Alpha’s Hybrid Cinderella – Chapter 16

He didn’t move away. I leaned closer and closer until the scent of him hit me, the faintest wisps of tobacco mixed in with stronger mint. Did he smoke? I’d never noticed. Or maybe he had been around someone who smoked earlier today, and the acrid tang had clung to him until now.

It didn’t matter. It was him. I was so close that now I knew the scent of him, and I didn’t care why or how.

Don’t reject me, I thought, but the words remained in my head, failing to find my tongue. It didn’t matter. I had come this far. I couldn’t stop now.

the air.

. I shouldn’t.

was so warm. So strong. I was doing something I’d never thought I would dare to, but I had never felt safer than I did now. I wanted this. I wanted him to want this. Wasn’t that all that mattered?

his tongue brushed along mine.

l times as he tasted the softness of my skin with gentle flicks of his tongue.

en me stupid courage and nerves of steel as well as a blustering happiness at nothing at all, but this was different. I was in the moment, completely. And I was happier than I had ever been in my life.

touched by warmth itself, solid and true.

go. But he didn’t pull away completely, only enough so we could look at each ot

his will

this as much as I did?

n around someone who smoked earlier today, and the acrid tang had clung to him until now.

nge? What was it he was rememberi

on’t want you to get hurt.)

, I wanted to say.

anyone to give him something he already had.

ed me from the ugliness I would have never escaped no matter how I dreamed of freeing myself. He had given me a life, a real one, taken me from s*****y and replaced it with comfort and privileges I’d

wanted to put him where it was only bright and beautiful and soft. But what could I say that would break through to him?

in silence.

o back.”

Wait–

So strong. I wanted him to this way with me always… wanted to fall asleep to his touch. I rested my head against his shoulder as he carried me into the manor, half-dreaming.

***

ray on my nightstand. I took it without thinking, trusting the intention behind them.

hat was that. I will never d

and Evan.

illed. It must have happened long ago — the flashes of memories had been unclear, but

dull, dark fear. The fear of hurting me.

there were far more many times he had come to my rescue when I least expected it.

could find a way past it if he would only try.

der moments as he held me in his hands.

eant something to him. Surely he wouldn’t throw it away after j

hroat lingered, and the only thing I could think of to get rid of it was an early morning run. I had classes later, and I wasn’t about to let a hangover do me in when it had bee

e so often every morning that I’d expected him to be absent again.

‘I didn’t expect to see you here’ felt almost like a travesty after the events of last night. Something so flippant and meaningles

wkwar

lushed, but I took it in stride

oorway next to me. I recognized her as one of the higher seniority maids, a trusted housekeeper.

ed with a kindly smile to both of us. “I regret to bother you so early, but you have a visitor this morning, Alpha Evan.”

ho is it

u, sir.”

. “Give me a minute and then let her in

ka?

r and headed our way, intent on receiving his visitor. It wasn’t my business. I couldn’t butt my head in and ask like it was.

thing I could do was head o

isoriented than I’d thought.

ormenting me.

. Why was she here? What did she want to see Evan for?

feelings for Evan. She didn’t want me near him.

er?

er?