That was just what I needed, Alex to walk in on me sniffing his pillows like I was committing a crime. The man was arrogant enough, and I hated that he knew the effect he had on women.
Why had I been able to control myself around him before?
And now? Now I wanted to touch him every single moment we had together.
My body and my mind were at war with one another. It was completely exhausting and depressing.
“This is ridiculous,” I grumbled to myself. What was I supposed to do? It wasn’t like it was humanly possible for me to relax, not with the creepy tattoo wrapping itself around my body.
Any normal person would be freaked out.
I think if anyone deserved a time out — it was me.
Granted, I’d known about the immortals, but going from knowing about them, to actually living with them was a giant stretch even by their standards, right? I mean, my little brain wasn’t exactly accustomed to seeing things like Cassius suddenly breathe ice into the room, or Ethan suck off of his wife’s neck, or even Mason — the man had clawed the crap out of the couch by accident! His nails could have impaled me if I was an inch closer to him.
That wasn’t normal.
And then there was Alex.
I sighed as my body heated.
Alex. Alex. Alex.
I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to force all sexy thoughts of him away from my brain.
He really wasn’t that pretty to look at.
Because he was too pretty.
Prettier than me.
By a long shot.
If you stared at us side by side, you’d think he was doing charity or something. It was that bad.
Then again, he even made the rest of the immortals pale in comparison.
“Stupid Alex,” I muttered.
“You called?” A silk voice wrapped itself around me, warmth invaded my fingertips as my heart fluttered.
Alex loomed over the bed. At least he was clothed. A white T-shirt had somehow glued itself to his body making sure that every single muscle strain was visible. His black leather pants so weren’t helpful.
They were tight.
Why leather? Why not jeans?
“They itch.” Alex said, answering my thoughts. “Besides, I like soft things against my skin, don’t you?”
He was doing it again, his eyes dilated as his mouth slowly descended.
I met him halfway, unable to stop myself.
But the minute our lips touched a searing pain erupted up my arm and wrapped around my neck.
I tried to suck in a breath.
And nothing…
There was no air.
Alex’s horrified gaze shifted to fury as he gripped me by the arms holding me against his chest, pounding me against the back. “Breathe.”
I’m trying! I screamed the thought at him.
“Shhh.” His hand slid down my back as he pressed my ear against his chest, his heart thudded slowly against my ear. “Breathe in and out.”
So I did.
I listened to his heart and then placed my hand there too, because it felt good, it felt warm, not hot, comforting.
In fact, the slight buzzing I’d had around him was completely gone, and in its place, I finally felt normal again.
So normal that I wasn’t ready to beg him for sex.
The alarm on the bedside table rang.
Alex shoved me away and cursed. “I’ll go get Mason.”
I found my voice. “What? Why? What’s going on, and why can’t I breathe?”
“So the prince’s kiss is poison,” Alex mused out loud. “Timber must have thought it would be amusing to protect you from power — all soul-sucking power and since I’m a siren and we feed off of emotions, just like demons… I can’t…” He paled. “I can’t touch you without hurting you.”
“But without touching me—” I swallowed. “Without…” I squinted up at his beautiful face. “You could die, right?”
“Eh, I’ve lived long enough.” He smirked.
“That’s not funny!” I jumped to my feet and swayed toward him, happy that I could actually be in the same room with him without thinking dirty thoughts, but even with his powers dulled toward me, I still wanted his hands all over my body. Damn him.
“Am I laughing?” Alex shrugged. “The best I can do is keep you alive until Timber stops playing his childish little game of Gotcha…. Mason can at least…” He gulped as tension filled his gaze, fists clenched he said through clenched teeth. “Please you. Touch you. While I can’t.”
I shook my head as tears filled my line of vision. “You’re just going to pass me off now?”
“Hell, no!” Alex roared. “You think I want him touching what’s mine? You think I’ll enjoy the fact that his dirty pinecone loving hands get to feel how silky your skin is while I sit downstairs and freaking burn?”
I gasped.
“You…” His eyes were back to that scary looking red, as a powerful shudder ran through him like a visible ripple across his muscled torso, his teeth snapped together, and the colors from his hair went completely black. I’d never seen him jealous — now I knew what it looked like — darkness itself. “…have no idea, the pain I feel when I can’t touch you.”
He’d slipped.
I knew it.
He knew it.
Because he’d just admitted that I wasn’t replaceable. And even though the situation was dire and terrifying, I found myself trying not to smile — even though he looked terrifying.