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He's sitting on a stool with an easel in front of him, a paintbrush in his left hand, and he's adding black paint onto the canvas. He's been sitting here working on this same painting all morning. "I always know when you're near." His dark eyes blink for a brief moment.
"How?" I ask, wrapping my arms around his neck from behind, pressing a kiss to his right earlobe.
"I can smell you." He sets the paintbrush down and turns on the stool to face me, pulling my body between his legs. "I can hear your breathing."
"Am I a heavy breather?" He shakes his head.
"I have a keen sense of awareness, and it's heightened when it comes to you." He reaches up and brushes my short hair behind my ears. "How many times have I told you that you'd never be able to hide or run from me? I'll always find you because I know when you're near." He leans forward and runs his nose along the side of my neck, sending chills down my spine.
Rolling my eyes, I mumble, "I think you were a canine in another life." To my surprise, he bursts out laughing. Ace's laugh is one that I want to record and listen to on an endless loop. It's deep and smooth and does something dangerous to my body. His voice makes me wet, but his laugh, oh God, his laugh…
"Nice to know you think I was a dog in a former life."
I shrug innocently. "What can I say? You have powerful senses."
He nods. "I do. Like now, I know that if I were to stick my hand down your shorts, you'd be wet."
Scoffing, I pull away from him and out of reach. "Whatever. You wouldn’t."
He arches a perfectly shaped eyebrow in challenge. "Really? Shall we test that?" I shake my head quickly.
"I can smell your arousal, Lee. It's very musky and sweet, and if I'm being honest, I smell it a lot when you're around. You're wet very often."
"Are you trying to shame me for having a high sex drive?"
"Never." He stands, striding toward me. "So, how'd it go with Eli?" Last night, we stayed at the cabin with King and Rowen, but this morning I got up and left before anyone woke up and went to Eli's office to speak with him.
Now, I'm back home with Ace, and I'm honestly unsure how I feel. I thought I'd feel differently when I looked Eli in the eye and told him I was alive. I feel more confused than ever, though. I wish I could stay angry at them, but I'm not sure why I can't.
They betrayed me, for crying out loud. Still, it’s not enough to stop me from running to them and jumping into their arms and onto their cocks. The truth is, I'm deeply in love with all three of them, and nothing they ever do or say will change the way I feel about them.
If anything, I feel regretful for setting fire to their buildings. I knew it was wrong at the time, but I couldn't stop myself. It was too easy to have Ace hack into their camera feed and turn it off, then ignite their buildings in flames.
Of course, I made sure that no one was inside either building. And I set the fires precisely as I had to Colton's house ten years ago.
I walked in, poured gasoline, lit a few matches, and walked out. It was easy, but I regretted it the second I saw the buildings go up in flames. I felt like a fucking fool.
"I don't want to talk about Eli. I don't want to talk about any of them. I just want to take my mind off them, off everything going on."
He nods, holding his hand out to me. "I know we haven't talked about what happened last night. I want to thank you for making me comfortable and not pushing me into anything I wasn't ready for." He's thanked me many times before for not pressuring him into having sex.
Even when he's caught me giving myself an orgasm with the showerhead, he's kissed me and thanked me for finding a release elsewhere rather than pressuring him. I thought it was odd at first, because I'd never push him into doing something he didn't want to do.
When he shared his past with me, I accepted it and understood that sex was off the table. He assured me it was temporary, but I never would've pressured him, even if it weren't.
Before last night, Ace was a virgin. He likes to eat me out, but sometimes that leaves me too feral and wanting more, so he doesn't do it often.
"Can I ask you a question?" I'm hesitant to ask the question that's been on my mind for a while, for years, even, but I've never felt comfortable enough to ask. I don't want him to think I'm judging him because I'm not.
"You can ask me anything."
"Why do you kill women and use their blood to..." I bite my lip, suddenly unsure of myself and not wanting to continue my question.
Thankfully, he finishes for me. "Why do I masturbate with their blood?" I nod.
As I said, I'll never judge, but saying it out loud or even hearing it makes me cringe.
"I'm not sure. I was very young when I first did it, and I liked it."
