Page 31 of Smoke the Enemy

Eventually, I get into a rhythm, and the load on my cart has decreased. The feeling of my fingers brushing over book covers is almost therapeutic, and the constant matching of numbers on the correct shelves keeps my thoughts from wandering. When my phone vibrates an hour later, the sound startles me out of my zone. Without thinking, I open my texts.

Steffan: What is it about you, me, and libraries?

My gaze shoots up, my heart beating erratically in my chest. I step out of the row of stacks and glance around, listening for his footsteps. He isn’t anywhere. I glance at my phone again and see the three little dots bouncing.

Steffan: Behind you.

My eyes widen, but I’m too slow to move. Steffan’s hands land on my waist, and I’m turned in his hold. My adrenaline spikes, my eyes blur, and I’m breathing heavily. He looks good. His smell engulfs me, and I hate that his touch makes my knees weak. My hands land on his shoulders, to push him away or pull him closer, I don’t know. My head tells me to run, but my body wants to wrap itself around him. They’re at war with each other, and my traitorous heart just beats madly in my chest, mocking them both.

“Don’t–” I start to say, but my words die when his lips land on my neck. My hands fist the material of his shirt, and a small moan escapes my lips. “Steffan.”

His eyes jump to mine, “I love that you know who I am.”

I roll my eyes, “Oh, now you believe me?”

“I’ve never not believed you, but it seemed too good to be true. I’m used to people getting close to me and my brother for the wrong reasons,” he explains. His eyes soften, but his grip on my waist becomes tighter. The material on my jeans is going to leave marks on my skin.

“I’m not trying to get close to you,” I tell him, my lips pursed, “I’m trying to stay away from you. Both of you.”

“I know you’re mad.” He angles his head, bringing his body into mine, “I want to tell you everything, but we need to fix things with Alex first.”

I huff, “So you want me to just wait at your beck and call? You haven’t talked to me in over a month. At least Soren came to see me.”

“My brother has never had much self-control, but even he can’t speak to you. Right now I’m breaking every rule we have, searching you out, touching you, wanting you like I do.” Steffan’s eyes burn blue, the heat scorching my skin until I feel flushed.

Soren must not have told his brother he came over last night. We didn’t do anything wrong, though. It was completely innocent. He didn’t even kiss me. “I don’t know what that means. Why can’t you talk to me? Will you die for touching me?” It’s spoken in sarcasm, but Steffan’s face shows no sign of humor.

“If he found out, yes.” Steffan brings his face down to mine, “The fact that you don’t already know this means he hasn’t really made you his. We’re close to breaking his hold on you. Wait for me.” Alex doesn’t have any hold on me. Why can’t the brothers understand that?

I shake my head not understanding a word he is saying. My thoughts drift back to the night I ran, feeling like my world was ending. I remember when we were still dating back in high school, he gave me a stuffed bear wearing a blue tie, but I don’t know what it means. “Alex brought up the tie again.” Steffan’s nostrils flare, but nobody is giving me direct answers. It’s all riddles.

“He can keep bringing it up all he wants. You’re mine,” he tells me. “I’ve already claimed you another way.” He presses his erection into me.

“How do I know you aren’t the real danger?” I ask him coyly.

Steffan smirks, “Oh, I am dangerous, sweetheart, but not to you.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better, Steffan.” I push against him, but his solid body doesn’t budge. He’s stronger than I am. I try to step around him, but his hands lock down, tighter. “How do I know I can trust you? You say you’re dangerous, but not to me. What does that even mean? And what about Soren? Where is he and why was he in my hometown on Christmas, but then disappeared? It’s too much.”

Steffan’s hands move to cradle my face and I bite my lip, willing myself to be strong and hold my own against him.Get answers.“Soren has his own ways of checking in on you.”

Don’t I know it.I blush, thinking about him hacking into my computer’s camera.

“Any more murders?” My eyes flash, and I can tell Steffan almost feels sorry for what he’s going to tell me.

“The university counselor is dead,” he tells me. “The campus hasn’t released any information yet.”

“Oh my God, students will be back next week,” I remind him, and he nods.

“There’s an assembly scheduled,” he assures me, like that will make it better.

“I can’t do this again,” I manage to choke out the words. It might have been a mistake to come back here.Hell, I’m not safe anywhere though.

Steffan’s eyes flare. I barely manage to finish my thought before he uses his lips to attack mine, instead of using his words. My body bends to his will. My arms wrap around his waist keeping him close, while he manages to slip his tongue past my lips, to duel in time with my own.

All thoughts leave my body with his touch. A part of me hates it. I’m so weak for him, but another part of me cherishes his touch. He is able to clear my head of all the fear, stress, and anxiety-ridden thoughts. So I let him chase it all away with the touch of his lips.

He kisses me like he’s desperate, dragging my lip in between his teeth, his hands fisting in my hair, and our chests heave against one another. The small space of the stacks becomes hot, and sweat eventually builds on our skin. Steffan trails hot, open-mouth kisses over my jaw and down my neck. My hands fist into his hair, gripping, as he moves his way down my body. His hands wrap around the bottom of my sweatshirt before he lifts the material away from my body and over my head. I gasp slightly at the sudden air on my breasts as he pulls the cups of my bra down. Steffan’s eyes rise to mine, and lust is heavy in his gaze. “You are so fucking beautiful.”

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