“Get inside. Go to your room and calm yourself down. Take a fucking nap or something.” Sharp teeth snap against his lips and he seems to have to breath slow exhales to get the beast inside him to tame. With another slow breath, he turns on the heels of his boots, and his back is to me as his big paw grips the door handle to head back inside.
But I just can’t take it. The pressure within me feels like it’s ready to blow. The anxiety is turning too quickly into something else.
Something weak.
I won’t let it.
I’ll fight it.
Just like I’ll fight this fucking infuriating man before I ever let him disregard me ever again.
My nails sink into his wrist, and I push my way between him and the door just to fully look into his shining green eyes.
“I’m not something you can use and toss aside. I fucking live here now, Zilo. I’m going to be around. You can’t just send me to my room whenever you’re fucking tired of looking at me!”
“I’ll never grow tired of looking at you,” he whispers suddenly.
My heart stumbles.
His eyes widen just as mine do, as if he himself is just as surprised he let those words out of his traitorous mouth.
I’m all too aware of how little space there suddenly is between us. His chest is warm against mine. His arm brushes my side with every apprehensive breath he takes. And the way he’s looking at me, it feels like he sees all the flaws I keep hidden away. He sees those nasty traits within my flawless features.
And he’s still gazing at me like he might kiss me.
Oh. My. Goddess.
Zilo wants to kiss me.
Does he—does he even know how that interaction works? Would he really allow himself to kiss someone without murmuring obscenities between tongue strokes?
“Um...” I try to step back, but the door just clatters behind me as I stumble right into it. “I should... nap.” Yep. I need to sleep this off. My brain is flashing red lights, and a siren is sounding somewhere in the distance.
This realization just broke my brain.
Luckily, one of us still has our good senses.
Zilo nods, drops his hand, and takes a firm, rational step back from me.
Good boy.
Smart boy.
His queen would cut his cock off if he had the stupidity to kiss me after cooing at her all morning.
Creatchin likes power. Zilo is the captain of the High Hell. He’s the most powerful creature in her kingdom.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure things out.
“She likes you,” I admit under my breath, and it hurts to say it out loud. I don’t know why it hurts, but I can’t seem to stop the pain from shuddering through my chest, either.
“She likes power and protection. She doesn’t likemespecifically.” He doesn’t meet my eyes. He keeps his focus on the high arches of the steeples above.
But he’s right. Zilo is the epitome of power and protection. He’s pure raw and relentless strength.
“But that doesn’t mean a woman doesn’t want you because of those things. It’s—it’s nice to feel safe in a world full of danger. You—you make a woman feel safe, Zilo.”
And fuck me, here we are again.
