She suspected he knew he unnerved her, and helikedit.
“I’m too busy for a walk,” she said. “I’msorry you wasted your time coming here.”
She started to shut the door, but he threwout his hand to keep it open. Leaning closer, his grin revealed allhis perfect white teeth, but it didn’t reach his eyes.
If the eyes were the window to the soul, thenMalakai’s soul was more rotten than meat left out in the summer sunfor weeks on end.
“I’m sure you can spare a few minutes of yourtime, Elexiandra. I have some very important things to speak withyou about,” he said.
She suspected some of those important thingswere marriage, and she wasnotin the mood to deal withthat. Even before Cole entered her life, she was determined not tobind herself to this man. But now that she knew what it was like todesire another so completely andlikethem, she would neveragree to marry Malakai.
Unfortunately, she might not have achoice.
“I can’t, Malakai,” she said. “You’ve come ata bad time.”
A flash of red ran through Malakai’s eyesbefore he managed to suppress it. Whereas the signs of Cole losingcontrol excited her, this loss of restraint from Malakai caused herblood to run cold. Cole wouldn’t destroy her life; Malakaiwould.
“I have to go,” she said and tried to closethe door again, but he refused to remove his hand.
He leaned closer as he hissed. “I’m notplaying, Elexiandra.”
“Neither am I,” she grated out as she glaredat him.
Yes, he terrified her, and he might force herinto a loveless and most likely brutal marriage, but she wouldnotlet him push her around. She would not give in to himwithout a fight.
“Please leave,” she said.
This time when his eyes flashed red, Lexibraced herself for him to lash out at her, but before he could hither, an arm enveloped her waist. Cole tugged at the door, and shereleased it to him.
As he opened the door further, he pulled herpossessively against his chest. His posture was casual, buthostility coursed through his coiled muscles.
Malakai rose away from her and his mouthparted before he closed it. Then he gave her a scathing look as hislip curled in disgust.
Lexi’s shoulders went back, and her chinlifted defiantly. Getting involved with a dark fae was astupiddecision, but she decided to make it, and she wasn’tgoing to be judged for it by this asshole.
“What’s going on here?” Cole inquired.
“I’ve come to speak with Elexiandra,” Malakaisaid in a clipped tone.
“As she said, she’s busy right now.”
Lexi glanced between the two men. Out of thetwo of them, there was no doubt who was more powerful, but Malakaiwas not the type to fight fair.
When Malakai’s attention shifted back to her,there was no denying the loathing in his eyes. “I’ll be backsoon.”
Cole’s fingers tightened on her hip, andbefore she could reply, Malakai vanished. She stood staring at thespot where he’d been before Cole guided her back and closed thedoor.
“That should keep him away for a while,” Colesaid.
“He’ll be back,” Lexi muttered. “He alwayscomes back, except he’ll be pissed off next time, and you won’t behere.”
Needing to be alone, Lexi shrugged out of hishold and backed away from him. Cole reached for her, but she dodgedhis hand and hurried down the hall as she resisted running.
However, there was nowhere for her to go, andshe didn’t know who she was running from, Malakai, Cole, or herselfand her shitty decisions.
As she strode down the hall, she spottedSahira standing in the shadows next to the stairs. Sahira openedher mouth to say something, but whatever she saw on Lexi’s facesilenced her.
She didn’t say a word to her aunt as she wentup the stairs to her room.
