Chapter 6
Beautiful. Magical. Sublime. She stirs something in me I can’t fight off. This need to make sure nothing touches her. I place her down carefully, watching her, afraid she might pass out at any moment.
My fists clench at the thought of Felix. He made her a target, and now I can’t keep my distance. I will kill him—and anyone else—who dares even to come close to her. Still, I have to prepare her. I’d feel better knowing she can handle herself. I am hard on her, but I want her to be able to protect herself too. What she lacks in skills, she makes up for with sheer determination. The kitten never gives up, and that’s a trait I admire.
She whispers, “You can leave.” Her voice is soft, almost pleading. This girl doesn’t fit into this world filled with darkness. No, she’s like a fairy, and she belongs in a realm with flowers and sunshine.
No wonder that vacuum inside me is desperate to latch onto her light and feed off her. I should ask someone else to train her, but I can’t. This damn weakness.
The sweet scent of bath gel fills the room as I turn on the water. From the corner of my eye, I see her leaning on the wall, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. “Can you undress?”
Say yes. I am not above praying for that.
“I don’t know. Everything hurts,” she says, her voice so damn pure.
Fuck. I am screwed. She’s going to be my ruin. Stay professional. You can do this, or you could ask one of the girls to come and watch her. I ignore that thought. Why? I have no fucking clue.
“Do you trust me?” I ask as I approach her, not breathing until she answers.
She chews on her fuller bottom lip. “I do.”
Two words, three letters that shatter my control.
She holds up her arms, and I slide her top off. Don’t look! It’s physical. A body. Nothing more. But it’s hers, and I can’t not look.
So much softness. I could trail my fingers over her lithe body to the end of time, exploring every inch until I could map it with my eyes closed. Her rosy nipples harden just like my dick.
Control yourself. Damn it.
She sucks in a breath as I get on my knees and pull down her leggings. My hands shake with every new inch I uncover. Rein yourself in. But it’s nearly impossible; everything in me demands another peek. I am face-to-face with her shaved pussy, and I salivate, wanting a quick taste. I stand up fast and turn around, panting. Inhaling and exhaling in a calming rhythm, I get myself back under control, facing her.
She lifts her leg over the tub and sinks under the bubbles, but not before I get a view of her ass. It’s round and perky, and I want to sink my teeth into it. It’s a losing battle, increasing my frustration so that I want to cram my fist into my mouth.
I’m painfully hard, so I adjust my pants. She awakens a part of me I thought I had been robbed of.
A slight yawn redirects my attention to her. She eyes me, looking shy, but she’s not hiding, which is refreshing.
With my sister, protecting her is a no-brainer. With Celine, it was like my duty—until she became someone I see as another sister, even though we’re not biologically related. But with Bailey, it’s more than that. Why?
Leaning back, she closes her eyes.
“Don’t fall asleep on me, kitten.”
“I might take that as you care.”
“We wouldn’t want you to be disillusioned.”
She glares at me before her head disappears under the water. I love how expressive she is.
I count to sixty, but she still hasn’t emerged. Led by panic, I pull her up. Bubbles cling to her hair and lashes, making her look so damn appealing—wet, rosy and flushed.
“You do care, don’t you?” she asks with a big smile.
“What has gotten into you?”
“You. You have gotten into me,” she snaps, and for a moment, I can’t form words.
“And by the way. I can hold my breath underwater for a lot longer than sixty seconds.” She gives me that sass I crave too much for my liking. I should leave her ass here, but I stay firmly planted. I wouldn’t be able to close my eyes if I didn’t know she was in bed.
I get her shower gel, and no wonder she smells so delicious with that combination of strawberry, vanilla, and magnolia. Someone managed to bottle the scent that corrupts my senses, one after the other.
We both stare at the bottle in my hand and then at each other. She gulps. I swallow. The air brims with that mix of temptation and forbidden. This is tricky, but she doesn’t say no, which is both torment and relief.
I’ve got this. I have perfect control over my urges. It’s just a body. Think of Mia and Celine. But those thoughts are flimsy compared to the view of Bailey, and they’re not good enough to put a stop to my erection. I am fucking fucked.
“If it’s such a horrible task, give it to me,” she says, snatching the bottle from my hand. Something unpleasant hits my chest. I am about to steal the bottle from her when she starts washing her body. I stare transfixed. Never in a million years did I imagine I’d be here, watching her clean herself, actually jealous of her hands—because I want mine to be all over her. She lays herself out for me like a feast, and I feel as though I’ve been starving for an eternity with the way I hunger for her. Soft curves, flawless skin, and good god, but those little freckles painting a constellation on her face undo me. She’s out of this world gorgeous.
I turn around and grab a towel from the rack.
“If you can wash yourself, then why—” I can’t even finish that sentence. I’m too wired up.
“Was curious to see how far you’d take it.”
I can’t shake the impression that she intentionally taunts and tantalizes me. Maybe she’s not as innocent as I made her to be in my head.
“Playing with fire will get you burned, kitten.”
“Ah, Hunter, don’t you know? I am a phoenix.”
When I turn around, she stands up. Bubbles and water glide down her mouthwatering body, revealing herself in all her magnificent, naked glory—a goddess, tempting me to fall to my knees and become a disciple at her altar.
I have her wrapped in the towel in under a second.
She giggles. “I might have found something you’re scared of.”
“I’m not scared, Bailey. But you should be…”
The innuendo is not lost on either of us. Sparks crackle in the space. One move, and it might be the match to burn everything around us.
I dry her quickly and then move to her silky red and golden hair. Inhaling her maddening scent, a silent volcano rumbles inside me, threatening to blast.
“Will this be a recurring thing?” she asks, our eyes meeting in the mirror. “Do you take this good of care of all your students?”
“No. Only you need special care.”
“What an honor.” Her sass breaks through my control, and before I can stop myself, impulse takes over, and I smack her ass cheek.
Her eyes widen into two incredulous orbs, and she smiles. I take a step back, running both hands through my hair. “Stop.”
“Sorry, you can’t keep your hands to yourself.”
She wears a satisfied look as she goes to her walk-in closet and comes out clad in silk shorts and a top that does nothing to tame my hunger. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she’s challenging me to see how far I’d take it.
That thought quickly vanishes because, for the first time, she doesn’t reach for her laptop but climbs straight into bed. That half moan, half grunt tells me a lot about her physical condition.
She just wanted to prove a point and consumed the last of her energy. Good, because she needs her sleep rather than watching her screen all the bloody time.
I need her to sleep soundly tonight. Going to my room, I open my nightstand. The thought of using the syringe with the tracking chip has been running through my head for a while. Even though it crosses a boundary, and I’ve tried to convince myself there is no need for it, I can’t go through that anguish again after Celine got shot and my sister was stabbed.
Bailey doesn’t have to know, and after we catch Felix, I’ll tell her so she can have the chip removed if she so wishes.
Grabbing a sleeping pill and pain medication, I palm the syringe and go back to Bailey’s room. She’s lying on her side, her palm resting on her pillow. For a second, the thought of me slipping under the covers is so potent that I forget why I am here.
“Bailey, take this.”
She mumbles something but takes both pills, washing them down with water. She trusts me implicitly because our group is guided by a fundamental principle: family. We trust each other because we know we’ll do whatever it takes for one another.
After placing the glass on her nightstand, I wait until her breathing evens. Pushing a few silky strands off the side of her face, I prick her neck with the needle. I wait for guilt or shame to eat at me, but there is nothing, just the realization I’ll cross every line for Bailey. I am in too deep.
Tucking her in, I lean over and place a gentle kiss on top of her nose. Her soft skin—a piece of heaven.
“Sleep well, kitten.”
I mumble, cursing under my breath until I reach the kitchen and gulp down two glasses of water. I doubt my thirst has anything to do with the need to hydrate. Gripping the edge of the kitchen table, I lower my head. “Fuck.”
“Talking to yourself?” Blake asks as he comes inside and pours himself a glass of water.
“Can’t sleep?”
We both know he can’t, but I don’t want anyone to witness me losing my shit.
“Har, har. If it gets too much, I can train Bailey.”
“You wouldn’t know when to stop.”
“And you do?” he asks me willfully.
No. Fuck. He has a point, but I can’t bring myself to admit that.
“You’re so wrapped up in my sister you wouldn’t even have time.”
“I would find some.”
He’s baiting you . The asshole loves that. It’s not enough that he’s with my twin; he has Bailey’s full loyalty. In my eyes, the only redeeming quality he has is that he loves Mia. Apparently, he lives for her, which is messed up in its own way, but whatever. As long as my sister is happy, I have no problem with him.
He cocks his head, a smug expression casting over his face. “You know what the thing with repression is?”
“I’m sure you can’t wait to tell me.”
“It’s going to blow up in your face. Bailey—”
“Don’t.”
He pins me with a serious expression. “You like her.”
“She’s family.”
“So, you see her as your sister?”
I shudder, and the asshole chuckles.
“It’s not like that.”
“Fucker, I had to physically restrain you when I told you she was on a date,” Kaden says, stepping into the room. These two are a headache on their own; together, you stand no fucking chance.
“I was worried.”
“Sure,” they say, looking at each other knowingly.
“Are you done pissing me off?” I huff, the long breath ringing of exasperation.
“We’re not the problem,” Kaden says smugly.
“You are,” Dane finishes, striding into the kitchen.
“Did your women throw you out of the room?” I ask, not finding any other logical explanation.
“I didn’t want to wake up Celine,” Kaden says matter-of-factly. It’s a wonder a vein hasn’t burst in his head from all the stress. That means he and Blake will engage in their nightly round of fighting.
Blake grins. “Mia needs her sleep.”
I grunt as the others chuckle. “Stop saying shit like that.”
“Stop imagining what I do with my woman. I know what could help. Go get some yourself and spare us all your cranky ass.”
“I don’t fucking know what you’re talking about.”
“This asshole is in full denial—worse than I was,” Blake mutters, clicking his tongue.
“I don’t even think you know what that fucking means,” I snap.
“I’ve always taken what I wanted,” Dane replies smugly.
“Are you insinuating something?”
“Stop playing dumb, Hunter,” Kaden cuts in.
“Nothing is going on. I don’t fucking know what your problem is, even if there were.”
“The fact that you’re saying ‘if there were’ is your problem,” Dane says, being an unapologetic troublemaker, clearly loving stirring shit up.
“It will hit him,” Kaden sighs. “It might take a while because, on top of being an idiot, he’s stubborn—but it will.”
Blake shakes his head at me. Friends, my ass.
Fed up with them, I head back to my room. But sleep doesn’t come easily. My mind’s a war zone, reflected in my twisted sheets as I toss and turn, trying to find oblivion. Thoughts of Bailey keep me awake, but I prefer she steals my sleep rather than all the other shit—the threat hanging over us, my life back at Preston boarding school.
Thoughts of her are a sweet torment. It’s just there, a part of my days and nights, a silent companion that I have gotten used to.
I am not in denial.
What denial?
There is no denial.
I don’t want Bailey. I knew that from the start. From the first moment we met, I pushed her away for that reason.
I can’t have her anyway. I did everything I could to prove my point, acting like a jerk to protect her from me. Someone as pure as her doesn’t deserve a wreck like me. But sure as fuck, no one like Eric does either.
I am not jealous—I’m livid. She deserves someone I doubt even exists. What are the chances of her finding her equal? Slim to none. But I’ll be damned if she ends up with someone unworthy of her.