Rin was so consumed with staring at her dorm room—and the implications of what this meant—that she didn’t hear the door open.
She felt a touch at her hips.
Rin gave a strangled scream, turning so quickly she felt dizzy as she stared up at Rhyden.
The vampire’s jaw ticked, muscles straining against his leather jacket as he crossed his arms. He wore thick boots, the tips brushing her bare toes. His peppermint smell was thicker, with an underlying smoky hint. Had he been out setting more fires, making more enemies?
She breathed in deeply. "You’ve been watching me."
Rhyden was silent for a few seconds, but when he spoke, his words were said without inflection; though, she saw the hint of something in his red eyes. "Took you long enough, wife. I thought Hunters were trained for situational awareness. Younever stopped to wonder why my apartment was right outside your Academy gates?"
"Don’t deflect. You’re a fucking stalker." Her fingers twisted in the edge of her towel. She was too exposed.
Rhyden’s eyes dropped, as if he’d read her mind. "I caught a little prize for myself, it looks like—stumbled right into my lair," he taunted. "Why did you come in here? Snooping?"
Her teeth dug into her lower lip. "No, I wanted to use your shower."
Rhyden barked a laugh. "Sure that’s not all you wanted to use? You look a little flushed, wife." His voice dropped. "Did you come to me for some relief? Trying to tie me up again and take what you want?"
Rin stiffened. It was the first time he’d so blatantly spoken of what she’d done.
"Of course not!" she said quickly. As she shifted, she felt the stickiness on the inside of her thighs and crossed her legs.
"What were you doing then?" He reached forward and lifted a drying clump of her hair. "Your hair is wet. That towel is too short to hide clothes—you’re naked beneath. And you have a little wildness to you, with your swollen lips." His hand moved until the pad of his thumb roughly brushed over her bottom lip. His ring cut into her chin as he did so. "Was it your doctor? Or the incubus—not prince, not anymore," he corrected himself.
Her cheeks flamed, yet she only wanted to shove him away. Her eyes dropped to his chest, then shifted to the windows at her side. She wouldn’t let him distract her.
"It was both, Rhyden. You might want to get your pool cleaned."
He opened his mouth, but no words escaped. Rin had done it—she’d rendered him utterly speechless.
Danger sparked in his eyes like fire.
Rhyden’s hands settled on her bare shoulders. Everything rushed, and in a blink, she found her knees hitting the edge of his bed, and he shoved her onto her back. She fell with a low growl.
Rin’s towel rose up her thighs indecently as Rhyden placed his knees on the bed and leaned over her.
It was… exhilarating.
She stared up at him, and she didn’t even try to push him away.
His nostrils flared as his palm landed on her thigh, thumbs brushing the skin near her core. So close. Yet not close enough.
For not the first time, Rin wondered why she couldn’t give in to him. She loathed him, yet still wanted him. How could she detest someone, yet want to bite his neck and leave scratches on his back?
"Both, then? Was it your first time…" he paused. "With two men?"
She lifted her chin. "That’s none of your business."
"Don’t get so fucking shy. It’s natural with Soulbonds," Rhyden bit out the words. His fingers drifted over her thigh, higher and higher. Until she couldn’t help but gasp. "Feels good?" he rumbled, then used his other hand to grab one of hers, pulling her fingers away from where she had a death grip on the edge of her towel. "Let’s get this off, hm?"
She didn’t stop him. Perhaps because of pride—or deadly curiosity. Her towel fell open, and there she was, bare beneath him.
"I’m only letting you do this because I don’t care about you. If I cared, I would’ve pushed you away or yelled for the others." It was a weak excuse, even to her own ears.
Rhyden hummed. "Just keep telling yourself that."
Her nipples pebbled beneath the heat of his stare, and his fingers finally found the space between her thighs as he touchedher. She was already a mess, yet he didn’t seem to care as he touched her swollen, intimate flesh.
