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“You can run and hide from me—from this, from us, all you want but you’re going to think about me when you touch yourself tonight.” He kisses my cheek and backs away out of my apartment. I wouldn’t have known he was even here if he didn’t leave behind his scent behind.

I lean against the counter for stability and close my eyes trying to slow my heartrate.

I swear I hear a deep chuckle through the wall.

CHAPTER 37

CELINE

Itoss and turn, trying to get comfortable but my body refuses.

With a sigh, I shove the covers off and sit up in bed.

Sleep is futile.

I can’t stop thinking about Zav. He’s invaded every crevice of my mind.

Why do I keep resisting him so hard when he’s clearly what I want? Sometimes I wish I was different, not so closed off, but it’s not that easy for me to open up and let other people in—to share myself and my body with another person, but god do I want to do that with Zav.

My feet seem to take me to my front door of their own accord. I’m not sure what my plan is, but I guess I’ll figure it out.

Opening the door, a figure falls inside and a black blob runs past me into the room.

A scream tears out of me, and I slap my hand quickly over my mouth when I realize it’s Zavier and Midnight.

“What the hell are you doing?” I hiss, bending to grab his arm and drag him inside my apartment. It’s giving me flashbacks to when he showed up at his own door bleeding out, but a quick scan shows he’s unharmed.

He lies back flat on my floor as I shut the door and blinks up at me, eyes almost owlish behind his glasses.

“Hi.”

Hands on my hips, I level him with a glare. “Explain yourself.”

He flashes a smile, incisors the tiniest bit elongated. My treacherous body responds, and I squeeze my thighs together.

“Just keeping you safe, darling. Why wereyousneaking out?”

I cross my arms over my chest, and it pushes my breasts up in the tank I went to bed in. My nipples pebble against the fabric and he takes it in, licking his lips.

“I wasn’t sneaking.”

I’m stalling, I know, but I don’t care.

“Are you not going to offer me a hand?” he jokes, still sprawled in my entry.

“No.”

He hops up in one lithe movement that reminds me that this man is very much not human. That fact should probably deter my attraction, but strangely I think it only heightens it.

“I’m going to ask you again, Celine.” He stalks toward me with lethal grace. “Why were you leaving?” He keeps moving forward until I’m backed against the door. He lowers his head, lips grazing my cheek on their way to my ear. “You really don’t have to answer. I canscentit on you. Your arousal. Have you finally decided to put me out of my misery?”

My breath stutters out of me. “I … I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” His words are a growl against my skin. “I think you do. I might not be able to read minds, but I’m not stupid, Celine.” His fingers graze my jaw. “Be honest. If you lie to me, I won’t hesitate to throw you over my knee and spank you.”

I whimper at the warning. “I was … I was coming to get you. I didn’t have any plan after that.”

He smirks. “Lucky for you, I do have a plan.”