Page 50 of Siren’s Mark (The Siren’s Mark Duology #1)

AVA

We step inside the swanky mirrored elevator and Zane scans a key fob before hitting a button that says ‘P’.

I don’t really know what that is supposed to stand for. P… Primo floor?

“P?” I ask.

“Penthouse, baby,” Zane says. I suddenly feel ultra-dumb for not getting that one.

“Is someone going to show us the place or…?”

“My name’s on the lease, love,” he says. “If we want it, we just move in.”

Oh. Right.

The elevator bell dings and the doors open to a small entryway with a set of doors. I look around expecting a hallway with additional doors but it’s just the one small corridor.

“Where do we go?” I ask.

“Through the doors, love. Where else?”

He looks at me quizzically and opens the door for me.

“Okay, big spender, sorry if I don’t know how these rich person things work.

” I say, my voice drifting as I look around at a massive open space with red brick walls and an upper floor surrounded by glass walls.

Sunlight streams through five towering arched windows that extend to the loft level. The space is completely furnished.

“What do you think?” Zane asks.

“The fuck is this??” I ask in disbelief.

“You don’t like it?” His expression falls.

“Of course I like it!” I say, slapping Zane on the shoulder. “But what is this? This isn’t an apartment, Zane, it’s a fucking Pottery Barn!”

“I don’t know what that means,” he says with narrowed eyes.

“This is giant,” I say, looking around. “Does this apartment take up the entire top floor?”

“That’s what penthouse means, love,” he says with a smile.

“Okay, well I told you I don’t know how rich people stuff works.”

I look to one window and realize that it’s actually a door.

“Is there just a door to nowhere over here?” I ask, walking toward it. As I walk, I see a garden and an odd reflective surface.

“It’s a garden,” he says.

I step out into a beautiful green space flanked by trees. As I look around I catch the reflection again, and it’s a pool.

A fucking pool.

“What the fuck!” I shout.

Zane looks at me cautiously.

“Is it too high? Do you not like heights?” he asks. “Is it the water? Are you afraid of water?”

“No,” I say. “It’s just, it’s too much! How much money do you make, anyway?”

Shit . That was so rude. I can’t believe I just asked that.

“A lot,” he says with a smile. “Does that mean you like it?”

“Yes, Zane, but I kinda figured I’d be like… contributing to the rent. And this is… I don’t think I could afford to pay the renter’s insurance here.”

“You know I don’t care, right?” he asks, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into his chest. “Perks of being a Siren, ya know.”

“Yeah, perks of being a super-old guy,” I tease.

“You know, love,” he says with a glare. “I’d be glad to show you how young I really am.”

“Oh it’s okay, I believe you.”

“Mmmhmm,” he says, skeptical of my response.

“I mean, you are pretty immature,” I say with a giggle.

“Is that so?” he asks with a cheeky grin that lets me know I’m in for serious trouble.

I try to dart away, but he has a firm hold on me.

“Well, if I’m so immature,” he says, picking me up by the waist with ease and walking closer to the pool, “then I guess you’d be foolish to bring me out here and not expect me to do this.”

Suddenly, we’re submerged in the lukewarm water. The pool must be heated, and I’m grateful for it because my joints freeze up in the cold. Every time I’m cold, I end up awkwardly hobbling along like an arthritic Tin Man.

I emerge from the pool to see Zane laughing hysterically, his hair in loose wet curls and his T-shirt soaked.

Bastard.

I splash him in retaliation and he gives me a wicked smile as his eyes turn green.

Uh oh. Is he genuinely mad at me?

His eyes travel to my chest. My light grey blouse is almost completely transparent and clinging to my skin—and I’m not wearing a bra.

Oh.

“So, splashing, that’s what mature adults do, eh?” he asks, stepping closer with a predatory expression.

Okay, Ava. You’ve got this. Don’t be distracted by his hotness. Now’s your chance to say something cool and sexy.

“I… uh…” I stutter.

Damn it.

His hands grip my hips and he leans in so that his lips are next to my ear.

“Well if you like it so much here…” he says with a low, rough voice. “Shall we break it in?”

I attempt to think of a clever or sexy response, but Zane’s breath against my neck has completely shut off my brain.

My head nods as I struggle to grasp anything close to English.

His lips collide with mine and I feel the effects of his venom coursing through my body. In an instant, there’s no pain or discomfort, just pure bliss; intense and electric.

Zane pulls away as if he suddenly remembered I have to breathe. He presses his forehead to mine and his eyes glow a radiant green. He brings his lower lip between his teeth and bites down hard, his eyes holding mine.

“Not wearing a bra today?” he asks with a devious smile, softly tracing his hands down the collar of my blouse. His hand undoes the first two buttons with ease.

It’s totally unfair how cool and coordinated he is sometimes.

“Well, I wasn’t exactly planning on getting pushed into a pool today,” I say teasingly.

“I can’t say I feel too bad about that,” he says, his eyes following the outline of my body below the water’s surface. His fingers delicately release another few buttons until the front of my top is completely open, my breasts falling just beneath the water’s surface.

“I don’t know if I should reward your bad behavior,” I say with a smirk.

“You know you love me because I’m a little bad, baby.”

He reaches his hands around my waist and up the back of my shirt, kissing and biting a trail along my neck as he pulls me into him.

He presses himself up against me, slowly rolling his hips into mine.

We’re both in our wet jeans, and it occurs to me this may be more logistically difficult than I considered. The moment I get any jeans wet, they permanently suction themselves to my thighs.

“I’m not sure you’re gonna be able to get my pants off,” I say with a giggle.

“Oh?” he asks. He grabs the hem of my jeans and undoes the button, slides down the zipper, and with a sudden tug rips them down the center. After a few more tears, he lifts the tattered denim above the water and tosses the pieces onto dry land.

“You were saying?” he says with a smile.

“I was saying that it’s a good thing you’re rich, because you owe me new pants.”

“I’ll make it up to you,” he says with another long kiss.

“You better,” I say jokingly. “There ought to be some benefit to dating a Siren.”

He subtly licks his lips, then pauses for a second before a wicked expression appears on his face.

I’m so doomed.

“Actually,” he says. “I have wanted to try something.”

He wraps a hand around the base of my neck, pulling me in for a kiss. His other arm lifts me up and I wrap my legs around his waist as he pins me against the edge of the pool.

I peel his T-shirt off, revealing his sharply chiseled muscles.

He brings his lips to my ear.

“Come for me, love,” he whispers.

My heart begins to race and my breathing becomes shallow and rapid. A shiver travels down my spine and a warm euphoria spreads throughout my body. I sink my nails into his skin and he moans in response.

A jumble of expletives and nonsense sounds escapes my lips. My mind is completely wiped blank as I struggle to comprehend what just happened.

“I… I…” I stutter, struggling to catch my breath—or my brain cells.

“So I take it that worked,” he says with a proud smirk.

“I didn’t know you could do that. You’ve been holding out on me!”

“I’ve never tried,” he says, kissing me and flicking his tongue across my lower lip. “But don’t worry love, I’m sure we can make up for lost time.”