Page 29 of With This Mask
“Good,” he breathes, his eyes darkening with desire. “Now, let’s get out of here before I lose my fucking mind.”
“But you said?—”
“Meet me back at my apartment in twenty minutes. Play along,” he says darkly.
And suddenly, he shoves me back, giving me this smirk that takes me right back to where we were the first week of this semester. “In your dreams, charity.”
Fuck. That hurts. But I see it in his eyes, he hates the words coming out of his mouth.
So I throw a curse at him, a loud one for all those other idiots to hear. They snigger at us, but Alec walks back to them all casual swagger, one hand in his pocket. They murmur idiotic things, but I let it roll off me.
"Hey, are you okay?" Isabella asks as she walks up, her eyes filled with concern as she touches my arm. I force a smile, trying to contain the whirlwind of emotions threatening to burst out of me.
"Ugh. I’m fine," I say confidently. “Just Alec messing with me again. But I took care of him.”
“Good,” she says, eying Alec like he’s something slimy at the bottom of the garbage. Which makes me feel a tiny bit defensive over him. That is my man now. Right? “He was looking at you like he was going to eat you to the bones. Fuck, he’s intense.”
“Yeah, he is,” I agree, knowing my face is flushing. “Hey, I’m going to get some air. Might call it a night.”
“What?” she asks, suddenly panicked. “No!”
“Babe, it’s fine,” I assure her with a smile. “I’m all partied out. You have fun with the girls.”
“Fine,” she says, sticking her lower lip out in a pout. “See you on Monday.”
"Thanks," I mumble, making my way toward the exit, feeling one particular set of eyes watching me go.
Once outside, the cool night air does little to calm my racing heart. My mind races with questions and doubts - what am I doing? This isn't me. Agreeing to be Alec’s secret girlfriend. Him agreeing to keep it between us for my sake. Him confessing… everything he just did. Is this for real, and Alec really feels this way about me?
As I walk through the quiet streets, the anticipation builds inside of me. The possibility of being caught, the secret desire we share - it all makes my stomach twist and turn with a mixture of nerves and excitement. I can't help but wonder if this is what it feels like to truly come alive.
"Get a grip, Salem," I scold myself, trying to tamp down the overwhelming emotions threatening to take over. "You're not some lovesick teenager."
But as I approach Alec's apartment building, I can't help but feel like I've stumbled into a world completely foreign to me. A world where the wealthy and powerful play by their own rules, and where a girl like me might just find herself caught in the crossfire.
"Fuck it," I mutter, taking a deep breath as I enter the building. There's no turning back now.
chapter eleven
I approach Alec's upscale apartment building, my heart pounding like a jackhammer in my chest. I know everything is about to change, and I can't fucking believe it. The rich boy who used to piss me off daily has somehow become the one person I can't wait to see.
"Get a grip, Salem," I mutter to myself as I take a deep breath and press the buzzer for his apartment.
"Come up," Alec's voice crackles through the intercom, and I swear I can detect a hint of nervousness in his tone. That only makes my heart race faster.
How he beat me here is mind boggling. I left the party before him. He must have fucking ran.
I step into the elevator and ascend to the penthouse floor, feeling my legs turn to jelly. As I walk down the hallway, I try to steady my breathing. Alec… Alec just asked me to be his. His. Said so many wildly unbelievable words. Had the audacity to tell me that I’m taking up all the space in his head. Me.
I knock on the door, hand shaking slightly, and it flies open before I even have time to process it. Alec stands there, looking incredibly sexy and disheveled, his blond hair tousled and his eyes burning with intensity. He doesn't waste any time, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me into his apartment.
"Too long," he growls before pressing his lips against mine in a kiss that leaves me breathless. His hands roam my body hungrily, like he's been waiting for this moment for an eternity. I can't lie to myself any longer – I do crave Alec, not just for his body, but for something deeper that I never thought I could find with someone like him. I know I want him, for more than just the physical connection we share – but for the person underneath the wealth and family expectations.
"Wait," I gasp, breaking away from his lips for a second. "Alec, are you sure?—"
"I’m sure," he cuts me off, his voice rough and desperate.
The heat of Alec's body presses against mine, his lips devouring me in a way that leaves no room for doubt. His hands roam over my curves, each touch igniting a desire I've never known before. The feel of him, the intensity of this moment, overwhelms my senses.