“You sort of sound a little crazy,” I feel compelled to comment.
“I swear I’m not.” Her voice is small, and scared, and distant. She doesn’t turn around to face me. She just stands in front of the alarm pad with her arms wrapped around herself. “What are you doing here, Ky? You made it very clear earlier today you want nothing to do with me or this family.”
Kira sounds a little more assertive now. Maybe she’s not as fragile as she looks.
“I might have reconsidered.” I clear my throat. I can’t say I love the idea of being here, but Kira has piqued my interest. And if it means there’s the slightest chance I can dive between those sexy thighs, I’ll hang around a bit.
Kira finally turns to look at me. And god, she is so fucking beautiful. So natural, so pure. So tempting.
“Please don’t waste my fucking time, Ky.” She tries to brush past me, but I stop her, clutching her arms in a stronghold.
“Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t waste time. Not mine or yours or anyone else’s. You came to me for help. I’m here to listen.”
“Why the sudden change of heart?” She’s skeptical.
I guess I would be too after the way I kicked her to the curb earlier.
“You’re hot.”
Her face contorts with an exasperated expression.What?It’s the truth. I never proclaimed to be noble. I’m here for purely selfish reasons.
“I really don’t have the time or patience or sanity for this. You can see yourself out.” She tries to wriggle out of my grasp.Like hell.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I stand my ground.
Kira glowers up at me unbelievably annoyed. “If you’re just here to jerk off like a peeping fucking Tom, go outside and get it over with. I’ll pretend I don’t know you’re there.”
I stop my jaw from dropping.Well, hello, Ms. Smart Mouth.You may look as pure as fucking snow, but there is definitely some punch under that pretty exterior.
I lean in close, deliberately encroaching on her personal space. “Snow,” I murmur, “if I’m going to come, the only place it’s going to be is inside you.” It’s definitely a promise.
A heavy silence falls upon us as Kira’s big brown eyes sharpen.
Scary.Not.She’s more like an adorable little kitten showing her claws. Think she’d slap me if I pet her? Probably, but it’d be so worth it if I did.
“Get out, Ky,” she fumes.
“Not a chance,” I refuse. “I’m your problem now.”
“That’s a perfect way to describe yourself.”
“I’ve been called worse.” I shrug.
“I can imagine,” she sneers.
This back-and-forth game is fun, especially seeing how easy it is to get under her skin.Effect ya, do I, Snow?
“Seriously, Ky.” She yanks herself out of my hold. “If you’re not here to help me, just leave.” Her voice is crackly now. “You can slither out the same way you slithered in.” She turns and heads for the stairs, but I snatch her arm.
“I don’t slither,” I clarify. “And I’m not leaving.”
Kira inhales a deep breath and shivers slightly under my hold.
The way her head is hung, her damp hair covers half her face. And I hate it. I want to see her. All of her. All the sharp slants of her cheekbones, and the plump pinkness of her lips. I want her to see me and see no one else.
“I don’t have anyone else to turn to, and I’m scared,” she repeats what she told me earlier, defeat echoing in her tone. “If you don’t want to help me, that’s fine, just don’t make things worse.”
I take her chin and force her to look at me. Her dark-amber eyes are glassy with tears.
