Chapter 32 Thirty Two
DANIKA
Something is off. Why does Bellamy care so much if I'm Kaziel's mate? My throat goes dry at the sight of the menacing look in his eyes, but I force myself to stay steady. I've been bullied long enough to understand that bullies will always be caught off guard if you stand your ground and refuse to show fear.
Keeping my chin up, I move closer, causing him to freeze as I narrow my eyes at him.
"Why are you so desperate to know that, Belly?" I drawl in a mocking tone.
His brows knit into a frown. "Belly?"
I flash him a fake grin. "What? Do you not like it? It's your nickname."
"Don't call me that," he hisses through gritted teeth. The anger in his voice sends shivers down my spine. Still, I don't show it.
"Too late, Belly. Now, do you mind stepping out of my space?" I say.
His lips twitch with something akin to amusement.
"Or what?"
"There's a sleeping monster in that room. He's especially obsessed with me. What do you think is going to happen if I scream?" I ask, smiling sweetly at him.
He grins and slowly moves backwards.
"Fair point."
He turns and walks away. My knees go weak right away. Letting out a shaky breath, I lean against the door only for it to open, my body sinking into a familiar pair of arms, which instantly wrap themselves around my waist.
"Hot stuff," I breathe, leaning against his body.
"Miss me?" He rasps, his chin resting on my forehead. I hum, closing my eyes as he nuzzles against my neck.
"Why is your heart beating so fast?" He whispers, and I wince.
Do I tell him about Bellamy or—
He spins me around to face him without warning. His hair is slightly messy, and his gaze is super electric tonight.
My gaze roams over his face, dropping to the sharp lines of his pecs, his intricate tattoos, glinting piercings, and the dangerous perfection of his abs. Has he always been this sexy?
My mate waves a hand in front of my face, snapping his fingers. Dazed, I look up at him. "...huh?"
He smirks. "Didn't you hear me?"
I shake my head, startled. My goodness, what's wrong with me?
"I asked about the stuff in your bag," he says, and blood rushes to my cheeks.
"I-it's nothing—Kaziel…”
He yanks the bag out of my hand and spins me around to pin me against the wall, holding both of my hands together with one hand.
I squeeze my eyes shut, embarrassed.
He finally lets go of me, though that smug grin on his face says he's definitely up to something.
"What's in the bag?" he asks, his eyes glinting with mischief.
I rest my forehead on the wall. "Stuff."
"'Stuff,'" he repeats slowly, like it's the most suspicious word in the universe. "You brought a bag of mystery to my house, dove. I feel like I should be concerned."
He finally peeks inside.
"Hey!" I protest, lunging forward. "That's private!"
He ignores me completely, rummaging like a kid on Christmas morning. "Hmm. Lotion. Snacks. Candles. Romantic and practical. I approve."
"Give it back, Kaziel!"
"Oh, what's this?" he says, holding up the small black pouch Cora shoved in. His grin turns absolutely devilish. "A pouch labeled 'Emergency Protection'? Interesting."
I freeze. "It's not…that’s not—!"
He arches a brow. "You came prepared, didn't you? Did you even check the size first, or did you just assume you'd need—"
"KAZIEL!"
He bursts into laughter so hard he has to lean against the wall for balance. "Sweetheart, your face! You're redder than Bellamy's car!"
"I hate you," I mutter, burying my face in my hands.
"You don't," he teases, setting the bag down and moving closer. "But I'm definitely telling Cora she's my favorite now."
"Don't you dare," I hiss.
"Oh, I'm daring." He chuckles, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Besides, you did come armed for any situation. Very responsible of you."
I groan into my palms. "I'm never speaking again."
Right on cue, my phone dings.
I glance down and nearly scream when I see Cora's name.
CORA: Did you open the pouch yet? Tell your 'friend' to thank me later.
Kaziel peeks over my shoulder before I can hide it. His laughter is instant.
"Oh, I am thanking her on your behalf," he says, wiping a tear from his eye.
I grab the phone and the bag, backing towards the door. "I'm moving to another planet."
He leans against the wall, absolutely glowing with amusement. "Take me with you, dove. You clearly come with the best supplies."
"I need to change," I finally mumble, a hundred percent sure I've turned beetroot red.
Kaziel presses his lips to my cheek. "The room is yours."
He walks out, shutting the door, and I squeeze my eyes shut, dying from embarrassment.
Blowing out a shaky breath, I take off my tee shirt and jeans, heading to the bathroom.
I take the razor and shave again, even though I already did earlier, because panic apparently makes me question everything, including whether I still have kneecaps.
"Cora better never find out how much effort I'm putting into this," I mutter.
When I'm done, I slip into the soft lingerie I brought, the one that makes me feel like a braver version of myself. The lace is delicate, the color warm against my skin, and for a second, I almost don't recognize the girl in the mirror.
She's still me, but there's a different sparkle in her eyes. For a second, I could’ve sworn that my eyes turned golden. But it’s gone too quickly. I’m probably imagining things.
"Okay," I breathe. "You're ready."
Then I immediately start panicking again.
I pace the room, whispering, "No, you're not. You are so not ready."
A knock at the door makes me nearly jump out of my skin.
"Dove?" Kaziel's voice filters through the wood. "Are you okay in there?"
I freeze, staring at my reflection.
"Y-yeah!" I squeak. "Just—uh—hydrating!"
He chuckles. "That's... good?"
I squeeze my eyes shut. Smooth, Danika. Real smooth.
I press a hand to my chest, trying to breathe.
Maybe this isn't about being perfect. Maybe it's about finally trusting someone enough to stop hiding.
With trembling fingers, I turn towards the door.
"Alright," I whisper to myself. "Here goes nothing."
The door feels heavier than it should when I open it.
And then I see him.
Kaziel is standing there, leaning casually against the wall like he didn't just spend half the night making my brain short-circuit. His eyes lift and then go wide.
Oh no.
He's staring.
He's definitely staring.
My fingers automatically twist at the hem of my outfit. "Say something," I blurt before I can stop myself.
His mouth opens, but no sound comes out.
"I'm...uh...trying to remember how," he finally answers.
I groan, covering my face. "You're such an idiot."
"Probably," he says, his voice a little rough. "But a very lucky idiot."
I peek through my fingers, and he's grinning at me in that slow, devastating way that should be illegal. My cheeks burn hotter. I should say something snarky. I should walk away. I should—
Oh great, now I've forgotten how to breathe.
He takes a step closer, and I swear the air changes temperature. "You look... incredible, dove."
My brain short-circuits. "You're just saying that."
"Nope." His grin deepens. "Words aren't doing half the job."
I make a noise that sounds suspiciously like a dying animal and cover my face again. "Can we skip to the part where I disappear into the floor?"
He catches my wrists before I can hide. "Don't."
I freeze. His touch is gentle, but he's silently daring me to look at him. So I do.
Oh my, his gaze is so soft.
"Still nervous?" he asks gently.
I nod, because lying right now would be physically impossible. "A little."
"Good," he says. His thumb brushes against my knuckles. "I am too."
He kisses me slowly, pulling me close. I close my eyes, moving my hands up his body. His muscles flex under my touch, his skin warm.
No matter how many times he kisses me, I'm not sure I'll ever get used to—
A growl rumbles from deep in his chest, and suddenly, he's lifting me off the floor.
I gasp as he gently lays me down on his bed, kissing me hard as he grips one of my thick thighs.
"Take off your robe, let me see my princess," he utters in that deep voice of his.
Panting softly, I slowly take off the robe, only wearing the rosy pink lingerie.
"Fuck, Danika. You're a vision," he breathes, his hand slowly inching up my thighs. "Tell me what you want tonight, baby."
I bite my lower lip, my breathing quickening. "I want...I want all of you."