Page 92 of Merciless

His dark chuckle sends a shiver down my spine. “Because I want to know if you’ve been thinking about that kiss as much as I have. I need to know if the thought of another woman touching me makes you see red, just like knowing another man touched you is making me see red.”

My heart thumps harder against my chest. I peek at him from beneath my lashes.

Does he know I was awake while he and Asher were in my bedroom? He did in the beginning, but he didn’t know that I was pretending afterward.

Does he think I forgot about it? Or are we all just pretending?

Instead of asking, I say, “I didn’t want to.”

“I’m not saying you did.” He releases my wrist and skims his touch over my palm before threading his fingers between mine. “But I want to so badly remove the memory of him from your body.” He leans down until his lips are beside my ear again. “Do you want that, baby? For me to touch you?”

I swallow hard. “It doesn’t bother you that we’re stepsiblings?”

He catches my earlobe between his teeth and nips. “I’m unapologetic about what and who I like.”

“You like me?”

“Yes, silly girl. I like you.”

“What about the threat? Aren’t you afraid of your reputation being tarnished because of me?”

“No, I’m not afraid of a ruined reputation.”

The vultures from earlier enter the room, their hushed whispers and cackles filling the silence.

Elijah straightens and leads me toward the hallway.

“Where are we going?” I say.

He guides me to the staircase and spares me a glance before ushering me up. “Somewhere more private.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I check to make sure no one is around or following us. We haven’t really done a good job of being inconspicuous.

“I think it’s a perfect idea.” Elijah winks at me. “The party is a dud, and I need some entertainment. I’m sure you wouldn’t mind that, either.”

He pulls me into his bedroom and shuts the door behind him. The lock slides into place, and I look at it, then up at his face.

“What were you thinking of us doing?”

He leads me by the hand to his bed, then sits on the edge. He folds his hands in his lap and settles his piercing dark eyes on me.

“We’re going to play a game,” he says.

I tilt my head. “A game?”

The corner of his lip curves into a small, mischievous smirk that does nothing to settle the anxiety swirling in my stomach.

“Truth or kiss,” he says.

CHAPTER 33

EDEN

NIGHT 5 OF THE BET

I stare at him, his words echoing in my head and taking far too long to sink in. “Truth or kiss? You couldn’t have stuck with truth or dare?”

Elijah tilts his head in that egotistical manner that grates on my nerves every time he does it. His cocky smile widens.