ROTTEN LOVE - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

Zain Levine, my fiancé, is at my door while I am in the shower with Maddox after getting fingered by him only seconds ago.
Maddox looks at me expectedly. I scrunch my brows. He gestures towards the door. Then, it pops into my head. There is a plan to his madness.
I yell out, "coming," only to invisibly palm my face.
Zain can't hear me. I spelled the room.
I leave the shower running and wrap my towel around my body for a second time today. I close the bathroom door, rushing into my room in search of any evidence.
I'm about to open the door for Zain when I notice Maddox's shirt. I sprint to throw it under the bed covers. By the time I open the door, I am out of breath.
A broad chest encased in a white polo greets me. I move my gaze up and notice the blue orbs staring me down.
"Sorry, I was in the shower," I say out of breath from all the running.
Maddox gave me an explanation. Better to look like someone who got taken off guard, flushed by the sudden intrusion, rather than someone who experienced an unforgivable, sinful high.
Zain eyes me down, making me aware of how exposed I am to him.
Dejavú. With Maddox, I felt comfortable. It did not phase me when he saw me in this state. With Zain, I can't help feeling like my skin is the main attraction. His gaze is severe. There is some self-consciousness. I grip my towel.
He clears his throat. "I am sorry. I did not know."
"How would you?" I snap, then quickly give a smile.
The adrenaline continues from the fact that only a few feet away Maddox remains, listening in.
"I mean I could not hear the shower running," he eyes the room through the open door, scans it, and stops at the closed bathroom door.
"Is eavesdropping something I should expect?"
"No, but I would not bother you in your state had I known," his eyes travel down my body again.
I grab my towel closer to my chest. He leans against the door frame. "It's weird. Why could I not hear it till now?"
"I spelled the room. You won't be able to hear anything from this room unless the door is open. I like my privacy. I am entitled to it, aren't I?"
"Yes, you are. May I ask what exactly you would not want me to hear?"
"I barely know you or the area. I have people to protect. If I wish to disclose something to you, then I will personally tell you. Eventually, the need to spell the room would no longer be needed once I trust you. But, until that day, I will protect my matters and any private secrets of my masters," I say in a matter-of-fact tone.
The hypocrisy of earning my trust when I have already dis-earned his is on thick. I try not to let the guilt get to me.
"I understand. Do as you wish."
We stay at the door in silence. The tension increases.
"So can I help you with something? As you can see, I'm a little under-dress."
He gets off the door frame and straightens. His attention snags on my figure. I don't read into it. "Um, yes, I was hoping you would go for a walk with me. I wanted to have a chat before dinner. Maybe show you around," he proposes.
I did not want to prolong this situation any longer. I quickly answer. "Give me five minutes. I'll throw on a dress or something. Meet you downstairs."
"We can walk down together. I will wait out here."
I nod, slowly closing the door.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I go to my luggage and take out my clothes. Maddox opens the restroom door drenched.
His white shaggy hair glistened with the water drops. He shakes them off with those beautiful fingers of his. His hair looks effortlessly flawless, a walking thirst trap.
He wants to speak but I raise my hand to stop him. I get an herb out of my bag and light it, fortifying the spell from earlier. Once I am ensured that Zain won't hear anything, I allow Maddox to speak while I look for a dress. "Go back out. Tell him no."
"And what would be my reason." I grab a short blue floral dress.
"Jet lag, feeling under the weather, call off the engagement, say anything." He gives suggestions but his tone calls for no argument.
I roll my eyes. I make my way to the bathroom after grabbing my undergarments. Maddox has seen my body but something about changing in front of him is too intimate.
I change into my clothes, look in the mirror, and simply let my wet hair down. I walk back to the room for my shoes.
"It's one thing to talk to him but do you need to dress up for him." He scowls.
I scoff, "This is a plain Sunday dress."
"What about the shoes you are about to put on?"
"They go with my outfit. I need white shoes and the wedges give me height."
He rolls his eyes. I don't want to make Zain suspicious. "Look, I must go. I can't change things with Zain so fast. Where would that leave Marisa?"
"She did not seem to care about your feelings when she threw you with the dogs."
I don't let that sink in. That's a conversation for another time with her.
"I won't put her in the same situation. Plus, you should listen to her. She is not wrong. Her marriage with Zain won't work. You will be pissing off the vampires and overwhelming the werewolves."
"So, you are going through with it, despite what happened moments ago."
I sigh loudly. "No—yes—dam it, I don't know. We still need to talk. For now, let's not burn bridges and keep up with this facade."
He stays quiet. I walk to the door and incline my head toward the restroom. He does not protest and goes back in there. I open the room door.
Zain does not seem bothered. I walk out, closing the room door firmly behind me. Maddox can sneak out once we are far from hearing distance. Werewolves have a strong ear too.
I turned to look at Zain who was leaning against the wall. "I'm sorry if I took too long."
He gets off the wall and gets closer to me. "Don't be. It was worth it."
A subtle heat pinks my cheeks. I keep quiet and walk with him at my side. We exit the estate and I'm able to see my people at the front.
They acknowledge me but avert their gaze when they see Zain. A reminder that I'm with the enemy. We walk quietly on a gravel path. "You and your brother seem young to lead a coven.
"We were younger when we got the position."
He raises an eyebrow, a question. I do not see the harm in elaborating. "We were four when our parents died. We had this position since then."
Something like wonder, admiration almost, is visible in his eyes. Yet, I do not know him well enough to guarantee.
I observe the path in front of us. The scenery is amazing. The brick houses take nothing away from the beauty and tranquility. Grand extraordinary houses in the center of forestry openness. Every building is a different color. Slight jealousy creeps out that he gets to have this as a home.
"How old are you again?"
"Will that change something?"
"No, but I want to make sure I am not marrying a child."
I scoffed, looking down at my figure. "Do I look like one?" I raise my eyebrow.
He quickly replies, "definitely not but still."
I nod, attempting to hide a smile. "I'm twenty-three. What about you?"
He looks no older than 30. Regardless, with that body and his werewolf genes, he could probably be in his forties and look good.
"Practically a baby," he teases.
I laugh slightly. "Does that mean you're ancient?"
He chuckles. Something about his laugh makes me feel lighter. "Is twenty-eight ancient?"
"Stone age."
He laughs. It is warm. The way his enthusiasm meets his eyes, makes me want to mimic the cheerfulness.
"There is hardly an age difference. It should not be a problem." I hide my laughter.
He agrees. "No, it shouldn't."
We continue to walk and the gravel gets inside my shoe. I almost trip. Zain's large hand instantly lands on my bicep and keeps me upright.
"I got you." He allows me to lean into his arm as I take the tiny rocks out.
I place my foot down and continue walking. His hand lingers on my arm for a few seconds longer until he realizes I am no longer a fall risk. When my arm is about to rest back to my side, he pulls at my wrist.
He narrows on my wrist. The bite mark I gave myself from withholding from screaming my brains out in dirty pleasure is barely fading.
How do I explain this part?
"I wanted to see if all this was true." I avoid eye contact.
"So, you bit yourself?"
Great. I probably sound like a psycho. "Yep, and it hurt which means that everything that went down happened. I am engaged."
"I heard about pinching oneself, not biting. You're amusing." He still held my wrist. He rubs his thumb across my bite mark. He gently circles it.
I open my mouth, then close it. I fight the urge to shiver.
"Next time, call me. I can think of other ways to show you that things are a reality that doesn't involve bite marks. Unless that is your preference. Then, either way, I will be happy to oblige."
I gape at him. He offered to bite me. No, he offered to do things with me.
Reminds me of how Maddox proved that we were living in the moment, how his fingers slid into me. Another shiver ran down my back at the memory. I can feel myself heat up.
I dismiss the thoughts. Zain's blue orbs become midnight. I attempt to move my wrist from his grip but instead, he pulls me forward.
He walks quickly. I hopelessly trail behind. We enter what seems to be an empty green room. It has a fresh scent. Despite the window panels, there is a sense of privacy built with all the plants around.
He stops walking and grabs me by the waits. A squeal leaves my lips as he plops me right on top of an empty counter.
"Zain what," I stop as he nudges his way in between my legs.