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“That’s my bed,” she says, propping her hands on her hips. “I told you. You have to sleep in the guest room.”
“Then we’ll swap the beds because that twin won’t even accommodate one leg.”
“Not my problem.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “Wanna bet?”
Chapter Seven
He does so enjoy the torment. He didn’t realize just how much. In the past, it was short-lived and followed quickly by the main event.
Death.
That is what he does all of this for. It fuels him. Drives him.
It brings him immense joy.
But the long-lasting misery and suffering he’s been able to inflict on these little playthings has been fun.
And that’s something he hasn’t taken the time to indulge in for centuries.
It’s become addicting for him.
From the safety of the water, he can see her as she walks along the shoreline, looking for her ridiculous trinkets. And when she bends over to pick up a shell, he smiles to himself.
He might have missed out on the kill last time—something that still fills him with unimaginable rage—but he won’t fail again.
This little sea witch will get what’s coming to her.
They all will.
Chapter Eight
Lorelei
I’m nervous.
I blow out a breath and busy myself making up the small twin bed in the guest room. I caved and gave Xander the king. As funny as it would have been to me, I just couldn’t bring myself to make him suffer on the smaller bed.
Which, in all reality, is a major improvement from how I felt about him just a couple of months ago. Seems I’m growing as a person.
I smirk and, with the bed made, walk out to the kitchen where the man himself is standing at the sink, just finishing with the dishwasher.
In the three days he’s lived here, I haven’t done one dirty dish. It’s as though he’s decided to earn his keep around here. And honestly, I won’t complain.
Even if he loads the dishwasher like a feral squirrel.
They’ll get clean, and that’s all that matters.
“I could have done that.”
Xander doesn’t even look my way as he wipes down the countertop. “I don’t mind. You do most of the cooking, so it just makes sense that I clean.”
“I’m not going to argue that point.”
When I move to walk over and pour myself some coffee, Xander beats me to it. I watch, amused, as he doctors the brew just the way I would, then sets the spoon to stirring on its own before passing me the mug.
“Thanks. Are you trying to soften me up for something?” I sit on a stool at the end of the peninsula, pull my legs up under me, and sip my coffee. “Because you’ve been doing nice things like this all week.”
“Maybe I’m just a nice guy.”
He still doesn’t look my way, and his face holds no trace of humor.
“Well, you typically are kind. Nice? No. Also, something’s on your mind. Tell me.”
He shakes his head, but when I don’t back down or say anything else, he lets out a breath and tosses the rag into the sink before turning to me and leaning on the countertop across from me.
“Listen, I know we weren’t together, and it’s absolutely none of my business…”
I narrow my eyes in thought. “Okay.”
“And I’m not going through your stuff.”
“If I thought you were, you wouldn’t be staying here. Not that I have anything to hide.”
His lips twitch into a smile, but it’s not happy or humor-filled.
“I happened to see your to-do list on your nightstand, and you made yourself a note to call Brian. And, well…” He blows out a breath and pushes his hand through his long, black-as-night hair in agitation. “Who the fuck is Brian?”
“Are you jealous?” I tilt my head to the side, watching in fascination. It’s a stupid question. He’s practically green.
But he doesn’t answer. He just stares at me with those intense black eyes. The old me would have told him to mind his own fucking business, but after everything that’s gone down lately, and seeing the hurt in his eyes, well, I just can’t do it.
“Brian Miller is my former boss in California. He was never anything more than that. I need to call him—thanks for the reminder, by the way—because I forgot to empty the bottom drawer of my desk when I moved out of my office. There are some things in there I need. I’m hoping he’ll have his admin send me the contents of said drawer.”
Xander blinks, his shoulders drooping.
“Shit, I’m sorry.”
“I’m not mad. And you’re right. I don’t owe you an explanation because we were not together. But for the love of Freya, X, I did just go through the most traumatic thing in my life back then. I was definitely not over you, and there was no way in hell I was looking to start something with anyone—even if it was just sex. Which there was none.”
