I managed something like a smile. “Fine, whatever. I’ll go home.” It didn’t matter. I had plenty of workout equipment in my apartment. “Ford? You driving me?”
“I’m grabbing my keys,” he called out.
I felt along the wall for my cane, and as I opened the door, I heard Nikos ask, “He’s going to work out, isn’t he?”
“He’s going to do something foolish,” Killian answered back.
I closed the door behind me before I could mouth off and give myself away.
I was halfway through my third set on the rower when I heard my buzzer going off. I wasn’t expecting anyone, and it was clear it was a disruption because Athena began to meow loudly from her perch on the window.
“I know, princess. I’m gonna tell them to fuck off.” I flung open the door, and before I could ask who the fuck was disturbing me so late, I got a whiff of his cologne. “Fucking Brut.”
“It’s not Brut,” Alexio growled. His chest hit my crossed arms as he pushed his way inside and slammed the door behind him. “It’s also pitch-black in here.”
“No shit,” I sneered. “You want to be in my house, you have to be on my level. All my friends walk around here blind. I usually make people wear blindfolds during the day.”
He let out a shaking breath, then said. “Okay. Just show me around.”
“Oh my god, you dipshit. I’m not being serious.” My fingertips grazed the wall until they hit the light switch, and I heard the hum as it clicked on. “I can’t believe you think I make my friends stumble around my house.”
“I—” He stopped, then sighed. “Are you working out?”
My brows flew up. “Is this your first time seeing a home gym? I mean, I know your team fucking sucks this year, but?—”
“Shut up.” He grabbed me by the front of the shirt, spun me, and slammed me against the wall. “Maybe watch your smart little mouth for tonight. I’m trying to help you.”
Athena meowed again, but it was clear she gave no shits about the commotion happening by the front door. And I doubted if she could see, she’d care about that either. So long as her food dish was full, she was happy.
“This doesn’t seem very helpful,” I said slowly. “I mean, I don’t read a lot, but I’m pretty sure the medical journals don’t say that slamming people against the wall is good for your health.”
His hands coasted down my sides, and my dick thickened behind my flimsy shorts. I had learned very early on into puberty that people could see when I got a boner. “You’ve lostweight.” His hands stilled over my ribs. “You haven’t been eating.”
“And someone is a narc,” I snapped.
He leaned in and pressed his forehead against mine. I didn’t know why that was so soothing, and I both hated and loved it. “My brother called. I’m here to save you from yourself.”
Pressing my hands to his shoulders, I trailed them down, and when I reached his fingertips, I realized he was holding something. “What is this?”
“Food.”
“I’m not hungry,” I said quickly.
“You will be when I’m done. Trust me.”
I didn’t trust him, but I followed him into the kitchen and sat at the breakfast counter, resting my chin on my folded arms. Listening to him move around in my space was making me feel some type of way. I had no idea if it was good or bad.
Or horny.
Or irritated.
Everything was kind of the same these days.
“Don’t mess anything up,” I said after he started chopping something. “It takes me for-fucking-ever to get my kitchen back in order whenever people mess with it.”
“You can help me put everything away.” I could hear him rummaging around. “Oh, good, you have a grill.”
“Uh, yes. I’m not a heathen.”
