Stoking the Fire (Salus Security #1) - Teodora Kostova Page 0,9

eyes frantic as they scan my body.

“Zach! Are you all right?”

My eyes focus on his familiar face, and relief washes over me, making me lightheaded. “I’m fine. It’s nothing.” My voice sounds far away, but I manage to keep it steady.

Satisfied with my answer, Alec whirls on Patrick.

“Alec, no,” I manage before Alec slams his palm against the cubicle wall, right next to Patrick’s head. The sound echoes around us like a gunshot.

Patrick’s eyes widen, and he opens his mouth to say something undoubtedly stupid. Before he has a chance, Alec bunches his designer shirt in his fist and slams him against the door.

“You fucking bastard,” he growls.

“Get your hands off me!” Patrick yells, finding his voice.

Alec releases him, pushing him back against the door again. “Get out of here before I smash your fucking face in.”

Patrick straightens his clothes, then aims an enraged glare at Alec.

“Do you fucking know who I am? You’ll be sorry for this, motherfucker.”

I groan. The guy has absolutely no self-preservation skills.

Alec takes a step toward him, and to his credit, Patrick doesn’t flinch. “I don’t give a fuck what your last name is.” He points at Patrick’s chest. “You yourself are nothing.”

Indignation rises in Patrick’s eyes as he jerks his chin stubbornly. “We’ll see about that.” Aiming one last glare at me, he stomps out of the bathroom.

“Fuck,” I say, the word more like an exhale that a curse.

Alec walks back over to me, placing his hands on my shoulders. “Are you sure you’re all right?” There’s concern in his eyes but also something else, something darker.

“Alec, nothing happened,” I say, suddenly panicking that he may think I was cheating on him. “He kissed me. I didn’t want it. I swear.”

Alec’s eyes widen. “Jesus, Zach! Is that what’s bothering you?” I shrug. He pulls me into a hug. “I know, baby. I saw.” He pulls back, holding my arms as he looks at me with intensity I’ve never seen in his eyes before. “Even if you had kissed him back, it’s your call. We haven’t talked about being exclusive.”

My stomach bottoms out just thinking about Alec with someone else.

“Let’s talk about it now,” I say, emanating more confidence than I feel. Alec’s eyes soften, and the corners of his mouth lift into a gentle smile. “I wasn’t kidding before. I want you to be my boyfriend, and I don’t want you fucking anyone else.”

“I haven’t,” he says. “Fucked anyone else,” he adds quickly.

“Me neither.”

His smile widens, and he pulls me closer. I wrap my arms around his waist, laying my head on his chest. His scent envelops me like an invisible, protective layer, making me feel not only safe and wanted, but also worth fighting for.

Chapter five

I know I should be studying, not lazing in bed, but Alec is lying next to me, warm and cuddly, and I don’t want to get up. Not yet.

I stir until I’m snuggled against him, his arms tightening around me. He always seems to know instinctively when to hold me tight and when to give me space.

“Mornin’,” he says, kissing the top of my head. I mumble a reply, nuzzling his neck. “Your phone’s been vibrating in your pocket pretty much non-stop for like an hour,” he adds.

I groan. I really don’t want to deal with it right now. But the part of me that needs to know what’s going on rears its ugly head. With a heavy sigh, I untangle myself from Alec’s embrace and lean over the bed to take my phone out of my discarded jeans.

I have several missed calls, texts and notifications. None of them seem important so I scroll through the texts and make a mental note to reply later. My notifications, however, are out of control. Again. I can see comments, likes, and tags on photos, and a quick scroll tells me some of my friends have posted pictures of Alec and me. In one we’re dancing, staring into each other’s eyes. In another Alec’s holding me, his body so much bigger than mine that I’m entirely enveloped in it.

And then there’s one where we’re kissing on the dance floor, our arms around each other, completely lost to the outside world.

“Everything okay?” Alec asks, his palm warm against my lower back.

I turn the screen off and lay back down, my heartbeat racing. I’m not sure if he wants his photo plastered all over social media, and my friends posted the pictures without our consent. I can text them to remove them immediately,