Maybe not only for the other night at Hellfire, but all the nights he sat around watching me, making me feel something when he was only doing a job.
I could almost see his reaction, the way his jaw would clench, the flicker of something dark and dangerous in his gaze when he realized what I’d done. I loved having the upper hand.
And when I unleashed my own type of hell on him, he’d finally understand what it felt like to lose control. To want something so bad you would risk losing your mind to get it.
Whether what he wanted ended up being me or being as far away from me as possible would be his choice, but I knew I couldn’t keep up with this dynamic we had fallen into.
So I was going to end it.
I adjusted my skirt and set the camera in front of me before sitting on the edge of the bed, ready to set my plan in motion. And then, as if the universe conspired to help me with my plan, Aiden’s shadow crossed my open door.
“Aiden,” I yelled.
He stopped, his broad frame filling the space, casting a shadow over my room, and I didn’t even try to hide the way I stared at him—he was hardnotto look at.
I never knew if it was the annoyed way he looked at me, or the tattoos covering his arms, or his steady presence, but I neverdidn’tstare.
“What?” he asked, his tone clipped.
“I need your help.”
His eyebrows drew together, and I almost hoped it was fear I saw in them. “I don’t have time. I’m heading down to the shop with Mason to meet with a customer in twenty minutes.”
“Well, lucky for you, I know you can get there in less than ten minutes,” I said, smiling, “which means you have time to help me. Plus, after what I just saw, Mason could be puking his guts out right about now. He might need a minute.”
He checked his phone, sighed, and finally looked at me. “Fine. What do you want now, Psycho?”
“What am I doing right now that makes me a psycho?”
“Tell me what you dragged me in here for, and I’ll give you an answer,” he shot back, his lips twitching.
I groaned, turning to the camera. “Fine. You’re going to sit here and take a few pictures with me, then I send them to that asshole and... insinuate he’s right about us.”
“Us?” His eyebrows shot up, but he stayed rooted in place.
I groaned again. He hated when I joked about us—like the idea was revolting. I wasn’t ugly, and he really had no reason to be so disgusted at the thought.
The answer always seemed to lead back to him doing this only for Rook’s sake, but I still wanted to know for sure.
“Relax, Aiden. It’s only pictures. Try not to have a heart attack.” Heat crept up my neck. “We’re not actually having sex.”
He hesitated, weighing his options. I knew it wouldn’t take much—he always helped when I needed him, no matter how ridiculous. And right now, I needed a hot guy to piss off my ex for breaking up with me in front of everyone.
With an exasperated sigh, he finally walked over and perched on the edge of the bed, rigid as ever, eyes flicking anywhere but mine.
“Come on,” I teased, leaning in closer. “One picture. If I post a photo with you, he’s going to lose his mind wondering what’s going on between us and he needs some sort of punishment for what he did.”
He messed with his small lip ring, jaw clenching so hard I didn’t know how he wasn’t giving himself a headache.
I lifted my phone, heart hammering against my ribs. If he would sit still for even one photo, I wouldn’t miss the opportunity.
The first flash went off, and I adjusted my hair, keeping my expression steady even as I felt the heat of his gaze on me, heavy and unyielding. Each click made my pulse spike, and I couldn’t decide if I wanted him to move closer or stay just out of reach.
His hand pressed against my side, fingers knotting into the sheets. Heat radiated off him, making my skin prickle, every nerve alive under his gaze. Part of me tried to pretend he wasn’t touching me because he wanted to—but because he was struggling not to.
I leaned in, brushing my lips against his cheek. The jolt that ran through me was electric, raw, unlike anything I’d felt with him before. I’d been around Aiden countless times, but he never let me get this close.
“Dammit,” I muttered, shifting closer for the next photo. My fingers flexed restlessly, nerves buzzing. It was Aiden—I told myself like it mattered. Nothing ever came of my shameless flirting, and he’d never once taken the bait.
