Page 18 of Stalker
Before him, there was James. Sweet, proper James who treated me like I might break. Who apologized after every kiss, who needed three drinks before he'd touch me below the waist.
And Michael... stars, what a disaster that was. He'd freeze up if I so much as suggested anything beyond missionary position with the lights off.
But Bruticus... The way he looks at me makes my knees weak. No hesitation, no awkward fumbling. When he wants me, he shows it. When something pleases him, I know. His growls of approval, the way his hands tighten on my hips, how his eyes flash that deeper crimson...
The human men I dated kept everything locked away, like showing desire was somehow shameful. Their touches were tentative, uncertain. Their compliments came wrapped in layers of polite restraint.
Bruticus calls me his "little delicacy" in that rough voice that makes me shiver. He doesn't hide his hunger when he looks at me. Doesn't pretend he isn't thinking about having me against the nearest wall.
The memory of his hands on my skin, possessive and sure, makes heat pool in my belly. No second-guessing, no careful distance. Just pure, honest want.
Eve's right. I am living a romance novel. The dangerous, brooding stranger who saves the damsel in distress, then sweeps her off her feet. The kind of story I'd curl up with on a rainy night, pretending such things could happen in real life.
Except this is real. Bruticus is real. The heat of his touch, the intensity of his gaze, the way he makes me feel... it's all gloriously, terrifyingly real.
My hand shakes as I pull up the transit app. The thought of seeing him again makes my heart race. This is crazy. We met two days ago. Two days, and he's already under my skin, in my blood, consuming my every thought.
It can't last. These whirlwind romances never do. The passion burns too hot, too fast, leaving nothing but ashes. That's what my mother always said. "The hotter the flame, the quicker it dies."
But Bruticus... there's something different about him. Something in the way he looks at me, like I'm precious and wild all at once. The gentleness in his touch despite his fierce appearance. The vulnerability he showed when he woke from his nightmare.
The transit car arrives with a soft hum. I slide into the backseat, punching in my destination.
"Welcome, passenger. Estimated arrival time: twelve minutes."
Twelve minutes. My fingers drum against my thigh. Twelve minutes until I see those crimson eyes again. Until I feel his hands on my skin. Until I hear that deep voice call me his "little delicacy."
Maybe Mother was wrong. Maybe some flames don't burn out. Maybe they just grow stronger, hotter, better with each passing moment.
The car merges into the station's traffic flow. My reflection in the window shows flushed cheeks and bright eyes. I look... transformed. Alive in a way I've never been before.
Twelve minutes. I can hardly wait.
CHAPTER 7
BRUTICUS
The Admin building looms ahead, its gleaming steel and glass facade mocking my indecision. A week ago, I'd have stormed through those doors, blades drawn, consequences be damned.
"ID please." The security guard barely glances up from his holoscreen.
I flash my merchant credentials. "Just here to file some cargo manifests."
The lobby bustles with activity. Perfect cover. Daniels' office sits on the top floor - I memorized the layout months ago. My fingers twitch near the concealed blade at my hip.
"Sir? The manifest office is down that hall." The guard points left.
"Thanks."
I follow his direction, but duck into a maintenance corridor at the first opportunity. The service lift would give me direct access to the executive level. One swipe of my blade across Daniels' throat and my mother's death would be avenged.
But Maryse's smile flashes through my mind. The way she touched my face this morning, traced the bone spurs along my jaw without fear.
"Dammit." I punch the wall, leaving a dent in the metal.
The smart play is to wait. Watch. Learn Daniels' routine. Find leverage that doesn't end with me dead or in a cell. For the first time in years, I have something to lose.
The Crystal Lounge offers a perfect vantage point of the admin building's main entrance. Through its floor-to-ceiling windows, I can track everyone who enters or leaves. The leather booth I choose gives me an unobstructed view while keeping my back to the wall.