I leaned back in the chair, staring at the mess around me, but my mind wasn’t on the clutter. It was on her: the way she moved, the way she looked at me just now, hesitant and wary.
Damn it. I was supposed to be untouchable, cold, in control. Yet somehow, giving her a room, a little space… it had me on edge in a way I hated. Dangerous. Tempting.
I shook my head, took a slow breath, and let the silence fill the living room.
Tomorrow, I’d make sure nothing like this happened again. But tonight, I let it slide.
The shadows in the corners seemed darker somehow, and I found I didn’t mind.
Chapter 9
Tessa
Ithought cleaning a hoarders house would be the biggest problem I had living here. It was quickly proving to be insignificant compared to the newest complication. Felix was now the biggest problem, and the worst part was, I didn’t even know where to start with him.
He had this way of slipping into the corners of my mind, like a shadow I couldn’t shake, and every time he was near, my chest tightened, my thoughts scattered. He was infuriating, maddening, and impossibly magnetic all at once. I wanted to glare at him, to push him away, but a part of me—the part I refused to admit even existed—couldn’t stop noticing him.
When he had brought me my belongings, it had been oddly sweet. Out of character for him, completely unlike the callous, dangerous man I’d pegged him as. My chest had tightened, and I couldn’t stop replaying the moment, the low drawl of his voice, the way he’d looked at me.
Was it possible there were more facets to this man than I had originally thought? More than the menace, the arrogance, the edge that kept everyone else at bay? I hated the thought that maybe Felix wasn’t entirely what he seemed.
No. That couldn’t be possible. He couldn’t have soft sides. Not someone like him. I told myself that firmly, forcing my chest to unclench and my thoughts to straighten.
I was almost done cleaning out my new bedroom. The floor was swept, dust wiped from the shelves, and the few boxes of clutter neatly stacked in the corner. For the first time since I’d moved in, the room actually felt like a space I could breathe in, even if only a bit.
I had picked the smallest one. Even though Felix was granting me this tiny shred of benevolence, something told me I needed to get back to work before it was gone.
Pausing in the center, hands on my hips, I let my gaze wander over the tidy room. My chest eased for a moment, but a strange tension lingered just beneath it. Trying to wave it away, I got back to cleaning. The final thing was to get the laundry out of the drier and I’d be finished.
I left the bedroom and padded down the hallway, my old slippers a soft barrier against the cuts on my feet. It felt absurdly indulgent, and I savored the moment of my hurt feet finally being covered.
Suddenly, a low groan drifted from Felix’s room. My stomach twisted. Was he okay? Without thinking, I veered left down the hallway instead of heading downstairs, my steps quiet as I approached, heart thudding in a mix of worry and something I wasn’t ready to name.
I slowed as I neared his door. It was slightly cracked, a sliver of darkness spilling out into the hallway. My hand hovered over the frame, unsure if I should peek.
Curiosity won. I leaned just enough to glance inside.
And there he was, though not directly. His reflection caught in the tall mirror against the far wall. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, eyes closed, head tilted back. And—oh.
Heat surged through me. My cheeks flared bright red, and I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep from gasping. Felix was touching himself.
Panic and curiosity collided in my chest. I should look away. I had to look away. Yet my eyes were glued to the mirror, heart hammering, every nerve screaming at me to stop—but I couldn’t.
An erratic rhythm settled into my breathing as his hips began to move, faster and faster. His hand pumped harder, and every muscle along his arms, chest, and shoulders tensed, flexing beneath the skin. Fuck. It looked like a god had sculpted his body, and I was entranced, watching, my stomach twisting with a mixture of shame, disbelief, and a heat I couldn’t deny.
If I had been closer, I would have heard the wet, heavy sounds filling the room. As it was, all I could hear was the rasp of his breaths, his harsh gasps matching mine.
I should look away. Ihadto look away. My fingers itched to cover my eyes, to shove the image from my mind, but I couldn’t. My pulse pounded in my ears, and I realized with a sinking thrill that part of me didn’t want to.
My pussy clenched, and my fingers twitched, wanting to touch myself too. Wanting to know what it felt like to be touched like that. I’d never felt anything close to lust before, but standing there, watching Felix lose himself, something inside me began to stir. I knew it was dangerous. He was dangerous. But he was also irresistible.
When he cried out, his head thrown back, I had to suppress a gasp. White ropes of cum splattered on his abdomen, glistening in the low light. His body shuddered, and his eyes slowly fluttered open.
I jerked back, heart pounding frantically. There was no way he saw me. My back pressed against the cool wall as I fought to steady my breaths, the image of him burned into my mind like a brand.
Breathing hard, I stumbled down the hall and back into my room. My center felt like it had been set ablaze, and I needed to take care of it, immediately. I clicked the lock shut behind me and sprawled on to my bed, no sheets be damned.
I shed my yoga pants and panties in seconds, fingers trembling as they went. My hand slid between my legs, and I found myself picturing Felix, wanting that release he had just found. My hips rolled, my breaths hitching, and before I could think better of it, I was coming too.
