“One more,” Felix leveled her with a sharp look. “No fraternizing with the housemates…sexually. We’re all stuck together, and that could only ever end in misery for all of us.”

For the first time, I saw Savannah’s backbone. She squared her shoulders, refusing to back down. “You can’t be serious.” She shot a quick glance around the room, briefly catching my eye as if to ask me, did you tell him? “You can’t seriously think you can tell me what to do.”

Felix darted over to her, taking Savannah’s chin into his hand in a possessive way I had never seen before. His voice was deadly quiet. “From this point on. No. Fucking. Fraternizing. Are we clear?”

“Crystal,” Savannah spat, still shooting daggers.

I watched their interaction, a long-dormant fire alighting deep inside my core. I didn’t even care it was happening with Felix, not me, because I was so captivated. Savannah wasn’t afraid–of anything–and that was sexy as hell. A new fact to add to my mental notebook. Savannah was the prettiest woman I had ever seen, and I had never wanted someone as badly as I wanted her.

7. Savannah

Fuck Felix and his fucking rules.
Who did he think he was?
I had been in the house for less than a day, and already I wanted to punch him square in the face. I had stormed out of the living room not long after that moment between us. One of us had to break first, but I couldn’t look into those dark eyes any longer. I had a feeling if I stared too long, they would drown me.

No fucking fraternizing. I scoffed, running my hand along the smooth banister in the foyer. Who even said fraternizing anymore? People from fucking 1907, that’s who. The stairs, which took up most of the room, were elegant and curved, covered in a deep green carpet. A delicate white pattern traced its way from riser to riser. I assumed the bedrooms were upstairs. Not like I cared, having no plans on fraternizing with any of the men in the house.

You fucked Theo, my traitorous brain reminded me. But our fraternizing had been pure survival instincts. A need for comfort and companionship. Nothing more. I closed my eyes and sighed, hesitating on the bottom step and wondering how the hell I had wound up here. This was supposed to be my big break, my chance at a fresh start in life. Something new to focus on. At least the house was pretty–everything I had imagined it would be. Then my eyes landed on a door I hadn’t noticed before, to the left of the dining room, nearly hidden by the sweeping staircase. A bathroom maybe?