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I kick my boots off and make my way over to the vanity, placing my water and chocolate down as I notice a small gray box sitting in the center of the table top. I stare at it for a moment, confused by the small item because I know for sure it wasn’t here when I left this morning.
Glancing over my shoulder, I expect to see something or someone that has an explanation for this, but there’s no one down here but me. Returning my gaze to the box, I remain frozen in place for a few more seconds before I slowly reach my fingertips out toward it.
A soft pink silk bow is tied around the top and I ghost my touch over the fabric before I take a step closer, dropping onto the seat at the vanity, and lift the box toward me. With it firmly in my grasp, I can tell it’s not too heavy, but after staring at it for a moment I know I’m going to have to get a grip and open the damn box.
Without my name on it I feel like a thief, but why else would it be down here if it wasn’t for me? Taking a deep breath, I wrap my fingers around the ends of the ribbon and cringe as I destroy the pretty bow, but my desire to see what’s inside is finally released with that one move. Tipping the lid off the box, my eyes widen as I find another smaller box inside.
My hesitance has evaporated now and I search inside the smaller box without a moment's pause. What I find takes my breath away.
A delicate gold chain is tucked perfectly into the cushioning with a gem dangling at the center. It’s the most stunning shade of pink, but as I lift it closer I can’t deny that it resembles my natural eye color so much.
I run my tongue around my dry mouth as I stare in astonishment at the beautiful piece of jewelry, but there is still one thing left to be discovered…
Who the hell it’s from.
Could it be Talon? Is this why he sent me home? Because he knew I would find it here? No. Talon loves watching people’s reactions too much to not be present as I opened this.
Malik? Is this a gift after our connection yesterday? He didn’t need to get me anything, especially not with the way he took all of my pain away, leaving me with not a single ache or pain this morning. But again, this doesn’t seem like something he would leave here for me to find alone.
But then that would only leave… “Alexi.”
His name falls from my lips with a gasp as my heart races wildly in my chest. It can’t be, can it?
A wisp of the sound of someone or something moving behind me makes me whip my head around lightning fast, but I pause as my eyes lock on the source of the noise. I gape, unable to utter a single word, but I already said the one word that matters in this moment and that’s his name.
Alexi.
He’s in a charcoal gray suit with a black shirt and polished black shoes. His brown hair is swept back off his face like he’s been running his fingers through it a hundred times and the top button of his shirt is undone. He looks like he’s had a hard day. Either that or he’s having a hard time right here with me in this moment.
The way he slowly prowls toward me tells me it’s not the latter, not with the way his eyes bore into mine and render me helpless. I don’t move an inch, not when he comes to a stop beside me, and not even when he reaches forward to take the box from my hand.
My jaw is slack as hell as I stare up at him in a mixture of awe and confusion while he takes the stunning necklace from its case before unclasping it and dangling it in front of me. I take the silent order and wrap my hands around my hair, lifting it off my neck as he lets the gem fall against my chest and fastens the clasp.
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
I feel like I can’t breathe, like if I do I might just ruin the moment and have him running for the hills.
What does any of this mean? I have no clue and I’m too scared to ask him right now, even if I could remember how to use my damn tongue.
My eyes shift to the lit mirror on the vanity and I take in my reflection, slowly letting go of my hair as Alexi’s hands ghost over my shoulders. Even while I’m sitting here in a plain tee and leather jacket, attempting a badass look, the pink of the gem sparkles in the mirror, offering a hint of my girly side.
I was right, it matches my eye color perfectly and that should have been my first sign that this was the doing of Alexi. His attention to detail is second to none and I shouldn’t have expected this to be any different.
Running my tongue over my bottom lip, I attempt to find the words to express my gratitude, but that smallest movement all on its own startles Alexi out of the trance we seem to be under.
He takes a step back, putting far too much distance between us once more as he shakes his head. I open my mouth to gain his attention but nothing comes out as he turns for the door. I gape at him, pleading with myself internally to call out his name, but I fall short.
When his hand wraps around the door handle, he looks back, finding me in my ridiculous state as his brows knit together. “Don’t get into any trouble tonight.” With that, he leaves and I’m left even more confused than when he arrived. Only now I have the most beautiful necklace hanging around my neck.
My shoulders slump as I finally manage to take a deep breath, shaking my head at it all in disbelief. When my eyes land on the pink gem once more, only one thought runs through my mind.
Why do I feel like I’m already in trouble and it’s a sink or swim kind of scenario?
