Page 59 of All Your Bloody Lies

“What a good girl, damn.” When those words slip from his lips, her eye twitches.

“Please.” Now she’s actually begging.

After a brief pause, I sigh. “Okay, contact Hause Sidence for my number, then text me the details. I need to get her home.”

For selfish reasons, but also because I know she won’t fight me with Dominic standing here, my arms tighten around her. Her hands separate from being clasped together and grip at my shirt.

He pats my shoulder roughly, “You got it man. Bring Stephanie here along, you’ll be the envy of the party.” As he goes to return back to the club, he makes a final comment, “You might want to mark her though, may be easier to keep her in check.”

Xeraphine would soon rather remove her clit than ever be claimed or marked byanyone. A soft growl rumbles from my throat as I move back to bring her into view.

“I’ll take you home.” I take her chin between my index finger and thumb, lifting her gaze to mine. “We can walk, but it’s far and you’re cold. I won’t pester you on the drive, come on.”

She doesn’t move, and I sigh, “I’m not against throwing you over my shoulder,” I try to joke, but her hazed over expression tells me she’s not in the mood.

“I—” She pulls my jacket tighter around her and looks away, “I don’t want to go home.”

I know this isn’t an act for her, and I’m trying to pay attention to the person that she is and always will be. She may not want comfort, but I want to give it to her. I’m resisting my instinct to treat her like she’s broken because I know she isn’t.

“Tell me where you want to go, Xera. I’ll take you there.”

The drive back to my place is quiet, even though I try to break the silence by asking stupid questions like ‘Is it warm enough?’ or ‘Do you need food?’. She didn’t even give me a nod or shake her head in response.

I said I wouldn’t pester her, but that didn’t apply once we got home. Even though it’s my home, right now it’s hers.

So the moment the front door is closed and we step inside the living room, I ask, “What happened tonight?”

“You said you wouldn’t—”

“That applied to the drive home. We’re here now. What the fuck happened tonight?” I ask more forcefully. She drops my jacket onto the floor and crosses the space toward the stairs, her mouth clamped shut. “Xera, I’m serious.” I follow her as she begins moving up to the second floor.

“I don’t want to—”

“We will talk about it!” I’m behind her, following step by step. “I won’t allow for you—”

She whirls around on me, her face inches from my own, “Allow for me to what?! Huh?! You don’t have some fucking claim on me,Kai. What you did for me, calling me yours, it didn’t have the effect you think it did.”

I narrow my eyes, “Then why are you here? Why didn’t you have me take you home?”

She clenches her jaw and spins back around, heading into my room, “Because I don’t want to be alone.”

“You have Sydni for your loneliness.” My tone is sour, and I don’t like that I’m speaking that way to her, but she’s pissing me off. As I’m about to step through the threshold, she slams the door in my face. “Did… Did you just closeMYdoor onME?”

I can hear her rummaging through my drawer, and I sigh. She pauses, and the gentle intake of air she pulls in sounds as though it gets caught in her throat.Oh, fucking Vayl above, little demon…

“Can you just shut up, please?” Her voice is strained.

I place my forehead on the door and breathe softly through my nose.

If she wants silence, I guess that isn’t much to ask for. She could be asking for so much more, but if quiet is all she wants… then I can at least give that to her.

The sound of fabric hitting the floor fills the silence, and soon after, she opens the door. I don’t move back; instead, I lean against the doorframe and look down at her wearing my shirt.

Her cheeks are slightly red, and I go to touch them when she stops my advancement. I can hear her thinking‘I don’t want your comfort, prick.’, so I immediately lower my hand.

I move, and she brushes past me, heading back down the stairs and into the living room. I don’t hesitate to follow her, but first, I grab a cup of water from the kitchen and place it on the glass table for her in case she wants it.

She nestles in front of the fireplace and looks at me, “Do you have wood?”