1.23

"You really don't remember anything?" Lex asked, for the third time.

"No," I blushed, sinking deeper into the bed, eyeing the platter of baked goods on the tray a servant had brought, interrupting the stranger's mental breakdown.

We were in the Li Manor, which was large and swarming with Li clan members, all of which moved so silently if it weren't for System I'd have thought we were alone.

In a brief moment, my eye caught his gaze, "Luna, what did your System say about me?"

My blush deepened, "w-we know each other, before, before," I bit my lip, unable to say that I had died out loud. As if keeping my mouth shut denied the fact that I had an entire life that I did not know of, a life he knew.

Still sitting on the floor, I noticed he moved, ever so slightly, just so I was within his reach.

"Luna, did it tell you who I was to you?" His voice was so gentle and soft, so unlike the arrogant, dominant men that had surrounded me since I'd woken up in this damned life.

I gulped. Don't cave.

"Yes."

He rose up, so he was on his knees, his hands cupping my face, "I found you so soon, yet you've been suffering here alone without me, I'm sorry my love."

Suffering because of the person who used to use the body you're in. Did he know that?

I found it impossible to meet his gaze.

"Stay here in the Li Manor, right now you're a sitting duck, we need to find the caster of the mark on your back."

At the mention of the mark I found the strength to look at him, "can you get rid of it?"

The idea of death by haunting was not appealing, especially after I realised just how powerless I was against them in the car the night before.

I was lucky that the ghost had an attachment to the owner of this body, though I was curious how he managed to resist the mark. Likely because in reality, he was somehow linked to Wang Lei, who was now possessed by Lex. He should have been under Lex's control.

"Yes, with the death or the blood of the caster it will end," his thumb stroked my cheek, "this body has some allies I will reach out to, meanwhile let's work on some self-defense yeah?"

My eyes shone with excitement at the mention of something I could do. I had not traded one jail for another.

***

"Don't be scared to play dirty," Lex chuckled as I lay breathless on the gym mat.

"What if I really hurt you though," I rolled over to my front, pushing myself back up to stand, every inch of my body aching.

"No need to be so concerned," he reached for my ponytail, gripping it tightly.

Ignoring the burning pain in my scalp I turned with my whole body, raising my palm to strike at his chin, tilting his head back. Pulling my arm back swiftly, my leg raised, my foot landing right at his groin as I kicked to create a distance.

His grip loosened instantly, as I tried to hide my smug smirk, "dirty enough for you?"

He nodded, slightly bent forward, "good job you weren't using your System for that one, I'm quite partial to that part of my new body."

Realising what he meant I turned my head away to hide my blush.

I'd spent six weeks in the Li manor learning basic self-defense techniques from Lex. The cold winter had ended and spring was blossoming.

Zhiyue's body was small and weak, but it was also flexible and quick. Lex had mainly focused on teaching me to disengage from an attack, so I could flee.

Useless against ghosts, but handy for the living assassins who now had a picture of my face, along with an attractive price to it.

Someone really, really, wanted me dead, again and they were no longer just relying on my mark to end me now I'd lived this long.

I pulled the bobble out of my hair, ruffling it and trying to soothe my still-burning scalp.

"Was I too rough?" he asked, his hands pushed the hair out of my face, then cupped both cheeks, tilting my head back to look up at him.

This time I couldn't hide my rosy cheeks.

There it was again, this tension. It irritated me beyond compare. I did not want to feel anything.

Jianyu was a bastard who was tricking me. Lixin clearly had some grudge to settle with me. The more and more I interacted with Lex, the more I came up with the assumption I must have betrayed him for this person.

"Small price to pay," I gulped loudly, as his eyes had a light behind them I'd not noticed before.

Suddenly his face pulled close, too close, then his lips covered mine and my knees went weak.

"Lex," I practically whispered, even more breathless than when he was throwing me around the mat.

His hands were now roaming around my body, exploring every inch.

"Lex," my trembling hands gripped onto his t-shirt at his chest, his lips wandering down to my neck, nibbling between kisses.

I groaned, torn, my body was reacting, but my mind was resisting.

"Stop, please," my voice sounded clearer, yet he acted as if I hadn't said a word. His hands slithered up under my t-shirt, resting on the bare skin of my back.

"Luna," his voice was hoarse, heavy with need, "I can't take it anymore."

Why was that my problem?

"N-not now," I evaded, trying to pass the problem on to another day. "I'm still married, and this is wrong, it's all wrong."

His nails dug into my back, pulling me closer to his body. The sharp, sudden, but brief pain confused my brain, making my thighs clench tightly together.

Just what was this fatal connection? Why was it that each time our skin connected my heart fluttered and the birds sang? I hated it.

"Fuck," I cursed, trying to find my ressolve, "Lex, I want a shower, we're all sweaty and-"

He shut me up with a kiss, then finally pulled away.

"Good idea," he winked, I let out a heavy sigh of relief.

My centre of gravity suddenly shifted, making me let out an embarrassing squeal as I was flung over his shoulders, ass up in the air.

He carried me all the way to the gym showers, then turned on the shower. The cold water hitting my sticky, hot skin made me scream even louder, "Lex, you need the cold shower, not me."

He laughed, "are you sure about that?" Then set me down carefully, then ran his hand through his short black curls, letting the water hit his face.

No, I really wasn't sure about that, and that was what scared me the most.