Heart of the Priestess

Chapter 10

Lex pulled back just enough for air, his forehead resting against mine, his breath ragged. His chest rose and fell sharply beneath my hands, and I could feel his heartbeat slamming almost as hard as mine.

“This… isn’t right,” he panted, the words barely audible, rough in his throat.

I blinked at him, trying to steady my own breath, but the pounding in my chest drowned everything out. “W-what?” I managed, my voice trembling, my lips still tingling from his.

Whatever reason or restraint he’d been clinging to slipped like water through his fingers. His gaze locked on mine, fierce and unyielding, and before I could say another word, his hands gripped my waist, pulling me back into him with a desperate, burning need.

He kissed me again, harder this time, like something inside him had snapped. My back hit the edge of the sofa, and in a dizzy blur, Lex spun us around, guiding me down until I was straddling his lap.

Heat rushed through me as I sank against him, our bodies molding together like we’d done this a thousand times before. My fingers tangled in his hair, and his hands roamed the curve of my back, sliding up beneath my shirt just enough to send shivers racing down my spine.

I didn’t know what it was about this—about him—that felt so right. It wasn’t just attraction, wasn’t just the rush of adrenaline or whiskey or bad decisions. It was something deeper.

Something that felt like home.

Like I’d been waiting my whole life to be right here, in this exact moment, his arms wrapped around me, his warmth searing into my skin.

Safe. Familiar. Secure.

And I had no idea why.

I traced his jawline with my lips, feeling the rough edge of stubble under my mouth as I moved down his neck. His breath hitched, a low sound escaping him that sent a thrill straight through me.

I lingered there, savoring it, the taste of his skin, the pulse beneath it—and then I felt him tense. His body went rigid under mine, every muscle straining like a live wire. I could feel just how much he wanted me, pressing hard against me, and my whole body ached to close the space completely.

“W-wait…” Lex gasped, voice tight. “I can’t… we can’t.”

“Why not?” I panted, leaning in to continue, desperate to erase whatever wall he was trying to put up.

But before I could, his hands were suddenly cupping my cheeks, holding me still. His eyes burned into mine, pupils wide, his breath hot and uneven.

“No,” he whispered, voice breaking slightly. “No, no…”

And then, with a strength that made me feel weightless, he lifted me off his lap and set me gently down beside him.

I sat there frozen, chest heaving, the loss of his warmth like a punch to the gut. Confusion swirled with the sting of rejection, leaving me crushed and raw.

“Is it… because of your dad?” I asked, my voice quieter than I meant it to be.

He rubbed his hands over his face, elbows digging into his knees. “It’s…” he started, faltering. “…Yes. Mostly.”

“Mostly?” I echoed, my brows furrowing. “What does that mean?”

Lex stood abruptly, pacing beside my coffee table, running both hands through his hair like he wanted to rip the thoughts out of his head.

I exhaled shakily and pushed myself up, brushing a hand through my own tangled hair. “Would you like some coffee?” I asked softly.

He paused mid-step, glanced at me, and nodded. “Sure…”

Finally, he sat down, shoulders slumped, while I moved to the kitchen. The sound of water filling the coffee maker and the soft drip of brewing grounded me enough to speak again.

“Why then?” I asked over my shoulder, leaning against the counter. “Why come over for dinner if you were just going to pull away?”

Lex didn’t look up at first, his fingers laced together, resting on his knees. When he finally spoke, his voice was steadier, back to that calm, controlled cadence I was starting to hate.

“It’s about the amulet,” he said. “I think we should focus on finding it first. My sources have a strong lead.”

The words hit me harder than I wanted them to. My stomach sank like a stone, heavy and cold, and I hated that it sank at all.

What the hell was I expecting? Some fairy tale confession? A reason that made sense of why he felt like home when he kissed me?

Jesus. Maybe I just needed to get laid.

“Why is your family so damn obsessed with this whole thing anyway?” I asked, leaning against the counter, coffee mug warming my hands.

Lex’s lips twitched, amusement flashing in his eyes. “Hey, you wouldn’t have a job if we weren’t,” he said lightly, then his face sobered, his gaze dipping to the dark swirl of his drink. “Our family was believed to be descendants of Alexander’s bloodline. History says Roxana’s son was killed along with her, but my family… believes otherwise. They believe he was kept safe, able to pass down his blood through generations—what makes up the Leandros family today.”

I felt my curiosity pulling me closer without realizing it, my body leaning toward him as if the story itself was magnetic. “That means you’re… Alexander the Fourteenth?” I teased, my lips curling into a giggle.

Lex chuckled, warm and unguarded for once. “Maybe,” he said. “We stopped counting.”

My eyes widened, amazement spilling out before I could stop it. “That would mean you actually have his blood…”

His smile tightened, and his hand reached up to brush back a stray hair from my face, his touch feather-light. “Yes,” he said quietly.

Then, after a pause, he began to speak, his voice dropping lower, almost as if he were telling me something forbidden. “You know… Alexander had many wives. It must have been difficult to give pieces of yourself away for the sake of an empire. Having to consummate those marriages…”

His gaze fell to his coffee, lost in thought. “But there was only ever one person he truly loved.”

“Roxana of Bactria, right?” I said softly, finishing the thought for him.

Lex turned to me sharply, his expression searching mine, as if surprised I knew. “Yes,” he said finally. “Because she was a wildfire. Not watered down by her environment. At that time, being that way could’ve cost her her life.”

I nodded slowly, my voice quieter now. “Alexander was known to be ahead of his time in how he treated women. He understood what their intuition meant.”

Lex’s blue eyes held mine as he nodded. “That’s right…” His voice trailed off, heavy with meaning neither of us spoke aloud.

It made sense now—why the amulet was more than just a priceless artifact to his family. It wasn’t just history; it was a missing part of who they were.

He broke the silence first. “We’ll have a meeting with the new owner of the amulet tomorrow evening,” he said, shifting slightly closer. “I’d like you to join me.”

My breath caught, excitement bubbling in my chest despite the warmth still lingering between us. “Yes,” I said eagerly, nodding.

A small smile tugged at his lips as his hand came up to cradle my cheek. His thumb brushed over my bottom lip, soft and deliberate, making my pulse spike. “Good. Business formal,” he murmured. “Bring that fire of yours… and don’t mention it to my father.”

Confusion flickered through me. “No? Why not?” I asked.

Lex’s expression darkened just slightly, a shadow of something unspoken. “Just… trust me. Okay?”

I swallowed hard, nodding again. “Okay.”

He gave me one last lingering look, then patted his thigh and stood, the moment breaking like glass underfoot. “I’d better get going,” he said, voice steady again. “Thank you for dinner. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yes,” I breathed, biting my bottom lip to stop myself from blurting something—anything—that would keep him here.

My whole body screamed not to let him leave, but I stayed rooted, silent, as Lex walked to the door and slipped out, leaving my apartment colder than it had been all night.