“Asshole,” William hissed, glaring at the back of the speeding car. How hard would it have been to slow down?
William’s heart thundered as he looked down. Adathan met his gaze with a smile far too bright for the circumstances.
“My hero,” Adathan whispered, reaching to cup William’s cheek.
William let out a breath as warm fingers brushed his face. The tightness in his shoulders eased. Heat ebbed in his chest as tingles traveled from his cheek to his scalp, leaving him with an irresistible urge to lean into Adathan’s touch.
Around them, the rain still drummed and splashed relentlessly. An umbrella could only do so much to shelter them. They had to keep walking.
And yet, William was frozen in place.
Time stood still as Adathan softly caressed his cheek, holding his gaze with eyes so warm, so full of life. Had anyone looked at William this way before? Judging by how foreign the sensation in his chest felt, he doubted it.
But it didn’t matter. He wasn’t allowed to have these feelings. He wasn’t allowed to let his mind wander, to explore the fantasy of a timeline where they’d have met under different circumstances—where they’d both been born free.
He wasn’t allowed to keep holding Adathan close. To glance at his lips. To lean in. To brush his nose against Adathan’s. To get a taste. To never let go.
So he let go.
“Oliver’s apartment is just over there,” William said, tearing his gaze from Adathan’s. He pointed at a building with yellow brick. “We shouldn’t make him wait.”
Adathan hugged the container of cookies again and resumed walking without a word.
Lassitude settled in William’s body, making him ache to return home and go to bed early. He’d been counting on Oliver to educate Adathan about boundaries, but it would hardly matter if William failed to control his own urges.
Adathan hadn’t once tried to seduce him since they’d returned home. He’d been affectionate, sure, but he hadn’t even come close to being provocative.
Maybe he’d never been truly attracted to William in the first place?
Well, that would simplify things . . .
. . . wouldn’t it?
William pushed those thoughts aside—and the emotions that came with them—as they walked down the few steps leading to Oliver’s door. He knocked, waited a few seconds, and let himself in. The scents of vanilla and chocolate wafted out, putting a smile on William’s face.
It seemed Oliver and Adathan had had the same idea.
William shook off the umbrella and closed it before walking into the barely lit basement apartment. Oliver tended to keep his blinds closed and most lights off, but his place was darker than usual—evidence of his anxiety. It reminded William that, out of the three of them, he had the least important concerns.
“Hey,” William said as Oliver came to greet them. He’d styled his hair so that it concealed half of his face, and wore an oversized poncho that made it harder to notice his missing forearm. William hadn’t seen him like this in months. It hurt.
“Welcome,” Oliver said with a slight tremor in his voice.
William took the cookies from Adathan as Oliver offered his left hand.
“Adathan,” Oliver said. “It’s really nice to meet you. William has told me a lot about—“
William flinched as Adathan made a sudden movement, and nearly let out a chuckle of relief when he understood why. A hug, of course. At least William had warned Oliver about Adathan’s affectionate nature.
Oliver carefully wrapped his arm around Adathan, giving William a smile.
William smiled back. They were off to a great start. A hug was the ultimate proof that Adathan accepted Oliver just the way he was.
Adathan stood on his tiptoes and appeared to be whispering something in Oliver’s ear.
Oliver’s smile fell.
William tensed, his eyes widening as Oliver’s face twisted—shock? Horror? Pain? What the hell had Adathan—
