Page 94 of Play Dirty

I blinked.

What the—

For several seconds, that’s all there was. The hiss. The heatless air. The sound of something shifting, inside the walls.

And Ares’s presence, hovering over me. He didn’t move. Didn’t speak. He just looked at me.

Then, slowly… he straightened. Stepped back.

And walked out.

Just like that.

The door stayed open, and the room went silent again. I lay there, frozen in every way.

He hadn’t said a word. Not one.

“… what?”

Confusion hit first, then… insult. And beneath all of those, something far worse.

I was still burning.

“Are you serious?” I muttered, sitting up abruptly. “That’s it? That’s what—”

Heat.

I froze again.

It started slowly, as a faint warmth against my skin. Second by second, it grew stronger. Then — I turned.

The radiator.

I bolted all the way upright. Carefully, I reached out and touched it.

“HOLY—”

I yanked my hand back.

It was hot.

Not lukewarm. Not barely working. Hot.

I glared at the thing, like it had betrayed me. Five minutes passed. Then ten. The room changed. The cold bled out of it, replaced by something comforting, steady, and real.

It was warmer than Sebastian’s. My jaw dropped.

“You’ve GOT to be kidding me.”

Anger hit next, full force, hard and fast. I didn’t even think about it. I stormed out of my room, down the stairs, and straight to the second floor. Ares’s door was closed. I didn’t knock. I shoved it open.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed. Shirtless. Of course.

A large dumbbell rose above his head, slow and controlled, his big arm flexing with each rep. His shoulders tightened through each of the triceps presses. The muscles shifted beneath his skin like they had something to prove.

For a half second, I was totally mesmerized. Like I’d forgotten why I was there.

Then I remembered.