Chapter 2

I could hear my own heartbeat, hammering beneath my skin as I waited.

Nothing.

I pressed the doorbell again, harder this time, holding it down a second longer than necessary. Then waited… still, I was met with the rhythmic chirping of bugs.

“Seriously?” I muttered under my breath.

I wasn't going to just give up.

I punched the doorbell. Again and again and again until-

The door swung open so fast, I jerked back.

Caleb stood, covering the entire doorframe, his lips curled up in that same scowl that always succeeded in making my skin boil.

My fingers tightened around my arm as I tilted my chin upward.

“What else in my building did you tamper with?”

His brows drew together slightly. If he kept this up, he'd end up with wrinkles by the time he was forty.

“What?” He asked slowly.

I scoffed, then shoved my hand into my pocket, my jacket slipping off my shoulder.

His gaze flickered, then darkened, but just as quickly as it came, it disappeared.

I shoved the thought aside.

“My phone?” I said, moving it close enough so he could see his vile message. “How the hell did you get my number?”

He blinked.

Like he was contemplating if I was serious. That pissed me off even more.

I stepped closer and immediately regretted it. Clean with an undertone of something woodsy.

Great. One more thing to be addicted to.

Focus, Daisy.

“That's an invasion of my privacy.” I said.

His brow cocked, if he wasn't an ice wall of emotions, I’d call that amusement

“Every owner’s details are on the neighborhood page,” he said flatly. “And according to privacy legislation, you watching me through my window is an infringement of my rights.”

I blinked. Once. Twice.

My laughter spilled out of me before I could stop it, earning a flat stare from Caleb.

“I'm sorry-” I said between breaths. “But did you just state the law to me like an encyclopedia?”

His brows furrowed, like he was genuinely confused… or irritated.

“An encyclopedia doesn’t contain legal statutes.”

I shook my head, trying to compose myself. “Are you always this…?” I waved a hand vaguely. “Or is this a special occasion?”

His posture straightened instantly, his jaw ticked.

Ah.

Definitely a touchy subject.

“You need to leave.”

Yikes.

“Noted,” I muttered under my breath.

But before I could say anything else, his back was already to me.

The door slowly drifted shut.

I should have left. God knows I should have. But there was something about the way he'd ended the conversation. Dismissed it even. Like his words were what mattered. Well, maybe that was what he was used to.

Unfortunately for him, I was never big on listening.

I shoved my foot into the gap before the door could shut completely then pushed… hard.

I stumbled right into his apartment and the moment I crossed the threshold, my body went rigid. The smell was the first thing to hit me. The thick scent of copper hung low in the air now that I was inside. My stomach turned.

Caleb's gaze had snapped back… to me, a mixture of pure fury and something darker creeping into his godly features making him look more like the devil.

But even that wasn't what held me frozen.

It was because of what was right in front of me.

Blood.

On his couch, kitchen counter, trailing across the floor… straight to the man sprawled over a stool.

My breath caught.

He was injured… badly.

I could see that by the deep gash cut across his chest, barely stitched up.

But his eyes… they didn’t dim with pain, they glimmered. His lips curled up into a smirk.

I would have questioned the stranger's sanity, if it wasn't for the bile crawling up my throat. I turned to the side, heaving.

Someone cursed. Someone chuckled.

I wasn't too sure. My ears were ringing loudly.

I needed to do something. The cops. That was the right move… right?

“Your girl's ‘bout to empty her guts,”

A voice said with a light chuckle, thick accent.

Footsteps faded in and out of my head. Then a hand clamped down on my shoulder, yanking my upright with enough force to make my head spin.

I was now face to face with a very angry Caleb.

“I-” the words were stuck but I pushed forward either way. “He's- he's bleeding.”

His jaw ticked. “I can see that.”

Right.

“We need to call for help.”

“I appreciate your concern, little lady,” the stranger interjected before wincing.

“Shut up.” Caleb gritted tightly.

My head snapped to him. Blinking. I couldn't tell if he was serious or if it was the delirium of blood loss talking.

“But that won't be necessary. What I would appreciate, however, is the pleasure in knowing your name.”

Definitely delirium.

This wasn't happening.

Not to me.

Why me?

The walls seemed to close in quicker than I could react. My lungs forgot for some reason, weren't passing air fast enough. My vision darkened.

The last thing I heard before skipping into the darkness was Caleb's voice.

“You've got to be kidding me.”