“Vulnerable,” I admitted, but the word didn't hold the usual weight of fear. It felt different this time—safer, somehow.
“That's okay. Vulnerability isn't a weakness, especially not with me. It's strength, Miranda. The strength to show your true self, to let someone in.”
“And you? What does this make you feel?”
He chuckled, a sound that vibrated through the space between us. “Honored to be near. Fiercely protective. And... incredibly drawn to you.”
The air between us seemed to spark with his admission, sending a thrill down my spine.
“Can I open my eyes now?” I asked. “You’ve used up a dare and a truth.” He asked me how I was feeling. I was counting that against him. Even though he could do the same thing since I asked the question back.
“Not yet,” he said, and I could hear him moving closer. “I've got one more. Truth or dare, Miranda?” A shiver ran up my spine at the way he said my name.
Seeing how he’d used the dare against me in ways I couldn’t have anticipated, I knew what to choose this time. My breath hitched. “Truth.”
“Do you love me?”
I opened my eyes though he didn’t tell me I could. The world had somehow narrowed down to just him. Xander gazed down at me from under his long hair, eyes somehow piercing and vulnerable at the same time. His hand was on the pool table next to my body, but not touching me. He was as close as he could get to me without crossing any real line.
“Dare.” There was no fucking way I was answering that.
A wry smile twitched at the corner of his lips. “I dare you to let me in.”
He’d backed me into a corner. I either answered if I loved him or let him in. I didn’t want to do either.
Though right now, in my relaxed state it felt almost too easy to do both.
He broke into a chuckle, taking a step back while shoving his hands in his pockets. My heart plunged into the space between us and it was like falling off a cliff.
His tone turned light and teasing. “You already owe me a date, but maybe I should use my dare to force you to pick the place and time.”
The tension broke. As if he knew he’d crossed a line and went too far, he gave me space and room to breathe. Half of me was grateful. The other half of me wanted him to push me, force me to do what I wouldn’t allow myself to.
“I’ll take that dare,” I said, quickly finishing my beer. “Tomorrow night, eight PM, the Florence hotel.”
Xander’s face shut down, all his emotions bleeding away from view. “The god’s ball.” The words came out flat and cold.
“Yes,” I said, suddenly aware I was on unsteady ground.
“Why?”
He didn’t just ask why, the betrayal stamped in his eyes askedwhy would you dare bring this up?
Tell him. Tell him he gives you strength.
Tell him part of you is afraid to face the hatred of all the immortals and wear your shame like a large red painted letter.
That he gives you strength, and you are starting to learn to love that.
That you’re starting to learn to lov?—
“Because I think you need it. It would be good for you,”I blurted before I could finish the thought in my idiotic head.
Coward.
“Good for me?” he scoffed, picking up his pool cue again. He leaned over and took another shot at the balls. They clacked around the green felt but none of them found a pocket.
“You are one of them, Xander. You act… you act like you’re alone, but you’re not. You are one of the gods.” A laugh of disbelief bubbled out of me. “I know it will take time to get used to this new world, but instead of taking your place above ground, you’ve retreated to another underground cave.” I opened my arms indicating the dive bar. “You’re hiding from what you are. From who you are and could be. Timothy told me you have the right to a hotel on the Strip, with wealth beyond imagining at your fingertips. And here you are, down in the muck, buying cheap Hawaiian shirts and acting like you’re just another face in the crowd. But you’re not.”
