Page 9 of King of Hollywood

It would be so easy to crush him. To twist his neck. To be done with him entirely.

I don’t want that.

“Gosh,” Felix said, his voice low and rough, breath brushing my palm.

Gosh, indeed.

His pupils had expanded. His cheeks were flushed. I could feel his gaze heavy as a caress. I could feel the way he was looking at me, like he wasn’t quite sure what to make of me. Like he didn’t understand, but he wanted to.

Felix’s eyes said, please.

They said, I’m scared.

They said, touch me.

I cleared my throat, released his face, and took a half-step back. If I’d been slightly less affected, maybe I would’ve realized Felix still hadn’t breathed. Not once. But…I was—affected, I mean. Unfairly so. Irritated with myself, I ignored him entirely, and focused on the hallway behind us.

“Where do you need me?” I kept my tone curt, so as not to invite questions.

“In the bedroom,” his voice was low and scratchy.

In the—

“Excuse me?” I stared at the tiny little gremlin man, and his completely inappropriate suggestion. Felix stared back—equally…confused?

Huh.

Oh.

Had he not meant?—Oh.

I watched in real time as what he’d said finally dawned on him. Immediately, he stumbled back a step, his arms waving frantically.

“No, no. I didn’t mean like that. I mean—not that I wouldn’t, because…look at you. I just meant—well.” He sucked in a panicked breath. “That the—I mean. I…the guy…the one—”

“Breathe, Finley.”

Felix sucked in a breath gratefully, like he actually had forgotten until I’d reminded him. “I just…I mean, I killed him—by accident—in the bedroom.” Felix blinked, voice quaking. “Don’t look at me like that. It wasn’t what you think—I mean—it’s hard to explain.” Felix said the word “killed”, like he expected to get his mouth washed out with soap afterward. I couldn’t help but feel charmed—maybe a little.

Especially because he looked so miserable.

I kind of wanted to push—to see how easy it would be to break him—but that would be rude.

“Show me to your room. You can explain as we walk.”

How had someone so small and soft killed someone?

It didn’t make sense.

I supposed I was about to find out.

Chapter three

Felix Finley was a silk-patterned-pajama-wearing enigma, that was for sure.

He made me feel giddy in a way very few things in my life ever had. Maybe it was the fact he was a murderer—right across the street from me!—or maybe it was his smile. Either way, my good mood had followed me all day.

Even now, as I watched him like a hawk, I couldn’t turn off the buzz of excitement that vibrated beneath my skin.