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I tried to run, but he grabbed me again, his arms wrapping around me from behind. “Why the heck did you just hit me?”

I elbowed him again and tried to scream for Porter. But I barely got the P out before the masked man clamped his hand over my mouth again.

I bit down on his palm.

He dropped his hand, but kept me firmly pressed against him. “Damn it, Scarlett, it’s just me.”

Wait. I knew that voice anywhere. “Axel?”

He released me. “Why did you bite me so hard?”

I spun around to look at him to see him shaking off his hand. “What the heck is wrong with you?!” I shoved his chest.

He laughed and pulled off his mask. “I thought you’d be thanking me for the soup, not assaulting me.”

“I thought you were a murderer!”

He laughed. “Were you really watching scary movies alone? Rookie move, Scarlett.”

“You knew that! And you purposely scared me!” I took a few deep breaths to try to make my heartbeat return to normal. But calming down just made me feel my scalding skin from the soup. I started fanning the front of my flannel pajamas to soothe it. “What are you even doing here? Why aren’t you at the party?”

“Well, it seemed like you needed me. And the party would have been lame without you anyway. I have a better idea for tonight.” His eyes trailed down to where I was still fanning myself. “Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not okay! You scared me half to death and I dropped my soup and burnt myself.”

He grabbed my hand to stop me from fanning my skin. “Let me see.” He pulled my hand down and then pushed the collar of my pajama top to the side. His fingers gently trailed along my collarbone. “Your skin is a little red. Give me one second.” He went to the bathroom and came back with a washcloth.

I just stared at him as he unbuttoned the top button of my pajamas and pressed the cold cloth against my skin.

“Better?” he asked as he gently blotted the spot. Before I could respond, he lifted the cloth, leaned down, and blew on my skin.

Him taking care of me was even better than the soup he’d sent. And his lips so close to my skin made my heart start racing again.

“Scarlett?”

I swallowed hard. “Yes?”

He chuckled and pressed the cloth back down on the burn. “I asked if that felt any better?”

I nodded and then cleared my throat. “I should probably change.”

“That’s the plan,” he said. “Hold that.”

I grabbed the washcloth as he wandered over to my closet. “What do you want to be?”

“For...what?” I asked.

“We’re going out.”

I sighed and removed the washcloth from my skin. “I’m not going to the party, Axel.”

“I’m not talking about the party.” He pushed some of my clothes to the side as he looked around.

I quickly cleaned up the soup and grabbed a hoodie. “I’m going to go change into this and then finish my scary movie.”

Axel laughed. “No, we’re going out. Here. This is perfect.” He pulled a floor-length gown out of the back of my closet.

“I’m not wearing...”