He was drunk, and he slurred his words as he spoke. He fell down on the bed, as if ready to sleep. A moment later, he sat back up. I was still seated at his feet. It was strangely a good feeling. Peaceful, even. I looked up at him, and as he looked down at my kneeling form, a wave of emotion washed over

1. me.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

He smirked, “What? You think I’m too drunk, flower? You need to take care of me?

I shook my head.

“You love taking care of other men, don’t you?”

“What?” My voice was a whisper as the word fell off my tongue. His gaze remained steady on me, even as he drunkenly leaned on his own palms for Support.

“All the fucking men in your life, Flora.” He said, his voice filled with venom. The spite in his tone wounded me. “You care about everyone. Your Dad, That boy you hang out with. Liam.” His lips twisted at the last name, as if saying his name physically hurt him.

“What do you mean?” I said softly. I gingerly touched his knee, keeping my hand on it. He snapped it away from himself, recolling at my touch.

Felix suddenly stood up, and I stood up with him. As he began pacing forward, I followed him. He turned around and looked at me. He stared at me intensely, like I had wronged him somehow. Like he was angry at me. “Sit down.” It was a quiet order, but I was quick to obey. I sat down on the bed, looking to him.

He took small, slow steps toward me. My heart was beating so fast inside my chest, I felt like it would jump out. In the silence of the room, the tick of the clock and the sound of the wind barely audible, I could hear my heart thumping inside me. And I could hear him breathing deeply as he neared.

Felix stood close to me, and I swallowed a breath. I looked up at him, our eyes meeting in a storm of emotions. I don’t know what I looked like to him. His face as pained, a smothered rage sparkled in his eyes. Felix’s hands fisted in my hair, as he pulled my face forward. I cried out.

“Did you fuck him?” He asked. His grip tightened as he said the words, and my eyes watered at the dull pain.

He twisted his fingers, pulling till I was standing up. Our faces were so close, his breath was hot on my face. It smelled lightly of whiskey, and of mint. “Don’t you fucking say his name.”

When I stayed silent, it angered him even more. It was like rage was enveloping him. He took a shaky breath, his hand slowly, torturously moving down my arm, inch by inch, setting every inch of skin he touched on fire. His hand encircled my wrist. “Tell me,” he stressed, “Did you fuck him? You spread your legs for him, Flora?“

How could he think that? I felt a sourness in the back of my throat I couldn’t quite shake away. Frustration, or maybe anger coiled in my chest. And disgust. Toward myself, more than him. He was drunk and angry, sure, but how could he make this accusation? Did he think so less of me?

“Of course not,” I hissed, anger flaring alongside a flicker of hurt. “Why would you even ask that?”

His grip tightened on my wrist, his eyes inches from mine, searching, desperate. “Because I saw you two together. At the gates. In the kitchen. Laughing. You cooked for him?” he gritted his teeth, “It makes me crazy fucking mad, Flora.”

His words, raw and honest,

Felix let out a guttural Teugh that ha

open a fresh wound in my own heart. “He’s my friend.” I answered softly.

no tinge of

of humour. “You treat all your friends that way? You like them all so much?

I did like Liam. I liked when Liam would make me laugh, loved the case of our conversations, the comfort of his presence. But it wasn’t the same as what I felt for Felix, a storm of emotions that both terrified and intoxicated me. Nothing I could ever feel for any one could even come close.

We are just friends,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “Just like you and I used to be” I could hardly bring myself to say it, the last few words fell out of my mouth like gibberish, but he heard it, he understood it. The past lingered always around us like bad perfume. Unwanted. But so heady.

Don’t play me for a fool, Hora. I see the way he looks you, that look in his eyes. He wants you

He snorted, a humorless sound. “Friends? With Liam? D to spread your legs for him, that’s all.”

His words, laced with jealousy and a strange possessiveness, fuelled my own anger. “Don’t fucking talk to me like that!” I snapped. My tone took us both by surprise. I couldn’t think of the last time I had snapped at him. I never had. He instantly let go of his grip on me.

You can’t just waltz in here, drunk and accusing, and expect me to…”

“Expect you to what?” he barked, cutting me off. “Admit you’re fucking him? Admit that you live in my house, you work for me, you came back in my life, and you’re fucking my goddamn security? You’re breaking my fucking heart again.” His voice fell so low it was like he was speaking to himself, “I won’t survive it again.”

The last words hung in the air, a painful confession masquerading as accusation. My breath hitched, my heart a trapped bird struggling against its cage.

The answer, tangled with fear and unspoken longing, sat heavy on my tongue. But before I could voice it, Felix’s face crumpled, his eyes drowning sudden vulnerability that mirrored my own.

‘m not fucking him” I said simply.

then? Which guy? The

He grabbed me by the face, His hand, calloused and warm, grazed my cheek, sending a shiver down my spine. “Who is it t neighbour?

Jesus Christ

“

You’re drunk, Felb

“Just fucking tell me! Put me at peace!” He thundered.

“You should leave.”

“Oh, hell,” he mumbled, his hand falling away from my cheek. Don’t answer that. I… I don’t want to know”

He turned, his steps unsteady, a broken shadow against the light. My voice, thick with a cocktail of emotions I couldn’t decipher, caught in my throat. “Felix!” I called, the name a desperate ples in the quiet night.

He paused, but didn’t turn back. “Don’t,” he said, his voice rough. “Just… don’t.”

“Please. just…” I took a few steps back gingerly, watching him, willing him to follow me back into my room. He did, sighing deeply, defeated, as he walked back in..

He sat down on the bed, and I slowly sank down on my knees till I was seated at his feet..

“God, Flora,” he groaned. I looked up at him, and he was clutching his forehead with two fingers, his eyebrows were furrowed.

I wrapped my arms around his legs, and lay my face on his knees. I don’t know why I did that. But I snuggled closer to him, holding his legs, clutching him so tightly, I felt him lightly caress my hair. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. We sat like that, for God knows how long. Hours. Or maybe a few minutes. But it was the most peaceful I had felt in so long.

I pulled away after a bit, and slowly got up at and sat on the bed beside him

“I’m not with Liam,” I whispered to him. “Or anyone else.”

He closed his eyes, a pained expression marring his beautiful face. He turned to look at me. He reached out, and grabbed me by the nape of my neck. He leaned in. “I can’t bear to think of you with anyone else,” he whispered slowly. “Don’t give me a chance in”

1 upd

“Does he like you? He’s asked you out?”

“No,” I bed. He caught it. God, he still knew all my ticks, even after all these years had passed.

His grip shifted from the back of my neck to the front. “Don’t fucking lie to me,” He squeered, and I gasped at the sudden force of it.

Before I knew it, he was pushing me down on the bed, climbing on top of me. His hands roamed over my body, my armis, my shoulder. His head dipped between my brothers, pressing his face into them from over my clothes. Despriation coloured every moment. His hands moved around haphazardly, theOriginal from .

movements clumsy and rushed. His breath was heavy as he breathed down my neck.

“You’ve gotten so… he murmured as he traced my neck with his lips. “So…”

I licked my lips. My throat suddenly felt dry.

“Felix.” I murmured. 1 lightly grabbed his hair, and pulled him up to look at me. I had dreamed of this so much, but not in this way.

“What are you doing?

” I whispered.

“I dream of you day and night,” he lightly nipped at the skin on my neck. I twisted underneath him. Heat pooled in my stomach. If he touched me right now, down there…I’d be so wet I’d soak his fingers. The thought of him touching me there sent a heady feeling in my body. Like I was floating. Or maybe it was because he was touching me like he couldn’t stop if he wanted to.

“I’m going to fuck you, Flora.” He told me. He grabbed my chin, making me look at him. I clenched my eyes shut. If he touched me again I’d cry out, and it would be so embarrassing.

“Look at me.” He ordered. My eyes flew open. “Don’t you fucking close your eyes, Flora,” he whispered. I shook my head. “Say it.”

I breathed. “I won’t close my eyes.”

“Good girl.”

He slowly lifted my top, the flimsy material of my night shirt feeling light as it revealed my stomach. He moved down there slowly, and placed a soft kiss on my belly. “You know what you do to me, don’t you?” he breathed. His lips lightly grazed my skin, and I almost jumped. “You drive me fucking crazy. God,” he groaned, “I’m going to fuck your mouth someday.” He gripped my waist tightly, “I’m gonna put you on your knees and make you take my cock down your throat.”

I strange moan escaped me that shocked me. But he didn’t

t notice. If he did, he seemed to enjoy it.

His hands strayed downward, and he unbuttoned the shorts I was wearing. “Felix.” I wh

I whispered, “Felix, no…”

“No?” be scoffed. He looked up at me, and I took the opportunity to sit up. “You don’t want me to fuck you, Flora? just not me, huh?”

I was closed in around him. And I wanted him so bad, but I didn’t want him like this. Not this way. Him, drunk and violent and jealous, when he wouldn’t even remember in the morning if we had sex. And our first time, for that My first time, ever.

I swallowed. His hand dipped right below the waistband of my underwear. I drew in a quick breath. Oh, it was…so hard to deny him. So hard to say no. How good would he feel inside me. How full I’d feel.

“Felix……….” I whispered, “Not like this.”

His hands stilled.

“You promised, Felix”

His eyes widened. He was remembering the promise he made.

“You haven’t…” he trailed off. I shook my head. Of course hadn’t.

“Flora” My nan

name was a statement. He didn’t say much more.

He stood up, getting off me, and off my bed. His ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry.” He murmured. I nodded. He walked off.