Lethal Blow: (Succubus Hitwoman Book 2) by Eliza Hendrix (love books to read TXT) 📕

perfectly chiseled jaw. “I mean no offense, Miss Rayne. I can see a fire in you, yet I can also see that something is choking it.”

Choking me? Mmm. You can choke me anytime, big boy…

“What are you, a therapist?” I hiss. “’Cause I already have one, thanks.”

Although I’m fuming inside, I’m also vulnerable and confused. For the first time in centuries, it seems like someone sees me. It’s an awful feeling—as if he can see all my weaknesses and has zero issues exposing them for what they are.

Clearing his throat, he reaches for a bottle of gel, squirts it into his palm, and rubs it through his wet hair. The cool, crisp scent fills the room and I breathe in a bit longer than necessary. “I should get changed,” he says.

With that, he releases his towel and it falls to his ankles.

The moment my eyes roll toward the precise area I’m trying not to think about, I suck in too much air and cough out what feels like an entire lung.

“Are you okay?” he says smoothly, staring at me as if being half-naked is normal.

I avoid glancing his way again and instead turn toward the window. “I’m fine. Hurry up and get dressed.”

Although I can’t see him, I can feel his enticing smile directed at me, and I can see him clearly in my mind now… All of him.

He’s throwing you off your game, Alexis.

Maybe it’s time I do the same to him.

Chapter 20

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Crossing his arms, Ace stares at me until I cave.

“Fine! But I swear to Hera, if you get me mixed up with some fly and fuck up this perfect physique—”

“It doesn’t work that way,” he assures me. “I’m not some teleportation machine. The magic won’t jumble you up into millions of pieces and reconstruct you. My magic allows you to travel through a dimensional portal.”

It still doesn’t make sense to me, but the only way out of this place without getting scorched by the dragon is to disappear, and as it turns out, Ace can project his teleportation abilities onto other people.

“So, all we have to do is touch?” I ask.

“Exactly.”

He’s calm, collected, and effortless when he speaks. Is this why I can’t stop thinking about him? He’s the polar opposite of me, and it’s almost as if our energies are meant to fuse like two puzzle pieces. Mine’s chaotic and overbearing, and here he is, acting as if everything is going to be fine even though two of the most powerful items on Earth have ended up in the wrong hands.

He smiles down at me, his plush lips rising higher on one side, and it takes all my willpower not to kiss him.

“Are you using your Lure on me?” I ask.

“My what?”

Lure is the term I use for my seduction. I suppose it makes sense that he’d have his own terminology.

“Are you using magic to seduce me?” I say. “I told you to stop.”

“I obeyed,” he says.

I elevate my chin. “Do you like to obey?”

Excitement flashes in his eyes. “I suppose it depends on who’s giving the command.”

What the fuck is he doing? It’s like he’s toying with me.

Without another word, he moves toward the bed, bends down, and pulls up what appears to be a weapons chest.

“What’s that?” I ask.

With a naughty smile that translates to, You’ll see, he lifts the cover and reaches inside.

But I’m too curious to stand around and wait, so I march toward him and peek into the box.

Stakes, blades, katanas, nunchucks, crossbows, and even pistols.

I’m immediately reminded of the crossbow I stole from Jamieson and wish I’d taken it along with me. Something like that would be useful right about now.

“I see you’re prepared,” I say.

“Always.”

As I lean forward, inspecting everything his weapon’s box has to offer, I breathe him in. I can’t get over how delicious this man smells. Demons aren’t known for their pleasant fragrances. Then again, I’ve been told I smell like roses, spearmint, and ecstasy, whatever that means. It must have something to do with being a succubus. Our livelihoods depend on our ability to seduce people.

Although I don’t look at him, I can sense him observing me.

“Do you have any idea how dangerous you would be if you allowed yourself to bloom toward your full potential?” he asks.

Slowly, I turn, our faces inches away from one another. His lips, plush and carmine red, are silently yelling at me to touch them with mine. What I wouldn’t do to scrape my nails through that sexy stubble of his.

“Why is this happening?” I breathe as if under a hypnotic spell.

He smiles. “Because you’re weak.”

Taken aback by his words, I’m shaken out of my trance. “Excuse me?”

“Like I already told you, Rayne, I mean no disrespect.”

“My name’s Alexis, and so we’re clear, you are being disrespectful.”

He smirks, clearly amused by my aggravation. “Your name might be Alexis, but it doesn’t suit you. At least, not yet.”

This guy is getting on my last nerve. What’s up with his code language? It’s like everything he says has some big secret meaning behind it.

Clenching my fist, I raise it by my face, prepared to bash in that sexy mug of his. “I’m anything but weak.”

He doesn’t flinch or pull away. His eyes roll from my fist to my eyes, to my lips, and then my body.

Is he checking me out? Or is he sizing me up? What the fuck is going on?

Still smiling, he snatches my wrist and I’m unable to pull away.

What the fuck? How is he so strong? He doesn’t hurt me, and it’s apparent that he doesn’t want to. Instead, he’s trying to prove a point.

“Go on,” he says. “Pull away.”

Fuming,