My body reacts on instinct alone, my eyes meeting Maximo’s. The intensity behind those cold, dark eyes is riveting. They hide so much, the true Maximo, the reason he’s the way he is. The reason why I love him, even though everyone thinks it makes me just as unhinged as him.
“Thoughts,” he says simply, but the warning in the words is clear.
“I’m jealous,” the words come out low, as if they weren’t supposed to sneak past my lips.
“What was that?” Maximo asks, leaning a little closer to me. The glint in his eyes lets me know he heard exactly what I said, he just wants to draw this out.
“I said I’m jealous,” I repeat, louder this time. I don’t allow my gaze to leave him.
“Jealous?” He presses in close enough that I can feel his body heat mingling with mine, but still he doesn't touch me. “What could you possibly be jealous of, my soldier? You have me, which means there’s no room to long or want for anything else.”
He’s twisting my words.
He has to know what I’m telling him. I know he hasn’t missed the way I’ve been silently losing my mind over… her. Over what’s mine being taken from me.
“You better speak up soon, soldier.”
“It’s her,” I bite out.
Maximo pauses, his eyes searching mine. His lips lift the slightest fraction at the corner before he leans close, his hot breath fanning against the skin beneath my ear. I shiver.
“Her?”
“Winter.”
“What could possibly make you jealous of the little mouse?”
“You.”
His body goes completely still before he lets out the softest of hums. “You’ve never had a problem with sharing me before.”
“It was different then.”
Our relationship, if you can even call it that, has always consisted of a buffet of different partners. We’ve both always enjoyed the thrill of variety, men and women of all shapes, sizes, skin colors.
Truthfully, I could do with or without the extra partners. All I need is Maximo. But he likes adding people in, likes to try to make it seem as if this thing between us isn’t an exclusive commitment.
But he’s never shown feelings for any of our other partners other than lust, so I’ve never cared.
Until now.
Because while Maximo may hate Winter Chastine, it isn’t the only thing he feels for her. There’s something else there, something I can’t quite put my finger on, but I don’t fucking like it.
“There’s nothing different about her, she’s just a tight piece of pussy that I like to play with.”
Yeah, but you gave her my fucking arms to sink into.
He places his hands on the wall behind me on either side of my head, trapping me in. “You’re my Ken doll and she’s my Barbie, and I want to play with both.”
I grit my teeth.
“I thought I was your little toy soldier.”
He laughs darkly, allowing his lips to touch me now as he leans into my neck. The ghost of a touch makes my eyes fall closed and I try to compose myself.
Fuck, I can never get my thoughts together around him. And any time I’m trying to make a point, he completely obliterates the scoreboard, leaving me feeling like an idiot.
“Enzo, have you ever wondered why I’ve kept you around so long?” He asks and I let out a moan when his tongue trails up to my neck, wet and warm. “It certainly isn’t because you taste so good, though I guess one could say it is a part of it.”