Page 12 of Wicked Games

I blink at him a few times as his words register. “The library stacks?”

“In the main library, next to the old microfilm archives.”

“Microfilm?”

“In the basement. Do I need to draw you a map?”

“Watch it.” I push him harder against the wall and press my body against his, using my bulk to grind him against the drywall.

Hot breaths fan over my cheek as his chest rises and falls against mine.

My earlier rage is gone, replaced by something equally dark and wild. Something I’m not sure I want to let out.

I’m so aware of Felix that it’s like we’re caught in some sort of feedback loop. The weirdly intoxicating scent of chlorine and cinnamon is strong now, with just a hint of citrus, and a strange tingling sensation dances over my skin as his body heat seeps into me.

The corners of Felix’s lips curl up in a smile.

My eyes fall to his mouth without my permission and I can’t look away as he drags his teeth over his bottom lip in a move that’s far more fascinating than it should be.

The sharppingof my phone breaks through my daze. I instinctively let go and jerk away from him.

Felix watches me, his expression settling back into his usual mask of indifference. When I’m a half dozen paces away, he pushes off the wall and casually walks over to his bed. I can only stare as he picks up the paperback on his bedside table as he climbs onto the mattress and settles against his pillows.

He shoots me a quick look, a hint of a smile on his lips. “Good talk.”

Before I can react or respond, he opens his book and fixes his attention on it to dismiss me.

That finally breaks the spell I apparently fell under, and I march into the bathroom without a second look at my stepbrother. When the door closes behind me, I lean against the sink and pull in a few deep breaths. They do nothing to alleviate the turmoil crashing around inside me.

Looking up at the mirror, I stare blankly at my reflection and replay the last few minutes in my head. Seeing Felix give in and fight back should have been a win. It wasn’t supposed to excite me, and it sure as hell wasn’t supposed to make me want more.

But then again, I wasn’t the only one who was excited—or the only one who liked it.

Felix might have won this round, but he has no idea who he’s fucking with. Or how far I’m willing to go to make sure I come out on top.

4

FELIX

Getting into my ready stance,I dive into the dark depths of the Hamilton House swimming pool.

The cool water envelops me like a familiar blanket, soothing my heated skin as I cut through it in a smooth glide. I stay under for as long as I can, propelling myself forward with powerful dolphin kicks until my lungs are burning and my mind is screaming at me to breathe.

I hold out for a few more seconds, pushing through the pain and confusion until I’m forced to surface or risk passing out.

As soon as my head is clear of the water, I gulp in a few breaths and transition into the butterfly stroke to finish my lap.

Swimming is one of the only times I feel completely in control of myself and my life. I decide if I’m going to dive or surface. I get to choose whether I want to have a leisurely swim or play chicken with my instincts and push the limits of my mortality. It’s the one place where no one can hurt me and the only time I feel truly free.

At least, that’s how it usually is. Tonight is different, and it’s all because of my damn stepbrother.

Living with Killian is worse than I could have ever imagined, and it’s not for any of the reasons I anticipated.

Even though we’ve known each other since we were ten and have been stepbrothers for the past six years, we haven’t spent all that much time together.

Our parents shipped us off to the same boarding school as soon as the ink dried on their marriage license, but with Killian being a year older than me, we lived in different dorms, had different classes, and didn’t really see each other unless it was in passing. He, the twins, and the rest of their cronies still fucked with me whenever they had a chance, but it wasn’t a constant thing since we’d had an entire campus separating us.

I enjoyed more of that same relative peace here at Silvercrest last year, but now that we live in the same room, it’s getting harder and harder to avoid him.

---