Empty Kisses
1699 Words
Troy looked me over once, then let his gaze fall to the cup in my hand. His expression turned disapproving, but he didn’t say a word.
“Are you stalking me?” My drunk mouth blurted before my brain could catch up.
It was a stupid thing to say. Especially to Troy. But part of me wanted it to be true. The stalking part.
His frown deepened, and he remained silent. But his look alone was enough to make me instantly regret asking the question.
“What are you doing here?” I tried again.
“Working,” he said flatly.
“Here?” I blinked.
Gosh, I was drunk. My head felt like wool. “But you don’t work here. You work for Zephyr.”
He didn’t answer.
“Oh, I see. Still not in the mood to talk to me. Fine.”
I started to brush past him, but he blocked my way.
“You’re drunk,” he remarked flatly.
“You think?”
I raised my cup and deliberately took a slow sip, holding his gaze the entire time.
Suddenly, he snatched the cup from my hand, grabbed a bottle of water from the table nearby, and with his other hand, took hold of my arm, pulling me into a room just off the hallway.
“Hey!” I protested as the door shut behind us. “Give me my drink back!”
“No. You’ve had enough,” he said, placing the cup on a shelf I couldn't reach from my position.
The room happened to be some sort of study.
“You don’t get to tell me what to do.” I said angrily.
“You're right. “I don’t,” he said simply. “But I'm still going to do it anyway.”
Troy leaned against the wall, crossing his arms, and he made the action look so sexy, it gave me the hots.
He was wearing a black tee with matching combat pants and boots.
“That guy you’re with is trying to get you drunk. And you’re too naive to notice,” he explained.
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “He is not.”
“You need to be more careful.”
“Oh, so now you care?” I shot back, standing arms akimbo.
Why was I suddenly feeling hot, despite the sleeveless top I was wearing?
Troy stretched the water bottle toward me. “Drink,” he commanded.
I didn’t know what kind of spell was laced in his voice, but before I knew it, my hand was reaching out, and I was drinking, without protest.
Maybe it was the authority in his tone. Or maybe I just wanted to obey him.
After a few gulps, I threw the bottle across the room and sat on a table, folding my arms as I looked away from him.
Suddenly, I heard him coming in my direction, the sound of his heavy boots ringing in my ears like a warning.
He stopped in front of me and touched my chin gently, tilting it up.Too shocked to move, I remained frozen, looking up at him as his large hands held my face tenderly.
He was studying me.
“You’re completely stoned,” he muttered, frowning.
“Shouldn’t you be on duty?” I asked softly, enjoying the feel of his fingers against my skin.“What are you doing here with me?”
He didn’t answer immediately, but his obsidian-black eyes held mine for a long moment before finally, he stepped back.
“What does it look like, Princess?” he said. “I’m keeping you safe.”
We stared at each other in silence for a moment, the tension thick in the room. Then, in a quieter voice, I spoke again.
“At the annual festival… my brothers overheard something. They found a body. The guy who…” I couldn’t finish it. “Was it you who…”
“Yes.”
I went still, not knowing what to feel.
Happiness that he was that protective of me? Or fear at how he'd just killed someone because he threw some stupid comments my way?
“Why?” I whispered.
Troy didn’t answer, watching me with those dark eyes.
“You know what?” I slid off the table, shaking my head. “Forget it. I’m going back.”
“No, you’re not,” he said, stepping in front of me again. “You’re just going to run right back to that guy.”
“And what if I do?”
“He’s trouble.”
“You don’t know that. And newsflash, I’m not some helpless little girl. I’m a werewolf.”
He folded his arms, and for a second, I thought I caught the glimpse of a smirk.
“You don’t look so tough right now, Princess.”
Then he took a step closer, his voice dropping.
“If I tried touching you right now,” he said lowly, “how would you defend yourself?” He towered over me, and I instinctively grew defensive, shoving at his chest.
“Like this, jerk.”
He didn’t even budge an inch.
My pride took a blow, and I immediately assumed a stance Robin had taught me some months back.
I moved quickly and tried sweeping his leg out from under him, but he was quick, moving aside too quickly.
It was so foolish of me to have even attempted the move in the first place. I was certain he weighed over two hundred pounds.
I tried another move again. And again. But each time this brute dodged or blocked me like it was a joke.
“Come on!” I snapped in frustration.
He grabbed my wrist the next time I lunged and suddenly spun me around with a move so smooth, my back hit his chest. And before I could react, he had both my wrists pinned in one of his large hands, pulled against my stomach.
My heart hammered wildly in my chest.
His other hand came to rest lightly on my waist, enough to let me know he could hold me tighter if he wanted.
I felt the press of his hard body behind mine. The hard muscle and his warm breath at my ear, the very obvious pressure of his arousal through his pants as my ass brushed against him.
I wanted him just as badly, but it thrilled me to know his desire for me had become so evident.
“Still feeling like a threat, Princess?” he asked against my ear. His voice had grown rough, and gosh, the sound of it… the sound of it did things to me.
I’d lost every will to fight the minute I had my back to him, but still I pretended to want to fight.
“Let go,” I whispered, trying to wriggle free, meanwhile further rubbing my ass against him.
I heard Troy curse under his breath.
Slowly, he released my hands, and I spun around to face him.
"Yeah, you're not defenseless,” he said sarcastically. ”
I was breathing hard from the s****l tension, my cheeks heating up the more I blatantly stared at his lips.
My legs carried me forward, and Troy shook his head in disapproval.
“Athena,” he said in warning, though I could hear the longing in his tone too. “Don't.”
“We keep meeting for a reason. Don't you think?” I said softly, looking up at him.
“I don't believe in fate," he replied curtly.
“But you believe in this between us… this feeling. This…”
Bond. We didn't say it out loud, but we both knew what I meant.
“It's not what you think,” he said. “It can't be.”
“Why not? Would that be so bad?” I felt offended.
“No.”
“Then what is the problem?” I asked desperately. “Why do you look at me like this and do nothing about it? I'm standing right here before you, and I’m saying that I want you.” I shifted closer again. “I want you, Troy.”
My voice lowered, almost cracking. “Don't you want me back?”
He looked away, falling into an awkward silence. Then, after a long while, he replied.
“Maybe you should go,” he said at last.
I felt my heart shatter. Well, that was all the answer I needed.
Swallowing the heavy lump in my throat, I nodded. “You’re right. I should.”
I brushed past him angrily, snatched up my drink from the shelf, and stormed out, taking a long gulp from my cup.
I'd finished it by the time I arrived at the couch, where Hugh still remained, scrolling through his phone. When he looked up and saw me, a flicker of relief crossed his face.
“There you are. I was starting to think you ditched me.”
Instead of replying, I straddled his lap.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Troy walk out of the room, scanning the crowd. The second his gaze landed on me, I noticed the tension in his shoulders, especially when he noticed where I was sitting.
Driven by spite and the need to make him pay for breaking my heart, I threaded my fingers in Hugh’s hair and smashed my lips to his.
He stiffened for a moment, caught off guard, but soon, he melted into it, his hands rising to cup my face, brushing hair from my cheeks as he moaned softly into my mouth.
The kiss wasn’t bad. It was just empty.
It lacked passion, the kind I imagined Troy’s kiss would’ve had.
Still, I sold the lie and made it look like I was enjoying every second of it.
When we finally pulled apart for air, Hugh gently shifted me off his lap, stood, and took my hand.
“Let’s get out of here.”
I nodded quickly, eager to leave.
As we walked away, I glanced over my shoulder at Troy, who hadn’t moved.
Lifting my hand, I flipped him the middle finger and didn’t look back.
- Writer
