Chapter 12
Reap What You Sow
Khalil
When the hour hand struck twelve, I leaned back in my chair and finally let my eyes leave the clock. I’d been watching it all night, watching the minutes pass as Felicity got comfortable enough to believe I’d let her little stunt from earlier slide.
She wanted to play games, but that was her first mistake. I don’t chase, I don’t beg, and I damn sure don’t bluff. If she thought that little kiss and invitation were gonna throw me off, she was more naïve than I thought. It was cute that she thought she was pulling the strings.
The room was quiet except for the soft hum of the air conditioning vent overhead. I stood, letting the silence stretch as I peeled out of my last layer of clothing, leaving it folded on the back of the chair. She’d invited me, and I’d accepted. Now I was about to show her what that meant.
The walk down the hall was short. I didn’t bother turning on the lights when I reached her door, and I didn’t knock either. I just pushed it open and stepped inside. This is my shit. What the hell I look like knocking? She didn’t seem to like it when I played nice anyway.
My eyes traveled straight to her, and I glided across the room. But make no mistakes, I wasn’t a fool. This was the same woman who bit me like a rabid animal last time my dick got too close to her mouth, so I stopped at the foot of the bed, keeping my distance.
Felicity was knocked out cold, stretched out across the bed, sleeping peacefully. Her lashes rested against her cocoa cheeks, full, pink lips slightly parted like she’d fallen asleep mid-thought. One arm was curled beneath the pillow, the other draped across her waist. The strap of her top had slipped down her shoulder, leaving her collarbone bare, skin smooth and inviting.
Even knocked out, she was bad as hell. Body soft in all the right places, legs half-tangled in the sheet like she’d been tossing around before I got here. There was something about the way she took up space. Even in her sleep, she didn’t fold. Instead, she was lying there, looking beautiful and at peace, as if my house already belonged to her.
And that was the problem.
She thought she was in control.
I reached for her leg and gave it a firm shake. Her body jolted, and her eyes snapped open. She blinked a few times, slowly coming to, her eyes adjusting to the dark—and then to me.
Felicity remained silent initially, her eyes wide and unblinking as if she couldn't quite comprehend what she was seeing. Her expression was a mix of disbelief and curiosity, her eyebrows slightly raised in astonishment. Then, slowly, her gazedrifted downward, her eyes tracing a path with curiosity. Her lips parted, a faint gasp escaping them, betraying her surprise before she could mask her reaction. I’d caught her off guard.
Good.
“Thought you said to meet you in the shower,” I said, crossing my arms over my bare chest, watching her closely.
Felicity blinked again, but her face barely changed. “I already took mine,” she replied like she hadn’t just been asleep two seconds ago.
“Take another one,” I said, using her foot to slide her to me.
Before she could voice any objection, I swiftly bent down and wrapped an arm around her waist. I hoisted her off the bed, feeling the shift in weight as I threw her over my shoulder.
She let out a yelp but didn't resist. Her fists remained still against my back, not pounding as I had anticipated, and she didn't wriggle or squirm as I had imagined she might. I sensed her body tense momentarily, but they went still just as fast. She’d surrendered to the moment.
I’d barely taken two steps before she spoke again, voice muffled but controlled. “Put me down,” she said. “I’ll walk.”
I paused at the door, glanced down at her legs swaying with each step, and then lowered her back to the floor.
“Suit yourself.”
I didn’t let go of her hand, though. It was fine if she wanted to walk, but she was still following me.
The walk to my bedroom was quiet. Felicity didn’t say much, but I felt the way her body trembled slightly as I held her wrist. She was tense, sure, but not afraid of me, and I liked that. Cowards were predictable. She wasn’t, which made this a lot more fun.
Once we stepped inside the room, I didn’t give a chance to admire anything. She could look around, ask questions, orrun that mouth of hers later. Now wasn’t the time for that. I was eager to see what she was made of.
Taking her straight to the bathroom, I led her through the open doorway, and the steam hit us immediately. The shower was already on, fog curling up from the marble like smoke. Everything was coated in heat. The mirrors were blurred, the glass panels were slick, and the air was thick with moisture.
“Smells like you in here,” she spoke softly, almost as if she was speaking more to herself than to me.
“It’s my bathroom. It should.”
“Whatever, smart ass.” She waved me off, too busy watching my body and sizing me up to pay attention to anything else.
