I didn't know why I flinched. I didn't understand why I felt that little fear in my gut. I wasn't going to take what I read seriously. I kept telling myself over and over again, that this was real life and those things didn't exist. 

So I relaxed, and the men just looked at me with unreadable looks in their eyes. 

“Where’s Alex?” I asked, not because I cared, but I just had to say something to fill the tense silence. 

“Still not back,” Kross answered, his voice ...