Page 13 of Not All Himbos Wear Capes

What did surprise me was hownaturalit felt to let another man spoon me. At first, his hold on me was awkward—as if it wasn’t something he did very often—but it didn’t take long for him to fully snuggle against me. Then his lips brushed along my neck and shoulder as one hand lazily traced my abs, his touch that odd combination of arousing and soothing.

In his arms, all the tension I’d been holding on to since accepting my position with Big City melted away, and I had a moment of absolute, startling clarity.

THIS is what’s been missing from my life.

“So perfect,” he sleepily mumbled in my ear, echoing my thoughts exactly. Soon after, his breathing evened out, lulling me to sleep as I dreamed about what the future might hold.

In the morning, Xander was gone.

CHAPTER7

XANDER

“Is that my little brother, slumming in the fancy part of town?”

I rolled my eyes, shifting the paper bag I was holding under my arm as I approached my precious Audi. Violentia had rolled down the heavily tinted driver’s side window just enough for me to register her smeared eye makeup and slightly unhinged expression—evidence that she’d probably been joyriding all night.

It’s okay, baby. You’re back with Daddy now.

I’d been buying egg sandwiches at the deli across the street from Butch’s high-rise when my psycho sister texted me. The contents of his fridge were much too healthy for my taste, and since he was sleeping like a log, I figured I could slip out and back before he woke up.

To surprise him with breakfast.

Like some sort of weird boyfriend shit.

Who even am I right now?

Because she was a worse cockblocker than Captain Masculine, Violentia delayed my return by bartering my car for a favor. So I got stuck waiting for her on the curb like a vagrant, stubbornly refusing to eat until Butch could.

I glanced over my shoulder, my gaze drifting to the top floor where an extremely delicious man was waiting for me. “What’s your problem with The Gloucester Apartments, Vi? Besides the interior designer catering to the Vegas octogenarian crowd.”

She snorted. “Well, ignoring the fact it’s full of normies who’ve made their money off the sweat of supes, I’ve heard some pretty importantheroeslive here.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Once I wrestled it out, I saw it was Butch messaging me on Bangers, reminding me we still needed to exchange phone numbers.

Butch:“Why did you leave?” [sad emoji face]

Oof.

Normally, I would have immediately blocked someone for that level of clinginess, but IlikedButch sending me sad little emojis for reasons I didn’t want to examine at the moment.

I’m definitely blaming the fried chicken.

Ignoring my sister’s stare, I quickly typed a reply.

“I was grabbing us breakfast across the street. Hot and ready, just like I expect you to be when I get back up there.”

“Fascinating,” I vaguely acknowledged Violentia’s idiotic statement, in no mood to gossip when I had a bacon, egg, and cheese to inhale and some grade-A cum to wash it down with. “Now what was this big favor you—”

“Like Captain Masculine,” she smoothly interjected, one perfectly on-fleek eyebrow arching as she awaited my reaction. “Big City’s greatest hero supposedly lives right behind you in The Gloucester.”

She’s just trying to get a rise out of you, Xander.

“I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for him.” My tone was disinterested, despite now havingtwovery compelling reasons to get back inside. I’d already decided my dick was sold on a second date with Butch—maybe more—but the idea of infiltrating my nemesis’homemade me just as hard.

Smothering Masculine to death with a three thousand dollar designer pillow would be orgasmic.

“Dinner at the compound,” Violentia’s voice drew me out of my vengeful reverie. “In two weeks. Father wants to speak with you.”