Xavier has always preferred playing with his prey. I’d rather ensure they don’t have the opportunity to counter. If they’re dead, they’re no longer a threat.
“You know, it’s starting to look like this has more to do with you than me,” Hunter says dryly. “Who is Roger Vickers, exactly?”
“The fact you don’t know surprises me,” Xavier answers.
“I left my clairvoyancy at home. He isn’t someone that’s crossed my path, and I have enough on my plate without chasing trouble. Anyone associated with you, however loosely, is always trouble.”
Xavier runs a hand through his hair. “Would you like to come and have dinner with us? I can explain then.” The invitation holds a lot more weight than his words suggest. The heaviness in the air notches up tenfold.
Hunter visibly swallows, then slowly shakes his head no. “You can explain now.”
“The quick answer is that he’s a rival,” Xavier answers, without pushing further. “The long answer is that he was once a… I wouldn’t call him a friend, exactly, but we had similar business interests that once marginally aligned. Until we didn’t.”
Tactically put. Vickers eventually decided that he didn’t want to share profits and sought to cut Xavier out. We reacted with severe prejudice, and he’s been out for blood ever since. He should count himself lucky to still be breathing. If we find a connection between this murder and Hunter’s “stalker,” then he won’t be. Hell, I might do the job merely for old times’ sake and to remove the thorn in our side. I’ve killed for less.
“And that has something to do with me how?”
“You can’t honestly think that you’re ever not connected to me, love,” Xavier says, giving Hunter a look that is simultaneously full of heat and derision. “You forget you still carry my name.”
Hunter rubs his forehead. “You think this ‘rival’ of yours somehow found out that we’re married and now has it in for me? If they wanted to come for you, they simply could.”
“Could they?” Xavier asks mildly. He steps forward and grasps Hunter’s chin gently, tipping his head up. “I’m not so easy to hunt. I have only one weakness.” He leans forward, brushing their lips together. “Only one thing in the world that can be used against me.”
Hunter’s breath hitches, and he sways into him.
Xavier slants their mouths together, tightening his hold. The polite thing to do would be to look away and give them some privacy. I don’t. It’s impossible to ignore their chemistry, the electricity sparking between them, when they’re like this. It’s always been like this, not fading in the all the years since their marriage ended. Not even their disastrous fallout could destroy this part.
Hunter lets out a small whimper that makes my gut clench, and he leans further into Xavier, grasping the sides of his jacket, knuckles going white.
“Come home with us.” Xavier whispers his mouth across Hunter’s jaw. “Let me hold you.” Knuckles brush over the spotwhere his lips travelled. “Everything makes sense when you let me in.”
Hunter wrenches himself away and takes a few large steps back. His chest heaves, hands clenched into fists at his sides. “You can’t just—we can’t just ignore our entire history, Xavier. We can’t keep doing this.”
“No,” Xavier agrees. “I want to move forwards, Hunter. Not backwards. There’s nothing there but fire and pain. What I want now, with you, is so much more than that.”
“How could you ever think that’s possible? How could we—” Hunter wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “This ends here,” he says firmly, though his gaze wavers when he glances at me. “I can’t do it anymore. You drag me in, and I can’t resist you, and it just hurts all over again. You destroyed me once, and I won’t allow you to do it again.”
“I never meant to hurt you.”
“That’sbullshit,” Hunter spits. “What did youthinkyou were doing when you came waltzing into my life with your pretty lies and false devotion?”
“My devotion to you has never been false.” There’s an underlying danger to his tone, like he’ll become unpleasant if Hunter continues down this path. He’s never responded well to anyone questioning what he feels for Hunter, not even the man himself. There are many things in our life that are tainted; this isn’t one of them.
“Your words mean nothing, Xavier. They’re meaningless. Because in the end, they’realwaysfalse. You say all the right things, and they’re nothing but poison, used to manipulate me into whatever position fits you best.”
Xavier visibly swallows and doesn’t respond.
Hunter lets out a low growl, and then he’s back by Xavier’s side, mouths slamming together violently. Xavier doesn’t fight the hold, allowing Hunter to take whatever he wants. A mistake.Hunter will take everything, and Xavier won’t ever think to save a piece of himself. To save himself, period.
“I hate you,” Hunter whispers harshly, dragging Xavier back in. “I hate you so fucking much.” He wraps his hands around Xavier’s throat, and I move to their side, ready to intervene if needed. For the moment, he’s holding him loosely, but the threat is there, and I won’t allow it to go further than this.
Xavier cradles the back of his head, surrendering everything. Hunter will always be his greatest vulnerability. The only man in the world capable of breaking him into a thousand pieces. No matter how I try, I’ll never be able to protect him from that. Can never guard him against it.
Hunter pulls his mouth from Xavier’s, pressing their foreheads together, his eyes closed. “I hate how much I need you. You’re in my blood, and if I thought it would do anything, I would bleed myself dry just to be rid of you.”
And then he’s gone.
Neither of us speaks a word as Hunter gets into his car and speeds away, breaking more than a few laws, I’m sure.
