Page 171 of Psycho Gods

I stretched and jogged in place.

Finally, I worked up the courage to leave.

I found the men a few minutes later browsing through the department store.

My face flushed when I saw them.

I couldn’t believe what we’d almost just done.

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Orion mouthed, lashes fluttering with concern. “Do you need us to get you water?”

A soft melody played throughout the store.

“I’m good,” I said with a confidence I didn’t feel as I smiled at him reassuringly.

He gave me a soft smile back.

Silver eyes narrowed with exasperation, and Malum ruined the nice moment. “You are clearly not well. You had some sort of panic attack five seconds ago. You seemed to be in pain.” His voice was rougher than usual and tinged with concern. “What happened?”

I scowled up at him. “Nothing, I just realized I didn’t want to mate in a public dressing room.”

It wasn’t a lie, after all.

“That’s not the full truth.” Scorpius’s concerned expression turned hostile, and he took a step closer. The harsh planes of his face scrunched up. “Her breathing was suddenly choppy, like she was in agony—something happened back there. Are you injured?”

Scorpius and Malum immediately patted me down like they were searching for hidden wounds.

“I’m fine,” I said with feigned calmness as I extracted myself from the men. “You have nothing to worry about.”

My smile was so fake it hurt.

The kings didn’t look convinced.

I gave them a thumbs-up.

Malum frowned harder.

“Done acting like a little bitch?” Cobra asked as he walked past with his arms full of leather jackets. Jax shook his head in exasperation as he followed behind his shifter mates.

Grateful for the distraction, I called after Cobra, “You’ll look like a clown in those jackets.”

“Um, so how can we help you shop?” Malum asked as he walked up behind us, and it took me a second to process what he’d said. “We want to help you feel better,” he repeated, softer this time like he was embarrassed the shifters were listening. His bronze cheekbones flushed.

Cobra said something rude under his breath, and Jax looked at the king with pity. Meanwhile, Ascher and Xerxes were arguing over who would look better in a pair of jeans.

The upscale department store gleamed with marble and fancy finishings. It was sprawling with sections for every type of clothing imaginable. Neon signs hung in the air, showcasing high-fashion shifter models.

There were a handful of shoppers and fancy-dressed salesclerks, who stared at the towering kings with open interest, but for the most part, the store was empty.

I shrugged. “Fine, you can hold my clothes for me,” I said to Malum.

Instead of blanching like I expected, he nodded with a serious expression and sidled closer as I handed him my mini skirt that he’d been defiling a few minutes earlier.

“We’ll also help,” Orion whispered, as he and Scorpius moved closer.

Sadie held up a jean jacket with rhinestones. “Is this cute?” Her nails were so long that she struggled to hold the hanger.

Closing my eyes, I prayed for inner peace and mental strength. Then I turned to my best friend and said, “Do you want the truth?”