Riven’s breath hitched. “No,” he said quietly. “I think you notice too much.”
Thane’s voice dropped an octave. “Then you know I’m not blind to the fact you’re hard every time I speak to you like this.”
Riven froze. Heat prickled at the base of his spine. He wanted to deny it.
He didn’t.
“Your hands were shaking when you strapped your vest on,” Thane added, voice rough velvet now. “Not from nerves. From want.”
Riven clenched his jaw. “You’re so fucking full of yourself.”
Thane leaned in slowly, like stalking prey, until his face was just inches away. His breath was warm against Riven’s lips. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Say the word. Right now. I’ll takeyou in the back of this van and fuck you so hard you forget your own name.”
Riven’s breath hitched. His whole body went still—except his cock, which throbbed painfully against his pants, aching for friction. For this dangerous, volatile man.
He could smell Thane’s skin—clean metal and something darker. Their mouths were barely a breath apart. One twitch forward and they’d be kissing. Riven wanted it—wanted him—so badly his chest hurt from it.
His lips parted.
One word. Just one.
But his pride held him still, and Thane knew it.
He smiled—small, wicked. “Pity.”
He pulled back an inch, though his hand brushed Riven’s thigh in the movement, just enough to leave Riven burning.
“I need your head clear,” Thane said, voice steady again.
Riven’s voice came out rough. “Yeah, you’re not helping with that.”
“You think you’re ready?”
“I’m fine.”
“No,” Thane murmured. “You’re hard.”
Riven flushed—angry, embarrassed, aroused all over again. “Fuck you.”
Thane smirked. “Eventually.”
The van was too silent after that, the tension frayed but still smoldering. Riven shifted restlessly in his seat and tried to will his cock down, his skin too flushed for the stale air inside the cramped metal box.
He needed to think of something else. Anything else.
“The twins,” he said finally, staring out at the alley. “Why them?”
Thane glanced over. “What about them?”
“You could’ve left them on the streets. Why bring them in?”
Thane didn’t answer right away. His expression sobered. “Because they were drowning in a system that eats half-breeds alive. And they still fought. Cassian had a shattered rib and still threw himself between his brother and a riot shield. I respected that.”
Riven studied him. “You saved them out of pity?”
“No,” Thane said flatly. “I pulled them out because they reminded me of what survival looks like. And because if I didn’t, someone else would’ve used them up and spit them out.”
Riven snorted. “What makes you think you’re not using them?”
