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He grips my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. He turns my face, looking at the mark my sister has left.

“Are you okay?” he asks, running his thumb over my bottom lip.

I look away, turning back to the mirror. “I am fine. I will be down in a minute,” I tell him, hoping he will go.

He doesn’t, instead closing the door.

“What are you doing?” I ask, confused, when he grabs my wrist, pulling me to him.

He wraps his arm around me, holding me close, resting his chin on my head. I let him crush me against him, waiting for him to let go.

“I am not letting go until you hug me back,” I hear him say, kissing my head.

I roll my eyes before wrapping my arms around his waist.

“I saw that,” he says, making me pull back and look at him.

“The mirror. Next time you want to roll your eyes, don’t do it in front of a mirror,” he chuckles before kissing my head.

I shake my head at him, a smile playing on my lips.

“See? You, humans, can all be fixed with hugs,” he says, smiling back at me. “Such emotional creatures…”

“So, you don’t feel emotions now?” I ask him, applying my foundation. He watches before taking the brush off me.

“Leave that crap off, makes your skin look weird,” he says before using my wet towel to wipe it off.

“Uh… people will stare,” I tell him, pointing to my cheek.

“It’s hardly noticeable. Just leave your hair down. Besides, no one is on our floor anyway,” he says, wiping the remainder of the foundation off. “Better,” he says before kissing me and catching me off guard.

I feel his tongue trace my bottom lip. My lips part, his tongue moving between my lips as he pulls me closer, deepening the kiss, his tongue playing with mine. My arms go around his neck as I tug him closer.

His hands go to my hips before he lifts me, my legs wrapping around his waist as he presses me against the dresser, his lips moving to my neck as he nips and sucks on the skin of my neck, the strange sparks moving over my skin, making my skin burn. The door opens, and I freeze when I realize it is just Eli. He smirks, and I try to put my legs down so I can stand, but Cyrus just pulls me closer.

“I was wondering what was taking so long,” he says, stepping closer and kissing my shoulder. Sparks move over my skin where he touches, his lips on my skin making me shiver.

“We should probably go,” I tell them, and Cyrus sighs before putting me down.

My face flushes with what I have just allowed. Yet I can’t wrap my head around the feelings they invoke. I know I should fear them, and I do, but is it irrational to want them still? My mind is torn. It doesn’t help that my body feels crazed around them.

“You’re supposed to feel like that. Don’t be embarrassed, Addie,” Eli says, kissing my cheek.

“Come, we should go,” Cyrus says, opening the door.

I grab my heels, following them before saying goodbye to my mother.

I hop in the back. Cyrus drives while Eli is making a phone call. I notice Cyrus watching me in the mirror, and I look away when my phone starts vibrating in my bag. Reaching in, I grab it. Looking at the screen, I freeze. My eyes go to them when I notice Cyrus once again observing me. I reject Sam’s call when it suddenly rings again. I reject it again to message him and tell him I can’t talk right now.

“Addie, is everything alright?” Cyrus asks.

“Yep, everything is great,” I lie, looking at my phone screen when a text message comes through.

Sam: Meet me tonight at the pier.

Me: Can’t talk now, with my bosses.

Sam: Tonight then?