press against my neck, and my eyes flutter shut as he slowly starts working my shorts down farther. Every touch seems ten times more erotic than it really is, and a thousand times more electric than Neal’s touch.
I turn my head and find his lips, and I go a little boneless when he cradles my head and kisses me deeper. His body moves over mine, and my legs spread for him to move into the cradle of my thighs.
We stay like that, so close yet so far away, the thin material of his boxers being the only thing that separates us, as his mouth explores mine in a way none of them have ever kissed me.
It’s languid and slow, almost as though he’s savoring every drop. His erection strains against his boxers, and I slip my hand down, almost reaching him, before reminding myself this would tear them apart.
“We have to stop,” I groan against the kiss, which has him pressing against me harder, more desperate. “It’ll make the four of you fight.”
He breaks the kiss, breathing heavily as he drags his lips down my neck to my shoulder. He stays there for a second, like he’s catching his breath, before he finally rolls off me and scrubs his face with both hands.
“Shit,” he grumbles. “It’s like I can’t help myself.”
I pat his shoulder. “I’m not even going to tell you how miserable I am right now, but trust that you’re not alone.”