Apollo's hands slipped from Lachlan's hips over the front of his dick before moving up to finish buckling his belt.
"We need to get moving." Apollo's eyes shone a brilliant gold when he moved back around him. "If anyone touches you tonight other than me, I might have to kill them."
Lachlan's cheeks burned hot, and the possessiveness in Apollo's voice made him feel all kinds of ways he didn't havetime to analyze. "No one is going to touch me. We are going to be busy trying to break into their labs, remember?"
"Just remember who you belong to," Apollo said, the dragon still in his voice.
"Like I could forget. Also, you might want to let your human half decide what I am to him. He doesn't go in for obsessive and possessive," Lachlan replied, his mouth going dry.
Apollo's head cocked to one side, his smile a little too sharp. "He's got you completely fooled if you think that." Apollo's eyes turned back to blue-gray, and he gave himself a little shake. "I'm sorry. What were we talking about?"
"Your dragon complimented me on how I look," Lachlan said with a smile.
Apollo winced. "I'm sorry, it's got a mind of its own at times, and I can't control it."
"I don't want you to." Lachlan reached out and ran a thumb over Apollo's cheek. "It's a part of you, and I like it."
Apollo's eyes fluttered close before he stepped back. "Nope. Not the time for this conversation. Or flirting. Get your mask. We have a part to crash."
Lachlan took the black and silver mask from the bag and followed Apollo. If Apollo were wearing that suit, Lachlan would follow him into hell itself. Apollo hadn't objected when Lachlan said he wanted to fuck him up against a wall, either. Dark and dangerous hope bloomed in his chest once more, and Lachlan knew that he was more done for than ever.
The facadeof theChrysopoeiabuilding was shining with lights. The Corinthian pillars were twisted with fairy lights, the archesbetween them hung with gilded lanterns, and there was a valet service with a red carpet.
"Rich people," Lachlan sighed, shaking his head at the circus in front of them. He knewactualroyalty who didn't roll out a red carpet for anything.
"It's vital that they feel important at these kinds of things so they open their wallets," Valentine replied with a snort. His shirt was a brilliant scarlet that matched the dark red of his leather wolf mask.
Beside him, Apollo fidgeted with his own half-mask. It was of a golden lion, and with his curls arranged back, it looked like he had a mane. Lachlan had resigned himself to being hard for the whole night.
"You okay?" he whispered, his hand drifting to Apollo's lower back.
"I really don't want to go back in there, Lachie," he replied. He must have been worried to call him Lachie.
"I will be by your side all night, Apollo. They are never going to touch you again," Lachlan reassured him in the calmest voice he could manage.
Valentine patted Apollo on the shoulder. "Don't worry, little brother. When the time comes, I'm going to blow this place to hell for what they did to you. Have some patience, I have something cooking up in my head. I've even reached out to my mage friend, Caelan, at Taran's court to see if they can somehow enhance my spell work."
"Why am I suddenly worried about who you are making friends with?" Apollo said, his lips lifting in a smile. "I guess I should be happy your grumpy hermit ass can make any friends at all."
"I can make friends when they aren't idiots." Valentine grinned. "Shall we get to sabotaging, or are we going to stand here all night?"
"You are way too excited about this," Lachlan said with a soft laugh.
He held out his arm to Apollo and waited, the wild hope beating against his ribcage. After a few seconds, Apollo took it, and all Lachlan could do was smile as they walked right into the lion's den.
19
Apollo felt like he was in control right up until they joined the line of guests outside the building. His feet seemed to stick to the concrete, and he didn't want to move. Valentine went on ahead, the subtle hum of magic sizzling in the air around him as he worked on charming their invitations. Lachlan hadn't let go of Apollo's arm.
"Deep breaths, golden boy. We only need to get in and get out. We don't need to linger," Lachlan said soothingly. Apollo looked up at the beautiful man beside him, his face half-hidden with his bear mask. It made his impressive jawline sharper, and his mouth seem even more kissable.
"I can't seem to get my feet to move. My brain knows what to do, but the memories of that place, Lachlan… I don't know if I can do this," Apollo replied, unable to lie.
Cold sweat was beginning to bead on his hairline. He couldn't remember everything that had happened after he had been knocked out, but it was like his body still remembered. He really hadn't liked the way Kovacs had smiled and petted him.
His fingers tightened around Lachlan's forearm, the feel of his strength grounding him.
"Breathing exercises don't seem to be working, so let's try bribery," Lachlan said. He tilted his head down to Apollo's ear and whispered, "If we get through this in one piece tonight, I promise to suck your dick so hard that you see the face of god."
