Page 104 of Stolen Voices

Dropping to my toes, I cover my face with my hands. “Oh god. What is happening?”

I don’t know these people, and they are witnessing a moment between me and Eli that I don’t even understand myself.

Eli grips my wrists and pulls them away from my face, but I keep my eyes pinched tight. “Cal, look at me.”

“Nope, I’m dead, and I’m just waiting for the earth to swallow me whole,” I groan.

“Don’t be so dramatic, princess.”

My eyes snap open, and I tug my hands from his grasp. Placing my fists on my hips, I glare at the man in front of me, trying not to get lost in the color of his eyes. “Did you seriously just tell me to stop being dramatic?”

Eli smirks at me. “Breathe.”

The rat bastard was trying to get a rise out of me.

“I can’t breathe. Your family is here staring at me like I have two heads, you’re acting all different and touchy—and it’s confusing the heck out of me—and I know you’re leaving.” I lower my voice and whisper through my teeth, “And you kissed me last night.”

“That’s a lot of information to unpack.” Eli smugly stares down at me, enjoying my outburst and possibly the conflicting emotions making me bonkers.

My gaze bounces between his stormy eyes and mouth, and I can’t stop wondering what it would be like to kiss him again. Or smack him if he keeps this teasing up. He’s so damn frustrating.

“Elijiah,” I ground out his name, but it comes out all breathy, giving away my contrary feelings. Something that only happens when I’m with him.

“Calliope.” The gravel in his voice makes my nipples pucker under the lace bra covering them, and my panties soaked and useless.

Electricity snaps between us.

“Okay, everyone out of the room. I believe Eli and Callie need some privacy,” Jace shouts, breaking me out of the trance Eli has on me.

I move out of Eli’s path. “Please don’t go. It’s fine.”

His family freezes as they look between me and Eli, unsure what to do. They aren’t alone. I have no idea what I’m doing or what’s going on with me in Eli.

“Okay, that’s it,” Eli growls.

My stomach dips as he sweeps me off my feet and carries me bridal style—ensuring my back and neck are stable—out of the room, down the hall to the bedroom. I can hear his family laughing in the background as humiliation washes over me, but not enough for my anger to be scrubbed away.

“I am not happy with you right now,” I grumble as he places me on the bed. Crossing my arms over my chest, I wait for him to speak as he runs his hands over his face and hair, tugging at the strands. “Well?”

“I’m sorry my family is here staring at you. I didn’t know they were going to stop by,” he says with an exasperated sigh.

When Eli makes eye contact with me, I melt like a popsicle in the sun at the earnestness reflected back at me. I might not be the only rider on this emotional roller coaster.

“I forgive you.”

“I want to unpack everything you just brought up, but there isn’t enough time.” He approaches me on the bed, and my legs spread open to accommodate him like they did at the club. Only, this time, he falls to his knees between my legs and places his hands on my thighs. A delicious heat creeps up my legs at the contact.

“I know I’m acting differently. The other day changed stuff. I’m sorry if it’s confusing, but I need you to get used to it.”

“And the kiss?”

“Was really great?” he hedges. The shaky vulnerability in his voice betrays the confident Eli he usually portrays in public and the man I’ve known for years. This Eli is different, and to be honest, it scares me.

“Try again,” I tell him, imploring him to give me more. Whether that’s more talking or touching, I don’t know. But I need something to help me make sense of everything that’s happened in the last few days.

“Can we talk about it when I get back?”

Disappointment settles in my gut at his response. “So, you are leaving?”