Page 150 of Pretty Thing

Felix smiles as he enters the room.

God, he is so sexy, and I love it when he gazes at me like I’m his entire world. I genuinely don’t know what my life looks like without him in it now. His warm eyes make me feel so guilty.

I despise the twisted feeling in my gut and that I’m second-guessing him at all.

“Hey there, Pretty Thing. You’re looking scrumptious sitting there,” he says, walking over.

I tip my head up, and he leans down to kiss me.

“How are you doing today?”

“I’m sad. I can’t believe that in less than two months I’ve lost my parents, my home, and now one of my best friends. One in death and the other…I don’t know what I’d consider what’s going on with Kris.”

Felix presses his lips in a hard line and looks away, but not before I catch the flicker of anger. It can’t hurt to push him a little.

“I wish you’d gotten a chance to get to know Kyle better. He was a really good guy. Funny, smart, and a great athlete. He wanted to do a mountain bike race.”

Felix’s face hardens before he walks into the kitchen.

“Oh yeah? That’s a shame.”

He can’t seem to hide his annoyance when I talk about Kyle.

“Kris thinks he’s being set up.”

“I think Kris is looking for an excuse. She’s desperate to explain away her brother’s actions, so she is inventing a boogeyman.” Felix says.

I get up and follow him into the kitchen.

He opens the fridge and pulls out everything to make a ham sandwich.

“Do you want a sandwich,” he asks, still not looking at me.

“Yeah, that would be great, thank you,” I say, and the ticking in his jaw stops.

“Felix…what if Kyle really is being set up? What if someone tried to do that to me, or you, or…”

He looks up at me and licks some mustard off his thumb. It’s sexy as hell and momentarily derails my thoughts.

“That will never happen.”

“How can you be so sure?” I wrap my arms around myself.

“Because I’ll never allow it. I’ll always protect you.”

“But what if you can’t stop it? The police think there was more than one person, and if so…why target Kyle?”

“Eden…I will never, and I mean never, let anyone hurt you or come between us,” he says, voice so lethal that I swallow hard.

“What will you do?”

He lifts a shoulder and lets it drop before turning back to the sandwiches.

“Whatever I have to,” he says, and my heart hammers inside my ribcage.

I wet my suddenly very dry lips. “That sounds a little drastic,” I say, and he hits me with a stare as cold as ice, stopping my heart altogether.

“Eden…nothing is ever too drastic when it comes to keeping you safe. You are the single most important person in my life. I will do whatever is necessary to protect you always.”