Beneath These Lies (Beneath, #5)(21)

“What in the ever-loving hell are you doing in my house?” The words came out on heaved breaths. I slapped a hand over my chest. “You almost gave me a freaking heart attack.”

I glanced down when my palm met skin and lunged for the door, intent on slamming it shut. Rix moved faster than I could, shoving a foot between the door and frame before it could close.

What is he doing? Fear clawed up inside me.

“Ain’t polite to slam the door when we’re having a conversation,” he drawled, his gaze drinking me in from head to toe.

My lacy black bra and panties left just enough to the imagination to be sexy without being prudish. And Rix did not need to be seeing them. I reached up and yanked my robe off the back of the door, shoved my arms through the sleeves, and knotted the belt tighter than I’d ever knotted it before.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Rix pressed a hand on the door to the bathroom, pushing it open all the way.

“I told you not to talk to the cops. So, what the hell was that?” He jerked his head to the front of the house.

“None of your business.”

His silver eyes flashed molten. “I don’t share.”

My mouth dropped open at his ridiculous statement. “Excuse me? I don’t even know how to respond to that. Oh, wait. How about I’m not yours. And how the hell did you get into my house? That’s breaking and entering and illegal.”

His chuckle was dark as he continued to stare at me, completely ignoring the most pertinent questions. “You are, you just don’t realize it. And here I was trying to give you time to get used to the idea, and you’re out on a date with a cop.”

I backed up until I hit the glass block wall of my shower. “Get used to what idea?” My heart thundered anew, but this time, it wasn’t fear causing the spike in my blood pressure.

Rix crossed into the bathroom, stalking me until he pressed his palms against the glass on either side of my head. And yet, I didn’t feel trapped. I felt . . . alive.

“You walked into my world, totally clueless it even existed. You stood your ground, never giving up on finding your girl, even when you should’ve been hoppin’ in your fancy car and runnin’ away home.”

I swallowed, unsure where he was going with this. “These are all things I know.”

“But what you don’t know is I’ve never met a woman like you. High class, but worrying about someone who isn’t even yours to worry over. Fascinating as f*ck. I’m guessing the cop sees the same thing I do. So I’m gonna say this once more so you understand. I don’t share. There’s something happenin’ between us, and we’re gonna see how it plays out. I was gonna wait, but you just pushed the timeline with your move.”

I hadn’t taken him seriously today when he’d told me that we were going to see what could happen between us.

“Don’t I get a say?”

Rix shook his head slowly. “You’re as rare as a Picasso at a f*cking flea market, to put it in terms you understand. And when a man comes across something that rare, he ain’t just gonna let it go without seeing what could come of it.”

His words floored me. I’d never felt rare or precious or anything else like that. But still, was I going to let him dictate to me? Knowing that Rix was fascinated with me, my boldness grew. Instinctively, I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, so I gave my tongue free rein.

“I hate to break it to you, but you’ve got no choice but to let it go if I say so.”

His scowl darkened. “I don’t take orders. I give them, duchess.”

“Maybe in your world, but right now you’re standing in mine.” My gaze sharpened on him with that thought. He must have come here for a reason. “Why are you here? What’s the update?”

His eyes stayed firmly fixed on mine. “The update is there’s no change, but I did talk to her.”

He talked to Trinity? And he’s just now telling me?

“Don’t you think you should have led with that? What did she say? Did she say she was scared? Hurt? Hungry? What?”

“Calm down, woman, and I’ll tell you.”

My hands trembled, and I barely restrained myself from grabbing his arm and shaking him. “Consider me as calm as I’m going to get.” If he didn’t spill what he knew right now, I was going to lose my grip on my emotions.

Rix nodded and pushed off the glass, and as he talked, he paced out of the bathroom into the bedroom. I followed, not willing to miss a single word.

“She’s fine. Yeah, she’s scared, but I told her not to be.”

“I need to talk to her. Need to hear that from her myself. She has to be terrified.”

“She ain’t hurt or hungry. She’s eating Cheetos and watching Netflix, and now that she knows someone’s coming for her, she said she can hold it together.”

I threaded my shaking hands together as I sat on the bed, bowing my head. Trinity was tough, but she shouldn’t have to be. She should never know anything like this could happen. She should be sitting at home eating Cheetos and watching Netflix.

Gathering together the threads of my self-possession, I looked up at Rix. “Swear to me, on whatever you find holy, that she’s okay.” My voice was low, my words barely audible.

“I swear to you, she’s fine.” Rix’s tone matched mine in seriousness.