Ledger snorted but didn’t argue whether or not it would be possible. He was a strong fighter, but he was volatile and impulsive. That kind of fighting had never been able to stand against Zane’s calculation in the ring.
“I like it when Pavel roughs me up,” he continued. “But I meant it about knocking my head on things, and I’d prefer not to injure his brother and get on his actual bad side. His good side is already more than enough for me to handle.”
Zane was sweet-talking. He slipped into the role with ease, years of being trained to appease those in power around him causing him to do so now. Because, sure, technically he held a higher position than Pavel Hart within the Retinue, but like Ledger, Zane could admit when he was at a disadvantage.
Even injured, Pavel had held him down just now with ease, not to mention, Ledger was still present and would undoubtedly side with his brother if Zane did try to resist something. It was sweet that Nikita had thrown himself into the fire, so to speak, but Zane was sort of finding himself endeared to the younger man, which meant he wouldn’t allow him to take unnecessary risks.
They were in Pavel’s penthouse, in the building he owned, filled with staff that took his orders.
And he’d just played his hand by trying to comfort Nikita in front of the only person on planet who seemed capable of seeing through him.
“Youmomentarily forgot where you were,” Pavel noted, teasing him the same way he had Nikita. When Zane’s spine stiffened, he laughed. “Don’t blame me, gorgeous. You’re the one who followed us up here. It’s not my fault you didn’t consider the door would most likely be locked once you were inside.”
Hehadfollowed them up here, so there was no point in denying that or reminding Pavel that he’d been bleeding out with a knife in his gut at the time, so Zane hadn’t exactly been thinking about whatever weird thing they had going on between them.
“Planning on letting them stick around while you fuck me?” Zane forced himself to say it as though it didn’t bother him, eyes wandering back to Nikita. “I wouldn’t mind half of that audience…”
“Get out,” Pavel’s voice dropped deadly low, and when Zane took a step toward the door, warned, “Don’t play dumb with me right now. You’re wrong if you think I can’t still put you over my knee just because of a minor injury.”
Zane swallowed the retort he so desperately wanted to give, knowing it would bother the other man more if he didn’t feed into the taunt.
“Get,” Pavel sent a glare to his brother, “out.”
Nikita went more willingly with Ledger this time, though he glanced back at Zane and worried his lip between his teeth all the way to the exit.
“You should take notes,” Zane said, staring back right up until Ledger and Nikita vanished and the door closed behind them with a definitive click.
“Of?”
“The way Nikita looks at me.” Zane pulled his eyes from the direction they’d gone and turned back to Pavel, pretending that his stomach wasn’t clenched in knots, and he wasn’tworried he’d made a poor decision in coming here. “Or, more specifically, the way helooks at mewhen he goes.”
People liked vulnerability, it was disarming, and now that the two of them were alone, Zane needed every edge he could get. If that meant being more honest than he was typically comfortable with? So be it. He got the feeling one of Pavel’s goals was tearing him open to get at his truths anyway.
Pavel inspected him for a moment, clearly trying to read between the lines and then guessed, “You felt neglected.”
“I felt like used trash,” he corrected tersely. “No matter what game you’re playing, I am still a Royal. I will be treated as one.”
“A Royal?” Pavel chuckled, the sound lacking all kindness. “They slap the name Solace on your birth certificate and you think that’s what makes you a Royal, baby? Were you garbage before you got the title then?”
Zane winced, his reaction that time very real.
“I’m from Hexa,” he sneered, “remember?”
“Why are you suddenly angry?” Zane didn’t get it, but then his statement hit him and he frowned. “Are you implying that we…knew each other? On Hexa?” That wasn’t possible. “I was a child when I was adopted from—”
“Oblitus Orphanage,” Pavel said, darkness looming behind his eyes. “I know.”
Zane had miscalculated.
Again.
Chapter 15:
How dare he.
Pavel felt rage bursting beneath his skin like a livewire, and he struggled to contain it. He’d finally gotten Zane here, at his mercy, completely locked away with no help in sight. The last thing he could afford was to fuck this up by losing his composure.
But it was difficult.
