Fuck, my chest was shaking. I stood there waiting forherto open the door, knowing that once I stepped inside, I’d never leave.
The lock clicked and Jade swung the door open, the light behind her reminding me just how truly radiant and breathtaking she was.
“Hi, Alex,” she said, unable to stop her smile. The way she pronounced my name began a complete blackout of all remaining logical thoughts that I possessed. Yep, this was the right decision. Maybe she could say my name again while she took my clothes off or something.
"Jade," I greeted her as coldly as I could, hanging onto the last string of control while taking large strides into the house.
What the hell was she cooking? It smelled fucking divine.
There was a boxing match inside my head, and one opponent was going to die. My emotional side was a champion heavyweight, and my logical thoughts were a random, unknown featherweight. The champion was absolutely pummeling his opponent but every once in a while, the bloodied featherweight would take a swing.
I stepped inside the living room and almost fell into an armchair. Jade closed the front door and turned to me, her puzzled expression putting a silly smile on my face. Of course, she wanted to know why I showed up out of the blue like this.
"Aren't you going to offer me a drink?" I surprised myself with that question. I was fucking delusional, wasn’t I?
Holding back a laugh, Jade blinked at me and waited for an explanation that I couldn’t provide. Perhaps she knew that.
“What can I possibly offer my kidnapper?” she called out once she headed to the kitchen. “I have coffee, tea, even wine! I also made lemonade."
“Lemonade would be great. You like that nickname better than misogynist,Preziosa?”
The fire in her eyes was immediate and so was the inferno inside me. She reached inside the fridge and pulled out a pitcher of lemonade, killing me with her gaze.
Strolling closer with the full glass, I noticed the way her little summer dress hugged her tantalizing figure in a tender embrace. It had tiny green flowers sewn into it, complementing her dark brown hair and perfectly tanned skin—like the dress was custom-made for her, not picked up at an unknown department store.
It was too feminine. Too short. Toomuch.My fingertips itched to feel. Itched to know just how smooth her skin was. How fast she could melt under my touch.
Her shoulders were exposed, and they were so perfect, so round, made for my kisses.
“I hatePrezi—”
“I know. It’s perfect for yo—”
“It’s stupid and unoriginal. Surely you can think of something better.” Jade held the glass just out of reach of my outstretched hand, showing me who was in control.
Her. Her. Of courseher.
I sat up but she pulled the glass away, demanding something instead. “Think of something better.” She put me on the spot, but I could barely even remember my own name.
She looked down at me, our heights reversed for the first time, and I hungrily breathed in the air around her. It smelled like her, damn it. The whole house washernow. Warm and soft, filled with seashells and damn organic lavender honey.
It was all just so fucking…delicate.
“Okay, I’ll call you malyshka.” I ripped my gaze away from her long neck and focused on the glass again. “Can I have a drink now? Or you’re going to leave a man to die?”
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but she didn’t move the glass closer. I reached for it, but she stepped back, the spark in her eyes turning me into an animal.
“What’s…mashishka?” She mispronounced the word and it was the single most fucking adorable thing I’d ever heard.
I stood up, and Jade’s bare shoulders dropped, her head tilting up to keep eye contact. “It means heathen.” I stepped closer, and she stepped back again, awakening theneed.The need to chase her, claim her, make her fucking mine.
Markher.
“The devil.” Another step and her back brushed the kitchen island. “Soul sucker,” I whispered but she heard me—she was only an inch away. “Unhinged brat. Give me the glass.”
Jade knew exactly what she was doing. In fact, she was a fucking actress—the way she hid her smile, swayed her hips, wrapped me around her pinky finger like I was a toy to play with.
“Ask…nicely.” She emphasized her words, both of us knowing why. I’d said it to her, right here, in this room, holding onto her hair, her ankles and wrists zip tied. I was in control back then.
