Chapter 18

Desiree. “I told you not to be scared of me. Can you go back to a few minutes ago when you were playing the piano with no care in the world. Your heartbeat was normal and for the first time, you weren’t scared when I was in the same room as you. It was sort of nice.” Maddox said and I looked away from him in embarrassment. It wasn’t easy to not be scared around him because I could hardly ever read him. I never knew what he was going to do next. Besides, he was a stranger who had bitten me and kidnapped me. That was too many red flags and I wanted to be cautious. “I thought you wanted everyone to be scared of you. You’re the Alpha and the ruler of this pack.” I said, sounding as if I had a perfect understanding of what I was talking about. I didn’t just want to sound dumb and stupid. “Not you,” Maddox replied, his voice low as his eyes watched me deeply as if reading every emotion on my face but I said nothing to that as he glanced at the piano once more. “Where did you learn to play?” He asked and before I could stop myself I was already answering. “My grandfather taught me how to play. I used to have one when I was younger but it got broken after we moved. Haven’t had a chance to play again.” “You can always play using this. I haven’t touched it since I was fifteen.” Maddox replied and I turned to him sharply, my left brow raised. “You play the piano?” I asked and he let out a small chuckle that sounded almost like a moan and I didn’t know what it was kinda attractive seeing his Adam's Apple bubble as he drew his head back before he gazed at me with lazy eyes. I gulped. “Why do you sound so surprised?” he asked and I felt the mark on my neck itch but I refrained from touching it as I shrugged looking away for a moment. “Maybe it’s because you’ve built this whole persona around intimidation and supremacy that it's hard to imagine or think of you doing anything else.” “So you do think of me?” I heard the smirk in his voice before turning back to him. He was smirking at him, his drowsy eyes drinking me in as he waited for my reply. The way he looked at me so intently weakened my knees and I hated the reaction I was getting from him being so free and expressive. Drunk Maddox had an air of vulnerability, a different layer of who he was when sober and I hated the effect those green lazy eyes had on me. And that smirk as he laid so lazy on the sofa, arms spread around him and the glass that glittered in his hand. His shirt slightly opened releasing his chest and those well defined mus- God! Focus Desiree! You’re his captive, remember! “I’m going to get something to eat,” I said, ignoring his question as I stepped into the darker part of the room to shield my red face from him as I headed to a hallway. “That’s the wrong way to the kitchen,” Maddox called out but I was too embarrassed to look back and turn in another direction so I continued ahead and when I was out of his gaze I sighed and slammed my back to the wall. “What the hell is wrong with you!?” I almost yelled at myself as I slapped my forehead repeatedly as if trying to get back to my usual self. “He’s a predator, Desiree. Don’t forget that.” I reminded myself as I sighed and pushed myself away from the wall before looking down at the hallway that seemed to lead to a patio. I shook my head and headed back in the direction I came from, pushing my hair to cover my face so Maddox couldn’t see my red cheeks. I stepped into the sitting room and said nothing, from the corner of my eyes I could see Maddox still in the same position and he was staring intently at me, before lazily dragging the cup back to his lips. The walk past him felt like a thousand miles as I could feel those green intoxicated eyes drilling a hole into my body as I walked to the opposite hallway. Neither of us said anything and by the time I made it to the hallway, I let out a heavy breath before I continued and found the kitchen at the end of the hallway. The lights that escaped the kitchen door were dimly lit as I pushed back the door to reveal the biggest kitchen I had ever seen. The countertops were adorned with stainless steak that stretched along the walls with various appliances. A big fridge sat at one end of the room and some pots hung from the wall as well as other cutleries that I hadn’t even seen before. The air was filled with lingering spices and delight and my stomach grumbled silently angry with me that I had missed dinner. I went to one of the cupboards adorned with dark wood and unrecognizable carvings but there were so many spices and ingredients that I could use to cook a nice meal but I was so tired and just wanted to eat something quick to make. I closed the cupboard and went to the fridge instead, I marveled at the quantity of food in it and other things gently arranged, my fingers danced over the neatly packed foods but I suddenly didn’t feel like eating them as I picked some fruit instead and started to close the door when a figure beside it sent me screaming. Maddox's sudden appearance by the fridge sent a jolt of surprise through me and the fruits started to fall from my trembling hands but before they could crash on the floor, Maddox with one swift motion caught them mid-air and smirked at me as he started to hand them over. “Careful.” He rasped, a smirk dancing around his lips as he watched me snatch the fruits from his hands and turn away sharply. Why couldn’t I stop blushing? I set them on the counter as I walked towards the knife and took the smallest one before turning to see Maddox standing just a few steps away from me, his eyes watching me intently. “Can you back up a bit?” I asked, a bit uncomfortable as Maddox nodded and took a seat on the kitchen island just beside my fruit and I sighed, rolling my eyes as I started to peel the skin of the apple. “You peel the skin?” Maddox asked, his eyes widening as I cut off the skin and he picked one of the apples. “Yes," I answered sharply as he took a bite from the apple so casually. His canine was sharp and they looked longer than the average human ones. And I remembered how they had sunk into my neck that day. “It's sweeter with the skin,” he said, his voice low as he locked gaze with me, his voice low and gravely as drops of apple juice fell past his lips. I snatched my eyes away from his lips as Maddox smiled dangerously at me. “You can look if you want. I promise not to bite this time,” he said as I stood. I took a step back trying to create a distance between us, my eyes locked with his and the air seemed to crack with an unspoken energy. Maddox's gaze was intense and unwavering despite the high level of intoxication. They were greener and wider as he stared at me. His gaze traveled to my lips then my neck and I watched him intriguingly. The playfulness in his smirk seemed to have vanished as he looked more serious. “As tempting as it is...” he whispered and for a second I thought he was going to draw closer and my heart picked up its pace. But instead, he only stepped back and gave me a lazy smile. “Enjoy your meal,” he said, his eyes watching me dangerously as he finally turned away and left the kitchen. This time my knees grew so weak as I held onto the counter so I wouldn’t fall. My mind was a swirl of conflicting emotions and I wished I could hate him more for his effect on me.