Page 78 of Make Me Lie (Rich Demons of Darkwood 1)

But such was life. I took a shower, then pulled on a pair of black leggings and a slouchy gray cashmere sweater. The expensive cashmere sweater had definitely come from the guys’ attempt to make sure I wouldn't embarrass them.

The leggings were my own. I deserved to wear leggings today. Something about my life should be comfortable.

When I headed out into the hallway, Paxton was just coming out of his room. His joggers hung low on his hips and he wore a sleeveless t-shirt that highlighted all the tattoos across his powerful arms.

For a second, our gazes met. Something hung, charged, between us. He was just standing there with his hand on the doorknob of his room, but he looked at me as if he wanted to devour me. His face was always handsome and magnetic, but at the moment his eyes smoldered as if he’d come to life when he saw me. Some crazy part of me wanted to forget Stellan, kiss Pax, walk him backward into my room and see if I could have a happier post-orgasm glow this time around.

“Good morning, pretty girl.” His voice was pure sex.

Well, I liked that a whole lot better than littledevil.

“I was just heading to the basement for my morning workout before breakfast. Want to come? You look like you could really use the chance to try to beat someone's face in.”

Ha, he wasn’t wrong. After a night with Stellan, it was hard not to wake up and choose violence. “I'm not looking to get hurt, Pax.”

A wounded look came over his handsome features. “I'd never hurt you.”

Lies. Those were absolute lies.

“Come on,” Pax said. “Give me half an hour before breakfast. If I bore you, you can go find Remy.”

It would be smart to walk away from Pax. It would also be boring.

Then he held his hand out to me.

And even knowing better, I reached out and took it. His strong, warm fingers clasped mine, and the two of us walked down the hall to a wooden panel that slid aside, revealing an elevator.

“Are you kidding me?” I demanded. “There’s always been an elevator and Cain dragged me down all those dark stairs?”

“Cain is an ass,” he said, “and the elevator is for people we trust.”

I stared at him, but the elevator doors dinged open and he stepped into it as if he hadn’t just dropped an emotional bomb in my lap.

Pax and I rode down the elevator. I shivered when the doors dinged open on the balmy warmth of the pool room, but he headed to the side, to another hall off the pool room where there was a weights room and a small dojo space.

The moment I stepped into the room with the ring, I knew I’d made a mistake. I didn't want to be on the receiving end of his brutal fists.

“Don’t be scared of me,” he said.

“Shouldn’t I be?”

“Should I be scared of you?” The little smile playing around the corners of Pax’s mouth was sexy as hell. “You’ve got some moves, don’t you? Where’d you learn them?”

“My father made me learn quite a bit.”

“So did you find learning to fight empowering?”

“No,” I said honestly. “For a while, I’d wanted to make him happy, and I guess maybe when I was really little and trying to convince myself I was safe, it made me feel good. But as time went on, it felt like he always wanted me to be more aggressive, more mean. I never wanted to hurt anyone. But sometimes when I don't have a choice, I'm glad I have the skills.”

He frowned, and I wasn't sure which part of what I'd said he disagreed with. “Did you have a choice the other day? When you came into the house all blood-splattered?”

My stomach dropped. I knew the guys would find out; they always seemed to know everything, but I still hated it. “Nope.”

“Then I’m glad you had the skills.” He climbed over the rope that led around the ring, looking sexy as he did so, then gestured to me. “Come on. Let’s just play.”

Reluctantly, I took my place across from him. The two of us circled each other. He lashed out first, incredibly fast, and I dropped low, ducking his blow and kicking out a leg. He jumped over my leg adeptly.

The two of us circled each other, trading blows but evading more strikes than landing. He crashed into me, bringing us both against the ropes. His arms wrapped around my waist, the hard planes of his chest against my breasts, and suddenly everything between us felt different—not a fight but a dance. His gaze was on my lips, and I couldn’t help staring at his lips, which looked soft above that hard jaw.

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