I don’t slow as I lead her up the stairs. “You can sleep in the master bedroom and use the master bath to clean up.”
“The way you killed that fire mage. It was so efficient. Was that how you took care of the ice mage?”
Irritation slips into my tone as I continue to ignore her questions. “The place should be stocked with soaps and extra clothes you are more than welcome to. I’m going to grab some myself, and then sleep downstairs.”
Red sticks to my heels right into the master bedroom. The king-sized bed is the definition of luxury, with a fluffy white comforter and big plush pillows I’d love to sink into right now.
I would love to sleep in here, especially after breaking my back on Red’s lumpy little sofa. But it’s better I lock her in a room away from any danger, and from me. I don’t have guest bedrooms, they’ve all been converted into other spaces. But the couch will more than suffice.
I open some drawers and grab a pair of clean, loose pants I can sleep in. When I turn to go, Red bars my way. Her chin is set, letting me know she refuses to move unless I answer her questions.
My eyebrow arches. “You know I can just pick you up and throw you on the bed?”
Fear and desire sparks in her eyes as she glances at the bed, then back to me.
Regaining her confidence, she sets her hands on her hips in a determined pose. “I’ll just follow you and bother you all night.” Her voice is still extra raspy despite the water. Her eyes are bloodshot, and she practically sags with exhaustion. Still, I have no doubt she’ll make good on her promise.
“Fine,” I say, discarding the pants on the bed. “I’m a mercenary killer. Is that what you want to hear? I even track people or items down for people if they've got enough cash. Rarely do I take private security jobs because I can’t stand the scent of magic. It stinks to high heaven, and being forced to stay near any kind of mage for long is repellent.”
Red jerks as though she’s been slapped.
“I stink?” Glancing down at her body, her gaze softens as she realizes she’s filthy.
Anger rips through me in a flash. I’m tired, irritated at being attacked, and I don’t care for Red seeing through me. It makes me want to lash out.
“No, in point of fact, you don’t. As you’ll remember, you aren’t magic, correct?” I tug my hair, feeling like a mad man. The ire fuels me until I don’t know what is spilling out of me anymore. “Though something about you is fucking deviously enchanting. You smell like fucking heaven and honey. I want to lick you every second of the day until you are screaming incoherently for me to stop and continue at the same time.”
The full moon only fuels my exasperation.
We are back to not touching, but I advance on her, steering her around so she is herded toward the bed. It’s my favorite pastime, stalking Red, herding her like the innocent lamb she is.
Her pale eyes go wide as her knees hit the bed. There is barely an inch between us now. Her breath puffs against my neck, evoking goose flesh along my arms and torso.
“You’re right to cling to your little rules, Red. Because if you didn’t keep trying to put me at arm’s length, I’d constantly bury myself in you. You’d never sleep or eat, you’d be too busy falling apart around me day and night for the rest of our lives.”
“You don’t even like me,” she whispers while narrowing her eyes.
I bark a laugh. “Where the fuck did you get that idea?”
Did I just admit to liking her? I must be really losing it.
“You—you called me a princess who is slumming it.”
My voice drops some of its razor edge. “I don’t agree that you need to reject wealth in order to create a new life. I get that you don’t want to end up like the bastard mages you know, but you’re only denying yourself resources to make that new life. I see through your martyr act. You are punishing yourself. I don’t know what for exactly, maybe because you feel you must repent for groveling at that loser, Hunter’s feet for an ounce of attention? Or because you are a magic dud and ashamed of it? But either way, depriving yourself of money doesn’t make those parts of your past go away.”
Her mouth opens, and a tiny squeak emerges.
My hands are dangerously close to grabbing her hips and throwing her on the bed and making her forget her past in heart pounding, bone melting ways.
Desire vibrates off her in electric waves. I’m frustrated and hard, despite how exhausted I am.
“You, Red, are fucking ridiculous. No one else in your position would work half as hard to build a human life. Who else in your position would want to become an accountant of all fucking things? Who thinks that numbers are the way to secure other people’s futures? Who worries so much about her grades and her friends and those two little rabbits downstairs?” I point back toward the door. I’m ranting but I barely know what about. All I know is I’m gripped in the full moon’s spell, or maybe it’s Red's spell. “But who cares about what some prudish, uptight little sonofabitch thinks about the fact you like sex? Hunter can go fuck himself, but I figure he can't even manage that. You care too much about everything and everyone.”
Knowing I’m on the verge of doing something I’ll regret, I turn and leave, stomping down the stairs and to the bar at the edge of the living room. Glass bottles clink against each other as I slam them around, looking for what I want. Picking up an old favorite, I tip a heavy pour of whiskey into a glass.
As I gulp down several burning swallows, the moon craze still threatens to take hold of me. I can’t let it. No matter how fucking tempting she is. I’m already in too deep and I need to draw a line in the sand. This has to stop now. I can’t fuck her and have feelings for her. My fingers itch as they half form into claws, scratching against the glass.
Red flies down the stairs. Her face is flushed in an annoyingly appealing way. “You can’t just say all that shit and run away. You haven’t heard what I think of you. You don’t care about anything or anyone but yourself.” She sweeps a hand out to the apartment. “Maybe money, but it’s all about you, isn’t it Brexley? You were hurt by your pack.” Her eyes trace the lines of my scars. I find myself baring my teeth at her, but she goes on, the idiot girl. “And so you plan to never let anyone hurt you again. Which justifies you being a massive dick.”
