002

DANIKA

      "I can't do this," I breathe, hovering at the bottom of the stairs leading to Tyler's room. Dinner with the Harrisons is finally happening. And now, Ember, Tyler's mom has asked me to go and get him to come downstairs.

It should be pretty easy, right?

My eyes are obviously swollen from all the pathetic crying I'd done. And I feel uncomfortable in my dress. Still, it's the best dress I have. It hugs all of my curves, which had earned me the title 'fatty' in high school.

Screw this.

Taking a shaky breath, I head upstairs.

With every step I take, my heart threatens to explode right out of my chest. And finally, I get to my destination. Tyler's room.

I raise a hand to knock on the door, and that's when I hear it.

"Never. Why the heck would I be into her?"

I freeze.

"Figures. She's fat and naive. I bet you're just keeping her around because she's pitiful," a different male voice speaks up, and my stomach twists.

"She looks lonely all the time. I guess I was just doing her a favor. Besides, I'm more into hot chicks."

"Did you fuck her?"

I press a hand over my mouth to stop the whimper that threatens to escape.

"Fucking hell, no." Tyler hisses, and bile rises up my throat, my vision swimming with tears. I'd fantasized so many times about giving my virginity to him. I can't believe I'd been so naive.

Someone tsks behind me, and just as I am about to let out a startled cry, a large hand presses over my hand, which is clamped to my mouth.

Then I smell it.

The rich smell of dark chocolate.

I gasp in shock from how intense the scent is.

"Shhh, sweet thing," a deep voice curls against my ear, thick and velvety. The sound of it vibrates down my spine, settling low in my stomach.

I can feel the hardness of his muscles even through his clothes, and my eyes are literally bulging in their sockets.

"You're trembling," he murmurs, his voice so close it brushes the shell of my ear. "That little boy in there isn't worth a single tear you've wasted. And I don't like seeing what's mine crying for someone else."

"W-who are you?" I stutter breathlessly, my voice muffled.

"I'm going to let go of you now. But you can't scream, okay?" He whispers, and I nod frantically, almost intoxicated by his scent.

Slowly, he peels his hand from my mouth. I turn and nearly forget how to breathe.

Tyler is tall, but the man in front of me is practically a giant. A muscular, astonishingly gorgeous giant.

His raven shoulder-length hair is pulled up in a half bun, and his eyes...

Oh my God.

They are cobalt blue. But there are no golden rings surrounding his irises.

My heart pounds faster at the sight of them as I recall the spooky eyes of my stalker from last night.

Long dark eyelashes sweep over those stunning orbs, a pair of dimples popping out on his cheeks when he smiles.

Wow.

Dressed from head to toe in formal black clothes, I can see the tattoos peeking from his neck.

He smirks, placing a hand on the door right beside my head, and I nearly moan as his scent washes over me.

"Are you alright, sweetheart? You look dazed," he says, his brows furrowed slightly in what seems to be concern. My cheeks burn, and I struggle to get my words out.

"You're..."

"Kaziel," he responds, and I nearly choke on air.

Kaziel, as in...Tyler's stepbrother?! I'd seen him once before when I was seven. He'd been a rebellious teenager back then.

Tyler had told me his stepbrother was psychotic, and I'd believed it. Everyone in town knows him.

Now...he looks...different....

Supermodel different.

And as I stare at him, I can't help but wonder why he feels awfully familiar even though we'd only met once before.

"You've grown quite a lot, Danika."

I blink. He knows my name?!

"I..."

He reaches out to wipe the tears that had slipped down my cheeks earlier with the pad of his thumb. My breath catches in my throat as sparks shoot through my skin.

"He's not worth these precious tears, sweetheart. You don't have to worry about what he thinks. I think you're a stunner," he says, and just as I start to nod, the door jerks open behind me.

Kaziel pulls me out of harm's way and into his arms faster than I can blink.

Standing right there in the doorway is Tyler. He's frozen to the spot, his eyes darkening.

"Get your hands off her," he spits, and Kaziel snorts in amusement.

"Good to see you too, little brother." Kaziel drawls, and I stand there, my cheeks getting redder by the minute.

...

Dinner is more than just awkward. Tyler's mum had awkwardly introduced me to Kaziel, who'd nodded curtly, his intense gaze boring into my face. And now I am sandwiched between Tyler and his stepbrother.

Kaziel's knee brushes mine more times than I can count.

It's possibly accidental, but I am hyperaware of every contact his body makes with mine.

He's simply existing beside me, but I can't breathe. My body is alive. More alive than it's been in years.

I glance at him, watching him eat. Even the way he eats is strangely satisfying. He licks his lower lip, his gaze darting to mine, and I look away.

Is it me, or is this place hot?

When he's not looking at me, I glance at him again, my gaze resting on his perfect lips. I want him to kiss me.

Something is terribly wrong with me.

I don't just go around fantasizing about kissing any random person.

But the dreams I've been having lately have been messing with my head. Wet dreams with a man whose face I never see. But his touch is permanently tattooed at the back of my mind.

I shake my head to ward off the thought, and that's when Kaziel speaks.

"You've got something on your face, Danika."

I look up like a deer caught in headlights, the sound of his deep voice melting my insides.

"Huh? W-where?" I stutter.

He reaches over and grabs a napkin, leaning over to wipe something off the corner of my lips, his fingers brushing my lips.

"You're shaking, sweetheart. Breathe," he whispers low enough that only I can hear him, his beautiful eyes locked on mine.

"W-what are you doing?" I choke out, feeling self-conscious under his piercing gaze.

He smiles, his dimples popping out. "Admiring my property."

"W-what?"

He releases me, and I look away from him, my face burning.

What the heck is wrong with me?

"Danika, we need to talk," Tyler hisses, grabbing my wrist.

He pulls me to my feet before I can protest. Then he drags me out on the front porch.

"I'm only saying this because I care about you, Cakes. Stay the hell away from him," he says, and I stare at him, keeping my face blank.

Now he cares about me? Really? If he valued our 13 years of friendship, he wouldn't have hurt me the way he had.

Sure, he might not feel the same way about me. That is fine. But referring to me like I am a charity case...that hurt. A lot.

"Let go of me, Tyler. You're hurting me," I utter softly, staring at my wrist where his nails are digging in.

"You're not listening to me, Cakes. He's—"

"And you're not listening to her."

The velvety voice slides over us, and we both look up. Before Tyler can react, Kaziel already has him pinned on the wall.

His cobalt eyes have lost every trace of warmth. Now they are ice cold.

Tyler gasps, his face turning pale as Kaziel tightens his grip.

"Stop!" I squeak, anxiety gripping me.

For a second, I fear he might actually break Tyler in half right there. Instead, he releases him and reaches out to brush his fingers over the crescent imprints on my skin, slowly.

"Next time someone puts their hands on you," Kaziel murmurs, "it'll be the last thing they touch."

My throat goes dry. But his statement isn't what's freaking me out. It's the birthmark in between his thumb and index finger. The one that is shaped like a crescent.

I easily recognize it because it's the same one from my wet dreams. The same one I'd seen on the faceless man's hand.

I stumble away from him, terrified.

What the hell is he?