Page 22 of Blood Sport

“You’re probably right,” Jaylen says, his voice just above a whisper. “But I also don’t give a fuck if he catches us.”

My breath hitches in my throat as I take a step back, now flush with the door. Jaylen surprises me by lifting both of his arms to rest his hands on either side of my head on the door, caging me between his thick arms. Being this close to him, breathing in his intoxicating scent as he stares down at me, has my mind spinning. I want to reach up and run my finger over the cool metal in his lip or brush my fingers through his messy hair, tugging gently on the roots. I want to touch every inch of his body and have him explore my own, but I know I can’t, even if I want it so fucking badly.

I don’t know what switch was flipped between us that took our friendship from friendly hellos to I want you, but it’s driving me insane. I’m on a rollercoaster I can’t seem to get off.

“We can’t,” I breathe, his lips inches away as he leans in. His breath is minty with a hint of whiskey, a scent I wouldn’t think would work so well together but is now one of my favorites. “You need to step back.”

“I know you want to, little angel,” he says, his lips barely brushing mine. Flecks of red reflect in his irises, making me gulp. “I know you want me.”

“I-I,” I stammer, unable to form words. My mind is blank with nothing but the image of his eyes boring into mine, holding me hostage where I stand.

“Just admit it,” Jaylen presses. “Your body is giving you away.”

My thighs clench together on their own accord as my core tingles, and before I can utter a response, a cheeky grin covers his lips and he steps back, his arms dropping to his sides, allowing me to breathe in some fresh air. I’m all but spluttering for air as Jaylen leans against the wall across from me and smiles, knowing exactly what he’s doing.

He’s playing with me.

I should’ve fucking known.

“Was that really necessary?” I huff, folding my arms over my chest. “You’re an asshole.”

Jaylen shrugs. “I like watching you squirm and listening to the way the rhythm of your heartbeat changes when I’m near. Your scent is fucking delectable, too.”

My cheeks burn at his words. I forgot about his heightened senses and the fact that he could read me like a book because of it. He may not be able to read my mind, but he can sure as hell read my body. I’m not sure which one is worse for me. Maybe it’s good that he can’t hear the thoughts I have about him. I’m glad no one can hear them.

“Miles could’ve walked down the hallway and caught us,” I point out, and on cue, the three men in the living room laugh at whatever they’re watching on TV.

Jaylen chuckles dryly, shaking his head. “I think he’s a little too preoccupied to realize that we’re both missing.”

He’s right, but it doesn’t make the fact that Miles could’ve caught us any less real. I know he’s only teasing me—at least, I think he is—but had Miles walked down the hallway and caught me pressed against the bathroom door with Jaylen inches away from my lips, we would’ve both been fucked, and he knows that.

My lips still tingle from the feel of Jaylen’s breath fanning across them, and I can slightly taste mint and whiskey on my tongue.

“Besides, you have nothing to worry about,” Jaylen says at my silence. “I would’ve heard him coming, just like I heard your heart racing when you arrived earlier.”

I exhale slowly, knowing he’s right, once again. Despite this, I wish Jaylen had not stopped. I wish he had pressed his lips to mine, allowing me to fully taste the mint and whiskey lingering on them, or admit out loud that, yes, I do want him. More than he could possibly know.

But that didn’t happen, and I don’t know whether to be grateful or disappointed.

Jaylen Black is a danger to me and my heart. Not because he’s a vampire that feeds on human blood to survive, but because I know he’s capable of breaking my heart if I were to give it to him, and that fucking terrifies me.

“What are we doing, Jaylen?” I finally ask, my heart pounding in my chest. I know he can hear it, but I don’t care. The question needed to be asked while I still have the nerve.

He cocks his head to the side, dragging his tongue over his bottom lip. “You tell me, Ev.”

Before I can respond, footsteps pounding on the carpet in the living room, approaching us, brings me back to reality. Miles steps into the hallway, his eyes flicking between me and Jaylen as we stand opposite each other in the partially lit hallway. I wrap my arms around my waist and attempt to slow my breathing.

“What are you two doing?” Miles asks, approaching us slowly. I catch the suspicious look in his eyes.

“Nothing,” I answer, pushing off the bathroom door. “I ran into Jaylen on my way out of the bathroom.”

Miles’s eyes flick to Jaylen who looks indifferent as he watches us, his eyes giving away nothing about what just happened. But I can sense that Miles doesn’t believe that we innocently ran into each other. He can smell that something is going on, which isn’t good.

“Okay,” he says slowly, his eyes landing on me. “Come on, Ev. We’re about to start the second movie. Preston wants to watch a comedy after the crazy movie you chose. I still can’t believe what happened at the end. I was not expecting that.”

I roll my eyes as I follow Miles down the hallway. When I reach the end, something in me makes my feet stop in my tracks, forcing me to look back at Jaylen. My heart lodges in my throat when I see his eyes glowing red in the darkness of the hallway, watching me carefully.

If there is one thing I learned about vampires through my research, it’s the meaning behind their eyes turning red. It can be one of two things—anger or lust. And as Jaylen stares at me, his gaze intense, it’s obvious it’s the latter, and that has my skin prickling with excitement and fear.

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