Eryx tilted his head, lips twitching.
"Raising your voice at while you’re practically sitting on my cock?" His voice dropped, teasing, sinful. "You sound a little unserious... my princess."
Athena went red instantly, but she kept her chin raised. Anger was hotter than embarrassnt.
"You made sit directly on your stupid cock," she hissed back, "and you still have the guts to call unserious?"
She tried to get up, but his hands clamped around her waist, pinning her in place. His "little brother"...who was not little at all...pressed against her, making her entire body go hot.
"Stop moving," he warned, voice roughening. "Unless you want us to do sothing you’d regret. But ?" His smirk deepened. "I’d enjoy every second."
"Ugh! You’re disgusting," she shot back.
He laughed...actually laughed.
He reached up and pinched her cheek. "Cute."
Athena slapped his hand away. "Tell what you want or I’m leaving."
"Oho." His eyes glead. "Threatening now, princess? I like that." He leaned forward, brushing his nose against her cheek. "Let satisfy your curiosity then..."
He pulled back slightly, eyes narrowing. "Why didn’t you choose to take you ho the other night?"
Athena groaned loudly.
"Eryx, that’s a past event. Can we not..."
He didn’t let her finish. His hand slid up her waist, slow and firm, stopping just below her ribs. Not touching anything inappropriate, but close enough that her breath snagged.
"A past event that pissed off," he murmured. His voice dropped into that deep, husky tone.
Athena tried to glare at him, but the heat in his eyes made her throat tighten.
"You’re being dramatic."
"Am I?" He leaned in, their noses almost brushing. "You chose him instead of . So yeah, princess, I’m allowed to be dramatic."
Her heart thumped hard against her ribcage. But still, held his stare. "You’re acting like I committed a cri."
"You kind of did." He let out a humorless laugh. "You made jealous."
Athena blinked. "Jealous? Of who? Rhydric?"
Eryx’s jaw clenched. "Don’t say his na while you’re sitting on ."
She choked on her breath. "What is wrong with you?"
"Everything," he replied easily. "Especially when it cos to you."
Her face ward in a way she absolutely refused to acknowledge. She shifted slightly, only to get a sharp grip on her waist again.
"Don’t move," he warned, voice now barely above a whisper. "You’re testing ."
"Testing you?" Athena scoffed. "Please. You’re overreacting, as usual."
His lips brushed her cheek, in an almost kiss.
"You want to tell you what I want?" he murmured.
Athena froze. "I...no... I an yes but..."
He chuckled darkly. "Can’t even form a sentence now, hm?"
She hated that her heartbeat betrayed her. She hated that he noticed.
Athena cleared her throat and shoved a hand against his chest. "Just talk, Eryx. Before I actually walk out."
"Spoiled little threat," he teased. "And you think I’ll let you leave?"
He hooked a finger under her chin, tilting her face up until their eyes locked completely.
"What I want," he said slowly, "is the truth."
Her breath hitched.
"You..." She blinked rapidly. "You were the one who’s always acting... weird."
"Weird?" His brows rose. "Explain."
"You’re... intense." She waved her hands vaguely. "Possessive. Irritating. You act like you own ."
He smirked. "Maybe I do."
"You don’t!"
"Don’t I?" he whispered, his breath ghosting her lips.
Her pulse shot into her throat.
Eryx’s eyes darkened, but his voice softened in a way that made her stomach flip.
"You should’ve chosen , Athena," he said.
"Athena opened her mouth to respond but Eryx spoke first, thumb brushing her jaw.
"And I’m not asking for an apology."
His voice dipped again, teasing returning.
"I just want to know if you plan to make the sa mistake twice."
"Fine then...you’re done, so let go," she hissed, even though her voice wavered.
Eryx tilted his head, eyes dropping to her lips before eting her gaze again.
"Say it like you an it," he said softly, dangerously. "Because your body is telling sothing else entirely."
Athena’s cheeks flushed hot, but she lifted her chin higher. "Eryx..."
He cut her off, his hand sliding from her wrist up to the back of her neck, thumb brushing just below her ear.
"You stood up," he said quietly, "like you expected to sit back and watch you walk away."
His forehead pressed against hers, their breath mingling in a tight, heated space.
"And you’re wrong...I’m not done with you."
She shivered and instantly hated that he felt it. His smirk proved he did.
She tried to shift off him, but he tightened his grip around her waist, pulling her flush against him not in a vulgar way, just close enough that she gasped.
"Stop trying to run," he whispered. "You started this."
Athena glared, breathing unsteady. "You can’t keep here."
He smiled slowly.
"Watch ."
Athena’s breath trembled, but she masked it behind fury.
"Eryx," she snapped, trying to steady her voice, "what do you want from ? What? Because this..." she pushed uselessly against his chest, "...this is insane."
He didn’t budge. Not an inch.
His eyes stayed locked on hers. Like she was the only thing anchoring him.
"And stop this bullshit," Athena added, her voice sharpening. "I have a man."
That did it.
A muscle ticked in his jaw. His hands on her waist tightened just enough to make her breath hitch as his eyes darkened.
Then he leaned in, his lips brushing her cheek as he murmurred. "I don’t care," he said.
Athena froze.
His voice deepened, a low rumble she felt in her spine.
"I don’t care if you have a man."
His thumb stroked her jaw with maddening patience. "I don’t care what you think you owe him. I don’t care who you think you belong to."
He brought her face even closer until their noses brushed.
"You’re here," he whispered. "With . On . Fighting like you always do."
His lips ghosted her skin. "And you think I’m walking away because you said you ’I have a man’?"
Athena’s pulse spiked. She tried to swallow but failed miserably.
"You’re unbelievable," she breathed. "You don’t get to say that. You don’t get to act like..."
"Like what?" he cut in, voice sharp but quiet. "Like you’re not shaking right now?"
His gaze flicked to her mouth. "Like you don’t feel this?"
His grip tightened the slightest bit, sending heat straight through her stomach. "Like you didn’t co alive the second I touched you?"
Athena’s eyes widened, and she shoved at him again, even though her body betrayed her by leaning right back into him.
"You’re delusional," she hissed. "I don’t feel..."
"You do," he said, interrupting softly. "You’re just scared to admit it."
Her breath caught in her throat.
He leaned closer until his lips brush her ear.
"Tell you feel nothing," he murmured, "and an it. Say it while looking in the eyes... and I’ll let you go."
Athena swallowed hard. Her heart hamred so violently she was sure he could hear it.
He slid a hand up her back again, the motion slow, confident, claiming without being crude. His other hand held her waist steady, keeping her perfectly still on his lap.
"Go on," he coaxed. "Tell I don’t affect you."
She opened her mouth but nothing ca out. Her throat tightened. Her chest rose and fell too fast.
Eryx smirked slowly. A knowing one.
"That’s what I thought."
Athena’s eyes flashed. "You’re twisting things."
"No," he murmured, brushing his forehead against hers, "I’m telling the truth you keep running from."
Her breath hitched again.
He pulled back just enough to look directly into her eyes, his tone dropped into sothing rawer.
"I want you," he said simply. "And I’m not pretending otherwise."
Athena’s stomach flipped. Anger, heat, confusion all tangled.
"Even if I have soone else?" she whispered.
Eryx didn’t blink.
"Especially then."
Her entire body went still.
He leaned in one last ti, voice softer like it was ant for her alone.
"I don’t care who he is," he said. "He’s not ."
"Athena," he murmured, "stop pretending you don’t feel this. Because I’m done pretending."
Athena’s breath trembled again, and Eryx felt it. He felt everything.
His hand on her waist tightened, and his chest rose sharply under her palms. He didn’t try to hide it anymore.
"Athena," he whispered, voice low and strained, "you want to know why you drive insane?"
Her heartbeat stuttered, but she forced out, "Then say it. Since you clearly can’t shut up."
He let out a shaky, dark laugh.
"Oh, I’ll say it."
His molten gold eyes locked onto hers.
"You drive insane because everything about you pulls in," he said, the words tumbling out like he’d held them back too long. "Your voice, your temper, your damn stubbornness, every little thing makes want you more."
Athena swallowed, but he kept going, losing the last bit of composure he had.
"And your scent" He stopped, leaned closer and buried his face in her neck. "Athena, your scent ruins ."
Her breath caught.
"It doesn’t matter if you’re angry, or tired, or pretending you don’t see . I catch a whiff of you in a crowd, and I know, instantly, where you are."
Is it that serious?
His fingers slid up her back slowly, like he couldn’t stop himself.
"It crawls under my skin. It circles my mind. It doesn’t leave . Ever."
Athena’s pulse quickened. "Eryx..."
"And you..."
His words cut off, looking at her eyes. His burning with passion and sothing dangerous.
"Even when you’re just brushing past in the hallway, even when you’re trying to shove away, your warmth gets stuck in my head for the rest of the damn day."
His hand on her waist trembled, slightly.
"You don’t even try," he gritted out. "That’s the maddening part. You just exist, and it’s enough to wreck ."
Athena felt heat rise up her neck in a rush she couldn’t fight.
Eryx leaned in closer again, forehead pressed to hers, voice dropping into an unmasked obsession.
"I think about you when I shouldn’t."
His breath hit her lips. "When I’m supposed to be working out."
"When I’m supposed to be working."
"When I’m supposed to be sleeping."
His next words ca out rough. "I think about you constantly."
Athena’s lips parted in shock because, this wasn’t the teasing, arrogant and playful Eryx she knows.
His words, they’re real. Raw. Undeniable.
"And your body?" he whispered, "...you have no idea what it does to ."
Athena sucked in a breath, but he shook his head like he was done holding back.
"No, listen." His hands frad her waist, careful but firm. "After you sat on the other night, I couldn’t sleep through out the night."
Her eyes widened. Okay she couldn’t bla him, even she couldn’t.
"I felt you for hours," he admitted, voice shaking with restraint. "Every shift, every breath, every tiny movent you made...my mind loops it. Over and over."
Athena’s heart thundered so loud she thought he could hear it.
Thought? What a joke...he heard it my dear.
"Athena..." He whispered her na like it was the first prayer he’d ever spoken.
"Your softness... your scent... your presence... all of you."
He exhaled sharply, losing the last edge of control. " I’m obsessed," he said.
"For once, I’m not hiding it. I’m obsessed with you."
Athena’s breath stilled.
"You wreck ," he continued, voice almost hoarse. "Every. Single. Day."
His grip loosened on her waist, not letting go entirely. His hands just eased around her like she was the only fragile thing in the world.
"And the worst part?"
His eyes locked onto hers, unblinking.
"I don’t want it to stop."
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