The kitchen was too quiet for someone who'd been ruined all over a mansion.
Alexis leaned against the marble counter in one of Kai's shirts, again. This time it clung to her thighs like it belonged there.
He was across from her, shirtless, sipping something too dark to be coffee. His eyes were unreadable.
Unbothered.
She hated that. Hated how cool he always looked, like he hadn't been the one who kissed her so hard her knees gave out last night.
"You know what's funny?" he said suddenly, without looking at her. "You pretend like this doesn't mean anything. But your body's loyal."
Her brows shot up. "Excuse me?"
"You get wet the second I walk into a room," he added flatly. "That's not nothing."
She stared at him, stunned and then laughed. A sharp, bitter sound.
"Oh, fuck you."
He tilted his head, finally looking at her. "Did I say something wrong?"
"You say a lot of things wrong," she snapped. "But that one really hit the spot."
Kai raised a brow, like this was entertaining. "You're upset because I'm honest?"
"No," she said, voice rising. "I'm upset because you act like you own me just because I let you fuck me."
He placed the cup down slowly. "Let me?"
Her eyes blazed. "Yes. Let you. Don't twist it."
The air went still. Not cold. Not dangerous. Just... loaded.
"I'm going back to Ivy's," she said, pushing off the counter. "Or literally anywhere else. I need to breathe."
"Alexis."
"Nope."
She walked past him, ignoring the way her pulse jumped at his voice. She reached for her boots near the door, pulling them on quickly.
"You're seriously leaving?" His voice stayed eerily calm. That tone.
"Obviously."
She didn't see him move, just felt the air shift before her feet left the ground.
"Kai...!"
He had picked her up like she weighed nothing. Like he was carrying a doll. She kicked, but his grip only tightened.
"You're not walking out."
She shoved at his chest. "Put me down!"
"I will. When you stop acting ridiculous."
"I'm ridiculous?" she growled, fists clenched. "You treat me like I'm yours, like you can say anything to me and I'll just take it, and now I'm 'ridiculous' because I want space?!"
He stopped mid-step, staring down at her, jaw locked.
"You're not speaking," he muttered.
"Because I'm annoyed," she bit out. "Not a f*cking mute."
Their eyes locked, hers fiery and flushed, his dark and unreadable.
"Let me go."
"No."
Silence.
"I'm not your prisoner," she whispered.
"No," he said again, softer this time. "But you're not just some girl I fuck, either."
That shut her up. Just for a moment.
He didn't put her down right away.
And when he did, he didn't step back.
They just stood there, barely inches apart, breathing too hard. Neither willing to say what this was. Neither willing to admit they were both unraveling.