His muscles locked up and he stood there, unable to get his own limbs to obey. He wanted to tear the necklace off, toss it at the other man, and storm out of here, appearances be damned. But it was like his feet were rooted to the ground.
“You tricked me, didn’t you?” he could speak at least, though the words came out tight.
“It’s not my fault you fell for it so easily.”
“Why?” He’d worry about what he was going to tell his mom about this botched date—that apparently had never really existed in the first place—later. Right now, he was more concerned over what the Brumal Prince wanted him for. “Why can’t you just leave me alone? It was an accident. It’s not like I meant to spill food on you.”
“You’re smarter than that.” Baikal took a single, calculative step away from the door. “You know this has nothing to do with what happened in the cafeteria.”
He’d sort of figured, yeah, but he’d hoped he was wrong.
“That’s literally the only interaction we’ve ever had,” Rabbit said. “What other possible reason could you have for manipulating me to this extent? Arlet—”
“Stop bringing her up,” he stated. “Not only does she not matter, you’re also never going to see her again. Understand?”
“Not even a little,” Rabbit admitted.
“That’s okay. We’ll get you there.”
Rabbit had left practice early for this, and only because he’d believed it was set up by Arlet to give him a second chance to impress her and please their parents. He didn’t have time to waste fooling around with anyone, let alone someone like Baikal Void. Knowing he’d been tricked had his blood boiling, but knowing that also meant he’d wasted precious time?
“I’m leaving.” Even though it meant he’d have to walk right past him, Rabbit boldly moved to the door, intent on getting out of there before the intensity in the other man’s gaze unraveled his nerves even further.
He only made it to the center of the room where Baikal was standing before his arm was snatched and he was roughly shoved backward.
Rabbit stumbled into the back of the loveseat, catching himself over the top and steadying himself on his feet. He wanted to be angry—was angry—but the fear was greater, blanketing over him so he momentarily couldn’t think straight as he stared in shock at the Brumal Prince.
And that’s when it really hit him who he was here with. The Devils of Vitality weren’t only called that because they were the sons of the most powerful and influential men on the entire planet. They were straight-A students who excelled at every subject and sport they attempted, who had enough money to buy anything they wanted. Including silence.
Which was why it was well-known they tended to be vicious and capricious when crossed.
Only, for the life of him, Rabbit couldn’t figure out where or how he’d managed to piss one of them off this badly, and Baikal Void no less. It just didn’t make sense.
“You seem skittish,” Void pointed out, a slight frown marring his face now. “Just from that?”
Rabbit’s mouth hung open a moment before he was able to get himself together. “You tricked me into coming here for reasons still unknown and just physically assaulted me! Of course this is my reaction!”
“Would you have come if I’d sent you the invitation with my name on it?” he asked, grunting when Rabbit didn’t reply. “That’s what I figured.”
“We don’t have anything to do with one another,” Rabbit reminded him.
“That,” Baikal advanced, watching when Rabbit’s spine stiffened, “is where you’re wrong, tiny obsession.”
“What—” The rest of that sentence died in his throat when suddenly Baikal’s arms were at either side of him, caging him in against the back of the couch. Even though they weren’t touching anywhere, Rabbit could still feel the heat of him, could smell the eucalyptus and oddly a burnt wood scent wafting from his toned body.
It was a unique smell and not one he was unfound of.
In the span of a blink, he forgot all about the weird nickname and was instead hyperaware of the few inches of space left between them, the other man’s mouth hovering close enough all he had to do was take half a step forward and he could capture Rabbit’s mouth.
“What naughty thoughts are racing through that sensual little head of yours now, hmm?” Baikal drawled, husky and low, in a way that had Rabbit shivering. He laughed. “I’m pleased. I was worried you wouldn’t reciprocate. It would have needlessly complicated things, and I’m not a fan of complications. I’ve got enough of them cluttering up my life already.”
Rabbit was having trouble following but he was trying. The problem was, none of this made any more sense to him than it did when Baikal had interrupted his date and chosen to stay and eat dinner at his table.
“You’re talking to me like you know me,” he said, because that was one thing he had picked up on at the restaurant, and something Void was still doing now. “You don’t.”
“Wrong.” Baikal lifted a hand and lightly patted the top of his head as if testing out the silky feel of Rabbit’s silver-white hair. “I know all about you. But we’re not here to talk about that.”
He should slap that hand away, but Rabbit’s arms hung uselessly at his sides.
