The first time, he caught me off guard. I was too busy staring at his long, black lashes, the dark sapphires they lined, and the way his skin looked like rich caramel under the glowing streetlights.
But the second time, I’d kissed him first because Iwantedto kiss him again. I wanted to taste him, to feel his body pressed against mine, to inhale him until my head spun. Already, I feltthe pull of something I couldn’t name, some dark hunger that seemed to come from him alone. If I saw him again, I didn’t know if I’d run—or if I’d let him own me entirely. Because a large part of me was ready to do alotmore than kiss him.
Only the reminder that Jules would kill Alek if he found out we’d even talked pulled me back from our second peck. I’d had to run away before I got tempted again, but if I saw Alek again?
I wasn’t sure what I’d do.
I needed to distance myself from him. For both my sake and Alek’s. Jules would never allow us to be together, especially since Alek was radiating danger from his expensive suit to the tattoos beneath it to the hardened glint in his eyes. There was too much in the way, too many rules that a relationship like ours broke.
“Okay, okay,” Mia said. “Tell me everything.”
So I did. I told her about the snowball fight, the collision, Alek’s hands making sure I was okay, the way he looked at me like he’d never wanted anything more, him loaning me the scarf, and our kiss. And, finally, I told her about the way I ran away like a coward, unwilling to face the idea that Jules wouldn’t let us be together.
“I’m gonna die alone, Mia,” I groaned.
She clicked her tongue. “No, you’re not. Men like that don’t just vanish.”
“You don’t know that.”
“From what you’ve told me, I know enough. You might be convinced he’s your perfect Prince Charming, but it seems pretty clear to me that he’s a starving man, and what he’s craving is you. You know who that sounds like to me?The villain.”
I gaped. “But I don’t want to end up with the villain!”
“Do you?” she raised a brow. “You want a Prince Charming, but would a prince be willing to go against your brother? Would a princewin?”
I frowned because she had a good point. Jules was stubborn like fire—unpredictable, raging, consuming everything in its path once it caught a spark. He wasn’t the kind of man who cooled down with time or reason. He burned hotter when challenged, met darkness head-on with his temper blazing until there was nothing left but ash.
Maybe Mia was right. Maybe this wasn’t something that could be soothed with gentleness or patience. You didn’t smother a wildfire with soft words. You either let it burn itself out…
Or you met it with something strong enough to withstand it.
And I didn’t know Alek very well, but I knew this much: he wasn’t fire. He was ice. Cold, relentless, and deadly in its own way. And for me, he would hold his ground until the flames had nothing left to feed on.
If I hadn’t messed things up already.
“No,” I finally replied to Mia, chewing my lip while I tried to think about anything I could do to fix the mess I’d created.
The problem was: I wasn’t sure Icouldfix it—and even if I could, I needed to slow down and think about not only our last show tomorrow, but our auditions for the spring show,Romeo and Juliet, the day after. I figured I would be a background dancer, but a part of me hoped I had proven myself inThe Nutcrackerto get more of a lead role. I needed to focus on my career, on my dancing, for the next few days. Afterward, I would worry about Alek.
“Exactly. The villain is the one who will do anything for you, who will give you the world if you ask for it. He’ll take everything from you and leave you desperate for more, which is scary and a little hot. But I guess it fits because the villain is going to be the one to fuck you into oblivion.Notyour Prince Charming.”
I was pretty sure that, at that moment, my face resembled a bright red Christmas ornament. “Mia! I-I… um… I mean… ugh! Don’t say things like that!”
“Why?” she grinned knowingly. “Is it because you want him to? You want Alek to shove you against the wall and show you what a good time is?”
“No!” I lied, turning away before I turned into a tomato.God, this was so embarrassing. Why did I even tell her this?
“Uh-huh. Anyway, let me tell youallabout protection. Are you on the pill?”
“I amnotanswering that!” I stood, stomping over to the kitchen while clutching my blanket and one of her pillows shaped like a disco ball. I desperately needed some water.
Was it hot in there? Did I need to turn on the air conditioning?
“Alek and Eva, sitting in a tree. F-U-C-K-I?—”
Mia’s song was cut off by the sound of a pillow hitting her in the side of the head. She lost herself in a fit of laughter, clutching at her stomach while she rolled in pure glee. Despite her teasing, I couldn’t help but laugh alongside her, some of the heaviness I’d felt since Alek and I met finally alleviating. My lungs screamed for a reprieve, and my cheeks ached from smiling so hard.
After the laughter faded and the wine dulled to a pleasant warmth in my chest, we curled up together beneath the blankets, the city humming softly beyond the glass. Mia eventually fell asleep with her head on my shoulder, breathing slow and even, like nothing in the world could touch us.
