Page 30 of Death By Chocolate

The clinic nurse, the blonde from before, approaches with two capsules in a cup. “Pain medication for Dani.”

I wave her off automatically. "She won't take them. Staying clear-minded at all..." I trail off, remembering Dani's stories about being drugged, about learning to stay alert even through pain because sleep meant vulnerability.

The irony isn't lost on me – here I am, protecting her right to choose what goes into her body in one breath while violating that same right in the next. But the threat is real. Rhys's slip this morning confirmed it. Someone's coming for her, and I'll be damned if I lose her because I respected her boundaries more than I valued her life.

“You sure?” she pouts, her eyes fielding my interest. “I know these will make her feel good.”

Even Youric rolls his eyes. “You can go now.”

She leaves, the compressed lips communicating she’s not happy with either of us. Alone once more my big brother lays on the guilt.

"I get why you're doing this," Youric says quietly. "But X, if you love her – really love her – you have to trust her to fight this battle beside you.”

"Like Oscar trusted her?" The words come out ugly, brutal. "Like Rhys and his friends are trusting her now?"

Youric's face hardens. "Don't. Don't you dare use what happened to her as justification for—"

The soft click of the exam room door closing behind us cuts him off. We both freeze, but there's no sound of footsteps, no indication of whether Dani's standing inside or has already retreated. Just that quiet, final sound – like a heart-stopping, like trust shattering.

I turn slowly, not knowing what I’ll find. The hallway is empty, the exam room door firmly closed. No glimpse of Dani's face, no one to explain or defend myself to. Just the silent accusation of that closed door – a barrier between us or a wall I've built with my own hands.

Youric's hand lands on my shoulder, squeezing once. “I don’t know. Still think she'll understand the game, little brother?"

I shrug him off, staring at the closed door. And somewhere behind that door, the woman I love may be thinking that I'm just another man who thought he had the right to control her body.

But she'll be alive to hate me. I turn, heading where I last saw Dani, ready to rip off the Band-Aid and get the answer.

15

DANI

FOOLISH HEART HEED MY WARNING

Add more setting details that match Dani's mood. Xeno should notice that's she distracted, give more hints to what she notices about him.

I’m questioning the dichotomy of Xeno Voss. Is the man who won my heart, my protector or betrayer? Can he be both?

The real question is, do I want to know? The New Orleans-style feast before me should be a comfort. Steam rises from the perfectly seasoned dish, carrying the scent of home that now feels like another betrayal. Each bite of crawfish étouffée sits heavy on my tongue, tainted by the sour taste of suspicion. Xeno's earlier confrontation with Rhys plays on repeat in my mind, but it's the fragments of overheard conversation with his brother that truly curdle my appetite.

"You okay, Chocolate?” Xeno's voice cuts through my brooding. The crystal waterfall chandelier above cast shadows across his face, highlighting the sharp angles that once made my heart race but now seem to hide darker intentions. His dark eyes, usually a source of warmth, now feel like they're hiding secrets in their depths. "You've barely touched your food."

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city lights flicker like dying stars, matching my fading trust. A police siren wails in the distance—a fitting soundtrack to my unraveling world. I force a smile, hating how easily it comes. "Just savoring it. It's been a while since I've had a taste of home."

My parents’ faces and that of my sister Fleur flash in my mind. He reaches across the table, a new addition he purchased for my place, his large hand engulfing mine. The touch that once set my skin ablaze now leaves me cold. His calluses catch against my skin—hands that have killed, hands that have protected me, hands that might now be orchestrating my downfall

“That shit this morning. With Rhys. I know I overstepped."

You have no idea. That’s forgotten, I’m remembering the heated exchange between the brothers.She understands how the game is played. I know how to handle Dani.Xeno’s words swirl in my head, a toxic cocktail of betrayal.

"I get it,” I do, squeezing his hand. “You’re looking out for me, right?”

“Always, ma cherie,” His smile is genuine, relieved. It makes what I have to do even harder. A drop of condensation slides down the old-fashioned glass, the Sazerac inside, a New Orleans iconic among cocktails untouched since we sat down—he's on edge too, though he hides it well. He lifts my hand, pulling me to my feet. “Come, I’ve been dying to fuck you all day.”

Our bodies come together with a desperate intensity. Xeno lavishes his attention on my breasts, sucking my nipples deep into his mouth. Pulling a moan of pleasure from me. His tongue is a weapon that he uses to lick a wet trail from my aching mounds, my quivering belly, to my throbbing pussy. He slides his wicked tongue between my folds. Working until my clit is between his teeth and I’m on the verge of orgasm. I curse when he withdraws.

“X,” I protest.

“I got you, Dani.” Not for much longer. He doesn’t know that. I won’t allow him that power. He flips me over onto my stomach and then slams into my pussy, riding me at a relentless pace. Fuck, I can’t get enough of you. Want you always.”

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