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My shoulders heaved as I stared at the swinging bag, a small dent in its side. Dark claws pressed at thebarrier of my skin from the inside, but I denied my beast. While raking slices through the bag’s material might provide instant gratification, it felt like cheating.
That, and I’d owe Josiah more dollars for ruining his equipment.
I rested my wrapped knuckles against the bag to halt its gentle sway, which made me a little nauseous.
Water. I need water.
I reached down to grab a bottle of water spiked with electrolytes, keeping my attention focused forward.
No sound came from behind me. Interesting.
“Who’s the little stalker, hmm?” I asked without turning around.
“Oh.I didn’t think you knew I was here.” Lux perched on the edge of one of the gym’s office chairs. Her knees pressed together, her habitual fluffy bandeau of custom feathers fixed in their place.
I hadn’t heard her bring the chair over either. Another thing that pissed me off. Distraction could be a fatal flaw in a fight, and while Reserve offered shifters a safe place, my blood still ran hot.
“You’re sneaky, Little Bird. But not that sneaky.” I pivoted to face her without smiling and chugged my water. The last time she’d seen me, she had denied me what I craved. Which meant my inner sadistic asshole had come to play. Today didn’t have to be forgiving, and I intended to rib her to the point of uncomfortable for a damn while. “Happy birthday.” I threw a pair of boxing gloves on top of my bag.
“Thanks.” She fidgeted while I wiped myself down and chugged more water, her fingers twisting over and over.
A flash hit my gaze dead center, and I winced. “Keys again, Lux? If you wanted to spend time with me, I can give you a better damn excuse than that.” The hard-edged words slipped out. I didn’t bother to bite them back, waiting on her regular effervescent reaction.
Lux rose and extended her hand, palm up. Her calm surprised me; her grace didn’t. Two keys sat in the center of her hand. Her gaze held mine, neither defiant nor shy, just … there. I studied what she held, my heart pounding. The bar key sat next to a much smaller one, a tiny sliver of silver curved into an old-fashioned shape, like one might find on a padlock bracelet.
Or a collar.
Was she offering me her submission? My head swirled with the concept. First she’d denied me. Now she wanted … what?
My eyes narrowed, taking in her still form. Her chest didn’t rise, as though she took no breath at all.
Hell, my lungs failed me, too. Even though I wanted what she offered with every inch of my sadistic, dominant soul, I held her gaze and closed her fingers over both keys, covering her hand withmy own.
“Keep them.”
Tears glazed her eyes in an unshed waterfall in an instant. “Are you—” Her voice broke and took a piece of my heart along with it.
“No.” I said the single word in a clear and firm voice, so she couldn’t mistake my meaning. She blinked. “I am not rejecting you, Lux. Not now, and not ever. But today is not your day for giving. Today is your day for receiving. It’s your birthday.” I thought of the envelope I’d left on the bar earlier. “Let me spoil you, Little Bird.”
“Killian—”
“Are youarguing with me?” I released her fingers to stroke the back of my knuckles along her cheek.
“No.” She mewled, her eyes drifting closed as she nuzzled into my touch. Her closed fist fell to her side.
My beast rose, needing to take her right there, but I fought it back.
We can be fucking civilized on her birthday. Behave.
My beast retreated, though its need still roiled beneath the surface of my skin. Gray swirls marled the tanned flesh along my arms as energy bounced beneath my skin. I pushed back and mybeast retreated, somewhat satisfied with going no further, for now.
Let me spoil you.
I meant every word. But right now I needed to get back to the bar, shaking limbs be damned.
“I’ll walk you back? Or are you—” I stalled.Fuck.I hadn’t considered she might have a life outside of Fray. For the few years I’d known her, I didn’t have a clue what she did in her spare time or who she might like to celebrate with. After all she’d offered, I knew I’d made the right decision in hitting pause on us, whatever,whoeverwe could become together. I cleared my throat. “Do you have plans?”
Apart from the epic party Rafe has worked on all week for you.
