Cross (Dark Kings 3)

CHAPTER TWENTY

ALEXA

“APRIL?” I ASK, standing from the couch when I see her and Grave rush through the living room. She stops, turns to face Jasmine and me placing her hands up, and nods once.

“I’m glad you two are okay. Lunch?”

Before Jasmine and I can even answer, they’re out the door. I look at the clock on the wall and see it’s already past eight in the morning. I haven’t even been to bed yet. I’m exhausted.

Titan, Bones, and Cross re-enter. “What in the hell happened in there?” I demand. We could hear somewhat of what they were saying, but it was mainly just loud shouting. You couldn’t really make out their argument word for word.

“I told him about us,” Cross answers, pulling the Zippo from his pocket and starts fidgeting with it.

“Us?” I step forward. “Why would you do that?”

“Because he needed to know.” Titan is the one who answers me.

“No, he didn’t,” I argue. Fuck! April must be so mad at me. “Shit!”

“Yes, he did,” Cross argues.

“There is no us!” I snap. “We are fucking, and that’s none of his business.” We had an agreement. What made him sell me out? I almost roll my eyes at myself. They’re the Kings. I’m a nobody. Of course, he wouldn’t keep his part of the deal.

Cross looks at the other Kings, and they get the hint. He wants to be alone with me. Jasmine pulls me in for a hug, whispering, “I’ll see you at lunch.”

Once we’re alone and the door closes, I sit back on the couch, burying my face in my hands, and silence follows. My knees bounce and my heart races from anger and embarrassment over this shit night. I look up at Cross. “Do you have any idea how mad my best friend is going to be at me if Grave finds out she knew?” I had April promise to keep my secret. I’d hate for him to be mad at her because she kept something from him.

“He knows that she knew,” he states, staring down at me with no remorse.

Motherfucker! I shoot to my feet. “How could you?”

“What did you expect me to do?” he shouts, pointing at the door.

“Keep your mouth shut!” I argue.

“That won’t help us.”

“There’s that us again.” I roll my eyes, giving him my back.

He grabs my upper arm and jerks me back around to face him. “Why is us such a hard concept for you to comprehend?” he snaps in my face.

I shove his chest, but he doesn’t even sway. “Fucking doesn’t mean us. You’re lying to him.”

He moves both of his hands into my hair, grabbing a handful, forcing my head back so I have to look up at him. “Why is it so hard to comprehend that I want more from you than just your body?”

His words make me pause. My eyes search his, looking for any indication he’s lying. I wait for him to laugh, but instead, he licks his lips and steps in closer to me. His body presses into mine while his grip loosens. “Cross …”

“I’m serious about you. About us.” He runs his hands through my hair. “So, if you don’t want that, I’ll let you leave. But just know I want you to stay.”

I ignore the butterflies in my stomach that he wants more than just a fuck. I’ve had the same thoughts, but I’ve refused to try to decipher them. But I’ve been doing this a lot lately—jumping without thinking twice. That’s how I ended up with Kink. And the same way I added Jasmine to Lucky’s. Why not do the same with him? He told me that timing was rarely on our side. And that seems to continue to prove true. “I want to stay,” I say softly. The more I learn about Cross, the more I can’t walk away. He’s exactly what I thought he would be—all consuming.

Letting go of my face, he runs his knuckles down over my neck, feeling my pulse race. “I was lying,” he whispers, his free hand wrapping around my back, holding me in place.

My stomach drops. He was baiting me to see how I felt just so he could say it’s over.

A slow smile spreads across his handsome face. “I wasn’t going to let you leave.” Then his lips are on mine. Desperately, demanding all of my attention.

“Don’t you have to go to work?” I ask, not wanting to keep him, knowing he has a lot to do. The poor guy never stops.

“I can be late,” he answers against my lips.

I jump up into his arms and wrap my legs around his waist, suddenly a little less tired. Nothing a Monster drink can’t fix later. He starts walking up to his room and then we’re on his bed. Clothes are being ripped off.

_______________

WE LIE IN his bed, and I stare up at the ceiling. I’m currently trying to avoid the elephant in the room. I’d much rather him roll me over, shove my face into the mattress and fuck me again than talk about my feelings. I guess I could start lightly snoring and pretend to be asleep, but the curtains are open and it’s light outside.