14. Levy

Chapter fourteen

Levy

I might be developing a small obsession with the pretty blond woman in our house. Last night had been a fantasy come to life. I didn't even think Anders planned for it to happen. He'd been tormenting me, like he normally did, edging me right to the brink, then leaving me aching, over and over. I had been so hazy when she'd walked in, all I could think was that if she touched me, even so much as brushed her hand across my leg, I might just explode from need. Anders knew this, I was sure, it was why he kept teasing her, riling her up, and making that blush spread across those gorgeous cheeks. I thought maybe he'd just talk with her, leaving me silent and aching as she stood just out of reach, unaware of my presence.

He must've been in a good mood last night, giving me a reward like that. He hadn't lied to her, either. The moment that slick pussy had touched my chest, I knew I would come without him lifting a finger. She'd been so hesitant at first, so sweet, but I'd watched the fire kindle in her eyes, the boldness her lust had given her. I'd give anything to have her tie me up and ride my face like she'd ridden her own fingers. Just the thought of it had my dick painfully hard all over again. Anders had had a terrifying gleam in his eyes after she left. That look always meant some new form of sadistic torture was in store for me.

So why did I crave that look so badly?

He was right, I was a pervert. I mean, what kind of asshole snuck into a woman's bedroom while she was sleeping and watched her while thinking about her riding his face?

Me, I did that. After a couple of hours of sleep, I'd gotten up and snuck down the hall, peering inside Jesse's room. Grace had been asleep, her golden hair fanned out around her face like a halo. All I could think about was how gorgeous she looked as she came apart on top of me, and how much I wanted her to do it again, and again.

I was still in her room, over an hour later, just watching her as she laid in bed. Grace was a restless sleeper and moved around a lot, kicking the sheets off until she was completely uncovered. I didn't realize I was moving closer until my legs hit the side of the bed, and her head moved as she made a little sound in her throat. Fuck, I wanted to touch her so badly, my hands ached with the need. Grace rolled onto her back with a sigh, her legs falling open and her shirt riding up, nearly exposing herself to me.

I bit back a groan, pressing down on my erection to try and ease the pain that was building. I couldn't touch her, I wouldn't. She let out a soft moan, and I fisted my cock over my clothes, willing myself to walk away. My gaze traveled up her perfect legs, imaging what I would see if her shirt rode up just one inch more. Would she be disgusted if she caught me touching myself over her sleeping figure? Or would her cheeks flush that beautiful shade of pink, like they had when she'd stared at my cock last night? Her lips parting in surprise, her tongue darting out to lick her lips as she watched…

Fuck! I stopped myself before I nearly came in my pants, my head spinning from the daydream. I'm sick, goddamn sick . I needed to get out of here. I turned, and my foot caught on an errant water bottle lying on the floor, and it hit the wall with a metallic thud. I cursed softly and quickly glanced over to see Grace, her eyes blinking open as she looked around the room. I held my breath, guilt washing over me, until she gave a faint smile.

"Levy?" she called out, rising up on her elbows.

"It's me," I murmured, walking back toward the bed. "Sorry for waking you." She rubbed her eyes and sat up, yawning.

"It's okay, what are you doing here?" she asked, one eyebrow lifting at the question. A wave of that euphoric calm rolled over me, and I felt myself flickering into view.

"I was watching you sleep." The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them, cringing and dropping my gaze to the floor.

"Why?" Grace asked, but she sounded more curious than mad.

"Because you're beautiful," I replied, glancing up in time to see her face turn pink as she tucked her hair behind her ear. She glanced at her lap and quickly pulled her shirt down to cover herself. "I didn't touch you, I swear!" I told her quickly, raising my hands. "I wouldn't, not without your permission, I promise." I'd chop my own hands off first before I betrayed her trust like that.

Grace nodded slowly, smoothing down her shirt absently. "I believe you," she said, giving me a gentle smile. I rubbed my hand over my short hair, shuffling my feet anxiously. Another wave of blissful calm washed over me, and I closed my eyes, sighing softly.

"Is that something you like to do?" she prompted me, and I nodded, hunching my shoulders.

"Yes," I told her honestly, keeping my eyes downcast. My kinks, as Anders called them, were one of the many things I could probably trace back to my past, if I bothered to explore that. For now, I was just willing to indulge Anders's curiosity, especially when it meant my own needs were being met. He was cruel and cold, but also wanted to help, in his own twisted way.

"I've never had sex," Grace blurted out suddenly, startling me. Her hands were twisting in her lap as if she was the one who was embarrassed, even though I'd just confessed to wanting to touch her while she was asleep. "There was never… I never had the opportunity before. To talk to anyone, or even date. I don't know how to do any of…" She waved her hand at me, vaguely. "This. Last night was the first time… I mean, with other people around, at least… ugh. Fuck!" She grabbed Jesse's pillow and slammed it over her face, falling back onto the bed.

"Are you okay?" I asked tentatively, sitting down on the bed next to her.

"I'm just going to lie here until I die of embarrassment, if that's alright with you," she mumbled through the pillow, making me laugh.

"Why don't we call it even then?" I offered gently, and she pulled the pillow off her face, scrunching her nose at me as she frowned.

"I walked in on a consensual sex act, that's not embarrassing," she told me, and I felt my face warm under her gentle gaze.

"Being inexperienced isn't embarrassing either," I replied. "So why don't we go and have some breakfast? You must be starving." I held out my hand to her gently, grinning when she didn't flinch away from me. The smile she gave me nearly melted my heart as she took my hand, letting me pull her up and off the bed.

I walked her downstairs, flickering out of view as we approached the sound of voices coming from the dining room. Erik and Anders were snarling at each other as usual, with Jesse in the middle, trying to follow a conversation that was only half-signed at this point.

"We'll go tonight, and I'll fucking handle it," Erik snapped, making Anders roll his eyes. They both looked up when Grace walked in, and her footsteps slowed as they stopped talking.

"Sorry, I can come back later if you're discussing something private," she said hurriedly, bumping into me when she tried to back out of the room. I caught her around the waist, holding her steady while Erik and Anders both stood up.

"No, it's fine, come and take a seat," Erik told her quickly. I let her go so she could walk over and sit down in the new chair that had appeared beside Erik's overnight. Anders waited for her to sit and then disappeared into the kitchen, clearly up to something. I went to my usual spot at the end of the table, listening to the telltale sounds of breakfast coming from the next room.

Grace startled when Margot, our housekeeper, bustled in, carrying a carafe of coffee and muttering about spoiled little brats. She stopped muttering when she spotted Grace, and her eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning. "Well, good morning love! It's nice to see a fresh face around here." She beamed, and Grace smiled, her hands fidgeting nervously in her lap. "This explains what that impertinent little shit was muttering about then," she mused, walking around the table and pouring everyone coffee. "You are just a slip of a thing, aren't you?"

I muffled a laugh behind my hand as Grace stammered, unsure of what to say. Anders stalked back in, carrying a plate laden with food, which he placed in front of Grace. "Eat up," he ordered, before returning to his seat.

"I… uh." She stared down at the plate covered in food. "This is way too much," she told him, her eyes wide.

"Finish your plate, and I'll order you some actual clothes," Anders replied sharply. Margot walked behind him and cuffed him sharply on the back of the head with her free hand.

"Who taught you how to talk to a lady? It certainly wasn't me!" she snapped at him, and Anders rubbed the back of his head, glowering at the floor. Margot huffed and bustled back out to the kitchen, while Grace stared hard at her plate, struggling not to laugh. She only touched her food once everyone else had filled their plates as well, eyeing the mountain of eggs and bacon like her own personal Everest.

Jesse waved at her, grabbing her attention. "How did you sleep?" he signed, and Erik translated for her. Grace blushed and Anders smirked, the prick.

"Good," she squeaked, giving him a thumbs up. "Thank you for letting me sleep in your room. I'm sorry I put you out." She looked at Erik, who signed for her. Jesse shrugged, flashing her his devastating smile. He was so effortlessly charming, it was almost unfair. If he wasn't so damn nice, I might've considered hating him.

"Eat," Anders reminded her sharply, and she shot him an irritated glance, eyeing his own much smaller plate.

"So, uh, we have to go out for a bit today," Erik announced, pulling her attention back. "Will you be okay to stay here by yourself for a while?" I noticed her shoulders fell just a fraction, but she nodded, looking down at her plate to mask her disappointment.

"Of course," she replied, picking at her food.

"This would be the perfect chance to use her," Anders stated, and Erik shot him a glare.

"Use me for what?" Grace asked cautiously, and both men tried to answer at the same time.

"We need to check on a problem at one of our warehouses-"

"There's a rat in our company, we need to know who so we can kill them."

Erik slammed his fist down on the table, his lip curling as he glared at Anders. "Jesus, man, really?" he snapped, and Anders shrugged, sipping his coffee.

"I can help," Grace offered in a soft voice, trying to diffuse the situation. "I did it all the time for my brother. I don't mind, honestly."

Erik opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, trying to find an argument that would help him win. But in this case, this was actually the best idea. It beat torturing the answers out of people, at least.

"You'll need some actual clothes then," Anders announced, standing up abruptly. "Come on, let's go," he signed at Jesse. "Levy, make sure she finishes her breakfast," he told me, his voice full of warning. Jesse frowned and finished his coffee quickly, standing and following Anders out of the dining room.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have gotten in the middle of that, should I?" Grace sighed, her hands dropping to her lap.

"I just—I didn't want to get you involved. It's not the nicest job," Erik explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "But I don't mind you joining us, you make better company than Anders, at least." He smirked.

Grace smiled wanly, reaching for her coffee. "It's really okay, I'm used to it by now," she reminded him softly. She'd grown up in this life, just like we had, and we kept forgetting that.

It took some coaxing, but Grace finished her plate of food, and even Erik looked victorious when she finally set her fork down. He drained his coffee in one shot and stood, smirking. "Alright, I need to get some work done. Just shout if you need anything," he told Grace.

Grace grabbed his wrist, stopping him before he could walk away. "Do you- is there…" She dropped his arm when his eyebrows shot up. "Do you have a spare toothbrush I could use?" she asked softly, looking embarrassed.

"Oh, of course." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Of course! Levy, we've got extra toothbrushes around here, right?" he asked me abruptly. "Absolutely, we'll get you a toothbrush. Anything you need, alright? Just ask."

"Anything, really?" I didn't know which one of us was more surprised by her teasing tone, but it suited her, as did the coy smile playing on her lips.

"Anything you want, Angel." Erik grinned, leaning over her with his hand on the back of her chair. I caught the hitch of her breath as she tilted her head to meet his gaze, the flush spreading over her cheeks and down her neck. "You say the word, and I'll get you the moon. If that's not enough, I'll grab some of the stars too for good measure." Grace's chin lifted, her lips parting as he lowered his lips to her ear, whispering something that made her gasp, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Erik's charm was addictive, the sensual draw of his attention a direct rival of Anders's raw magnetic pull. He could win over the coldest hearts with a smile and a few careful words, and soon enough they'd be tripping over themselves just to earn one of his cocky grins. The evidence spoke for itself, because as much as Anders and him butted heads, at the end of the day we never doubted his loyalty to Erik. His word was binding, and his attention felt like coming home.

Erik finally released Grace from his spell, his knuckles brushing along her jaw as he stood and headed to his office. I stood too and rounded the table to Grace's side, clearing my throat before I touched her shoulder so I wouldn't startle her. She smiled up at me, and warmth flooded the room, letting me flicker back into view.

"I've got a spare toothbrush in my bathroom that you can use. You can shower in there too, if you like," I offered, and she nodded quickly, following me back up the stairs. I led her into my room, through to the bathroom I shared with Anders. It wasn't anything fancy, but there was a tub big enough for me to stretch out comfortably, as well as a shower. I ducked under the sink and found a toothbrush still wrapped in its packaging, handing it over as she hovered next to me.

"Take as long as you need, I'll be in my room if you need anything," I told her softly, leaving her to get cleaned up. I settled on my bed as I heard the water turn on, dropping my head on my pillow and closing my eyes. I tried not to think about the beautiful woman showering on the other side of the door, but I couldn't help myself, imagining her nipples pebbling as the water cascaded down her skin, her hands roaming her body, touching herself-

A soft knock on the door had me nearly jumping out of my skin. "Yeah?" I called, quickly adjusting myself.

Erik popped his head in, eyes widening in surprise when he saw me—actually saw me—on the bed. I turned to the bathroom, the water was still running, so I couldn't have been daydreaming that long.

"I brought her another shirt," he announced, holding up a charcoal button-down that I'd seen him wear on several occasions. "Anders said he was grabbing her some clothes, but Jesse texted that they stopped at some fucking leather store, so god knows what the hell he's bringing home." I laughed and he stepped inside, coming to sit next to me on the bed. I'd known Erik since we were teens, so I always felt comfortable around him. He'd been there through the worst for me, and he'd been the one who had picked up the pieces and tried gluing them back together.

"Speaking of our resident weirdo," he murmured, dropping his voice low and glancing at the bathroom. "Is he… behaving around Grace?" I felt my cheeks heat up, and I dropped my gaze to the bed, picking at a loose thread as the words stuck in my throat. Erik groaned, needing no further elaboration. He knew enough about what Anders liked to get up to.

"She's… inexperienced," I whispered, glancing back at him, raising my eyebrows for emphasis. He shot a quick look at the door, his eyes wide.

"Well fuck, that's not—fuck. I guess, I shouldn't be surprised," he muttered, rubbing his hand over his face. "Fucking Douglas." He grimaced, shaking his head. I agreed with him on that sentiment. I heard the water turn off, and Erik sat up straighter when the door handle jiggled, and Grace poked her head out tentatively. She stepped out with only a towel wrapped around her, and I swore I heard one of Erik's teeth crack as he clenched his jaw. It was impossible not to stare at her, even though we knew we shouldn't.

"Hey, thought you might need this," Erik announced a little too loudly, jumping off the bed and holding out the shirt to her.

"Thank you," Grace smiled, reaching for it. I couldn't be sure, because Erik insisted his abilities weren't one hundred percent under his control but, by some stroke of luck, her hold on the towel slipped, and it landed at her feet with a soft thud.

Grace yelped as Erik pressed the shirt to her chest, trying to cover her up while unsuccessfully averting his eyes. "Shit! Hold on." He dropped to his knees as she clutched the shirt to her chest, grabbing for the towel, leaving him face to face with her, well…

"Oh my god, just leave it," Grace mumbled, covering her face with her hand. Erik was frozen, the towel clutched in his fingers, his eyes traveling up the length of her legs. She turned around, flashing us a view of her perky little ass before she disappeared back into the bathroom and slammed the door.

"Well, that could've gone worse," Erik mused.