Chapter 22 #2
With a snap of his fingers, the world came back to them. The sound of helicopters filled the air, and around them, people resumed gathering and leaving in formation.
“As I said…” Kylix frowned. His mouth clamped shut, only to open a little, in surprise this time. “I don’t remember.”
“It doesn’t matter.” In an unexpected wave of boldness, Ryneth winked at the Imperial as he grabbed Daven by the shoulders. “Come on, baby. Let’s go home.”
“Wait, I—did you just call me baby?” Daven hesitated just long enough for Ryneth to pull him away from his cousin and toward the waiting hover car.
“Trust me this once.”
“I trust you always.”
“That’s a good boy.”
Daven’s eyes widened and he let himself be pushed inside the car. “What’s gotten into you? I think I like it.”
Ryneth snorted. “Yeah, well, don’t expect much of it.”
But that wasn’t true. He liked it too.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re making fun of me?” Daven complained as they settled into the car for the ride home.
Ryneth just smiled out the window.
Daven grabbed his thigh and squeezed. “My head still feels weird, you know? Like—” He chuckled to himself, but the sound came out tight. “Anyway, let’s grab some fries. The answer to everything.”
Yes, it is, Ryneth thought with a smirk. “Good idea.”
They grabbed take-away and headed back to the penthouse.
Neither of them said much on the ride up, and by the time the city dropped away beneath them, the edge of the hospital grounds still clung to Ryneth like cold metal.
“Go and get comfortable outside, baby. I’ll meet you right there.”
While Daven grabbed drinks and plates, Ryneth pulled out two chairs.
It was getting dark as they sat outside and had their dinner in silence, gazing at the stars.
Now that the amusement with Daven had faded, Ryneth’s thoughts spiraled back to what they’d discovered.
Knowing Concordant was physically so close made his hands tremble. Static flooded his veins, unable to escape, leaving him on edge and ready to snap.
Daven didn’t seem much better himself. He’d finished his plate a while ago and sat wide-legged with his arms crossed behind his head, staring outside.
What would he have felt when Milanov stopped time?
Had Milanov ever done it before? Had he ever stopped time around Ryneth?
“I’m going to take a shower,” he announced, making his way inside the apartment before Daven could object.
The heated stones caressed his bare feet as he undressed. He opened the tap, deciding at the last minute to take a bath.
A bath.
The definition of wealth.
All this hot water to himself.
With a groan, he lowered himself into the bubbles and heat. Daven’s scent enveloped him as he sank into the bath. Rainforest fresh—something he’d never experienced before he’d met the other man.
The one who had somehow lodged himself beneath his skin.
Ryneth closed his eyes and leaned back against the tiles, letting his toes play with the soap.
Once the first comfort of the hot water faded, his thoughts came back one by one.
Concordant was back.
No. Concordant had never left.
Düren had followed him onto that shuttle, into the cage, into Helion.
He’d gone from one set of hands to another so fast he barely knew where one nightmare had ended and the next had begun.
The buyer. The auction. The way everyone kept deciding what happened to him next.
And now, just when he had finally started to breathe again, they were here. Close enough to touch.
His chest tightened.
Every time he started to let himself settle into Daven, something dragged him back to this. To fear. To that old certainty that safety could be taken from him faster than he could hold onto it.
That was the part that hurt. Not the bond. Not even the wanting.
The way he still didn’t know if any of it could last.
Hot tears spilled before he could stop them. He wiped them away hard, furious with himself.
“Stop it, you fool,” he hissed. “What did you want? To be fucking sold?”
But even that didn’t help.
There was a loud knock on the door. Then—
“Aethera, are you in here?”
“Leave me alone,” Ryneth snapped, swiping another hand over his face.
“I’m coming in.”
“No, you aren’t.”
“Yes, I am.”
“I locked the door for a reason. That reason is you leaving me alone.”
“Hell no. Watch me, baby.”
“What?” Ryneth jerked his head. He had locked the door, but Daven sounded far too smug. Surely the other man couldn’t—
He watched in horror as the lock clicked and the door opened.
Daven stood in the threshold, hands in his pockets, amber eyes flaring.
“What the hell?” was all Ryneth could think to say. “I said leave me alone.”
Daven shook his head. “Couldn’t.”
“Why the fuck not?”
“Because you’re sad.”
“Stay the fuck away from me. No—” Ryneth lifted a wet hand when Daven walked inside, kicking the door shut with his boot. “I don’t want you here.”
“Why are you crying?” Daven tilted his head.
“I’m not,” Ryneth hissed, dragging a furious hand over his face.
“Yes, you are.” Daven lifted his shirt over his head, exposing his inked chest and throat.
Ryneth backed deeper into the bath. “You’re not coming in here. I told you, I want you to leave me alone.”
Daven didn’t answer, just kept on undressing. His boots. His pants. His underwear.
Ryneth stared at Daven’s erection. At the way the tip kissed his bellybutton.
“I was flicking through your notes.” Daven set one foot inside the bath and groaned. “Hmm, nice and hot. Just how I like it.”
“Daven, you’re not coming in the bath with me. And what notes are you talking about?”
“Yes, I am. Apparently.” Daven plopped down inside the bath, sloshing water over the edges. He smiled at Ryneth. “Notes from the Academy.”
Ryneth pinched his nose and tried to create more distance between them. His sadness had left him in a vulnerable state. One he didn’t want to share with the rest of the world. Not even with this man who apparently lived inside him now and drove him up the walls.
One whose face visited him during his dreams.
“You drew a flower.” Daven leaned back with a low groan, exposing his long neck and smooth skin.
Ryneth stared. He couldn’t help it. He wanted to lean in and lick the droplets away, nip at the delicate flesh and mark this obnoxious man as his.
Again. And again. And again.
The thought shocked him.
One of Daven’s ember eyes slid open. “What? Got nothing to say to that?”
“So I drew a flower. What do you care?”
Daven chuckled. “Beautiful.” His eyes slid closed. “You know, you’re being very snappy, but I can feel your arousal from here, baby. Your defiance. Hmm… delicious. But tell me—”
Ryneth flinched when Daven’s toes teased his growing erection. A groan slipped from his mouth, and he grumbled when that made Daven’s lips curl up.
“Why the flower?”
Ryneth thought of the pale, star-shaped flowers with their faint golden dust he’d seen in the Academy courtyard. The petals were thin and translucent. When he passed them and glanced over his shoulder, they caught the light.
Daven’s foot pressed against his crotch. “Why?”
“Tavi,” Ryneth admitted. “He loves flowers. They’re rare on Düren. Why did you think I was sad?”
This time, both Daven’s eyes slid open. “I felt you. Your soul was seeking mine.”
Ryneth wanted to scoff, but his throat suddenly felt too dry.
“The flower is called a Solvine Bloom. It’s our national flower. Why don’t we send one to Tavi?”
“What do you mean, send it to him?” Ryneth eyed him with a frown.
Daven shrugged. His toes teased Ryneth’s balls, stirring desire. “Like I said. We could ship it to Düren.”
“You have any idea how much that costs?”
“No. Do you?”
“I—you…” Ryneth scoffed, tightening his lips. “Stop joking about things like that.”
“I’m not joking.” Like a striking cat, Daven lunged forward, causing another flood of water to slosh over the edge of the bath. His lips found Ryneth’s, his breath warm on his skin. “Would that make you less sad?”
Ryneth turned his head, but one of Daven’s strong hands cupped his face, angling him right where he wanted. Their mouths brushed together in a soft kiss.
“Would it?” Daven asked again.
Ryneth found himself nodding.
“Deal. After all, I’d do anything for the one bound to me.”
The one bound to him.
Ryneth couldn’t help but shiver at the words. He blinked, realizing too late that it triggered another fresh wave of tears.
“Oh, baby—”
“Fuck off,” he sobbed, crashing their mouths together. His hand curled around Daven’s nape, and he pulled him closer, the thrum underneath his skin becoming louder, as if purring in contentment.
He needed more. More closeness. More touch. More.
Then he yanked Daven back with a snarl. “You can’t mean this.”
Daven stilled. “Why not?”
“Because people like you don’t stay with people like me. And I swear, if you—”
“Shut up, Ryneth, and kiss me.” Daven pushed their lips back together, crowding him against the far side of the tub as their cocks slid together under the water.
Ryneth burned. His lips parted of their own accord, and his tongue found Daven’s, needing him to kiss him until his thoughts were erased.
Take it all, he wanted to say. Take it all until there’s nothing left.
Desperate, Ryneth clung to him, rutting against Daven as the pressure inside him built.
His entire life, Ryneth had carried on because there was no time to stop and think. No time to make mistakes. Mistakes got you fired, and getting fired meant no food.
What did it mean to be Dariux? Moargan had said that Dariux were designed to create chaos, to crave violence.
But Ryneth had never felt that. He’d never wanted chaos in his life. But when he was with Daven, the buzzing stopped. The thrumming under his skin came alive, and it made him want to hang on to this man… and never let go.
“Baby,” Daven rumbled against his lips. “You’re driving me crazy. Is this what you need? Want me to make you feel good?”
Ryneth shook his head, lips trembling.