Alpha’s Hybrid Cinderella
Chapter 16

He didn't move away. I leaned closer and closer until the scent of him hit me, the faintest wisps of tobacco mixed in with stronger mint. Did he smoke? I'd never noticed. Or maybe he had been around someone who smoked earlier today, and the acrid tang had

clung to him until now.

It didn't matter. It was him. I was so close that now I knew the scent of him, and I didn't care why or how.

Don't reject me, I thought, but the words remained in my head, failing to find my tongue. It didn't matter. I had come this far. I couldn't stop now.

The scratch of his day's-end stubble brushed against my fingertips. When had I moved my hand? And why couldn't I stop it? But I didn't want to. His breath caught when I skimmed my nails over the slight scruff, and my heart soared like someone had taken it out of my chest and tossed it high into the air.

(Shouldn't...) a distant thought in his voice murmured. I shouldn't.

Maybe. But it didn't matter. Shouldn't didn't mean anything anymore. I closed the remaining distance between us and pressed my lips to his. He was so warm. So strong. I was doing something I'd never thought I would dare to, but I had never felt safer than I did now. I wanted this. I wanted him to want this. Wasn't that all that mattered?

I would have been content with this much, feeling him against me and knowing he wasn't pushing me away, but I gasped into his mouth when he parted my lips with his and his tongue brushed along mine.

But he didn't deepen the kiss. He took my face in his hands and turned it so he could kiss my cheek instead, running his lips along the curve down to my jaw, then to my neck. I leaned my head away, inviting him to do as he wished, and he raked his fingers through my hair several times as he tasted the softness of my skin with gentle flicks of his tongue.

I wanted to call his name, tell him how good this felt. But instead, only a small, wordless hum made it out of me, too disoriented by how incredible his lips felt on my skin. The drunkenness earlier had given me stupid courage and nerves of steel as well as a blustering happiness at nothing at all, but this was different. I was in the moment, completely. And I was happier than I had ever been in my life.

His lips trailed back up my face to rest on my forehead, and he pressed another gentle kiss there. So good, so amazing. Like being touched by warmth itself, solid and true.

And then he let me go. But he didn't pull away completely, only enough so we could look at each other.

(This will never happen.)

What? Why was he thinking that? He had been so gentle a second ago, so tenderly affectionate. Didn't he want this as much as I did?

(I'll never have this. From the moment I first saw you... never. They took everyone I loved from me. They killed my family. I have to make it right... I have to choose revenge. And I'll find every single one of them if it's the last thing I do. No matter what it takes.) He didn't move away. I leaned closer and closer until the scent of him hit me, the faintest wisps of tobacco mixed in with stronger mint. Did he smoke? I'd never noticed. Or maybe he had been around someone who smoked earlier today, and the acrid tang had clung to him until now.

Killed? Revenge? What was it he was remembering?

(Every day of my life is going to be nothing but blood and violence. That's all I can ever have. That's all I'll ever be given... I don't want you to get hurt.)

Look at me, Evan, I wanted to say. You can have me.

I was already in his hands. He didn't need anyone to give him something he already had.

He'd taken me from Dark Moon, freed me from the ugliness I would have never escaped no matter how I dreamed of freeing myself. He had given me a life, a real one, taken me from s*****y and replaced it with comfort and privileges I'd never dreamed of. I wanted to do that too, for him. I wanted to take away that crushing darkness and pain choking his thoughts, wanted to put him where it was only bright and beautiful and soft. But what could I say that would break through to him?

He pressed his forehead to mine in silence. "We should go back." Wait-

He got out of the car and came around to my side. The door opened, and his arms were gathering me against him in the next moment. So warm. So strong. I wanted him to this way with me always... wanted to fall asleep to his touch. I rested my head against his shoulder as he carried me into the manor, half-dreaming.

***

I woke up in my room and promptly regretted opening my eyes. The thirst that had awoken me was nowhere near as agonizing as the headache, and I groped around blindly before noticing the glass of water and small white tablet laid out on a tray on my nightstand. I took it without thinking, trusting the intention behind them.

Well, that was that. I will never drink again.

At least it was silent in my bedroom so I could pull myself together after a moment. Or rather, so I could think back on last night... and Evan.

He had said something about his family being killed. It must have happened long ago - the flashes of memories had been unclear, but he had been a child. Was that the incident that had happened nine years ago, when he was a child? It was the reason he had sought me out, had to be. Something about revenge... and there had been dull, dark fear. The fear of hurting me.

He wouldn't. He had given me everything I could ever want. He had been cold at times, yes, and I'd been so mistrustful in the beginning. But there were far more many times he had come to my rescue when I least expected it.

He would never hurt me. That darkness inside him, that fury and hatred layered with pain and sadness so thick I couldn't breathe - we could find a way past it if he would only try.

Didn't he want to? He had kissed me. Not once, not twice, but for long, tender moments as he held me in his hands.

Surely that meant something to him. Surely he wouldn't throw it away after just that once...

I came out of my room after washing up once I felt vaguely human again. The sickening fuzz in the back of my throat lingered, and the only thing I could think of to get rid of it was an early morning run. I had classes later, and I wasn't about to let a hangover do me in when it had been my own fault.

When I spotted Evan sitting in the large den on the way to the front door, I stopped short in the arching doorway. He must have known I was coming. He was already watching me from the first instant while I did a double take, surprised. He was here for once? He had been gone so often every morning that I'd expected him to be absent again.

But saying 'I didn't expect to see you here' felt almost like a travesty after the events of last night. Something so flippant and meaningless - I could do better. I should do better.

But awkwardness leadened my tongue as I fumbled for words. Evan spoke first.

"Good morning. Did you take the painkiller?"

"Oh that was you." My face flushed, but I took it in stride as I nodded. Maybe he wouldn't notice.

But before he could say anything else, someone joined us, standing in the doorway next to me. I recognized her as one of the higher seniority maids, a trusted housekeeper.

"Good morning," she greeted with a kindly smile to both of us. "I regret to bother you so early, but you have a visitor this morning, Alpha Evan."

"Who is it."

"Miss Flicka is here to see you, sir."

He nodded. "Give me a minute and then let her in."

Wait. Flicka?

... It had be someone else, not the Flicka I was thinking of. But there was no room for further conversation when Evan rose from his armchair and headed our way, intent on receiving his visitor. It wasn't my business. I couldn't b**t my head in and ask like it was. The only thing I could do was head out as I'd been about to do a moment ago. I headed for the front doors, thoughts racing.

It hadn't occurred to me that I'd run right into the visitor. Of course, since they were waiting to be received. I was even more disoriented than I'd thought.

And worse, it was indeed the same Flicka who had taken up tormenting me.

She scowled as she entered the manor, taking advantage of the open door to make herself at home. Why was she here? What did she want to see Evan for?

My stomach churned as I recalled the fierce envy and bitterness in her taunts. She had feelings for Evan. She didn't want me near him.

So why was Evan seeing her?

Had he invited her over?