But that was a lie, wasn’t it? Of course Hayce wanted something in exchange.
Something for something.
And the thought of giving it to him…
No, he wasn’t seriously considering it. Was he?
It was an ugly tangle of emotions. Humiliation, pride, and aching need. Would he really be willing to discard every shred of dignity just for a warm, secure bubble where things felt normal? Wherehefelt normal?
He couldn’t be so pathetic. He couldn’t crave it that much.
You know our deal. Not like they have. I don’t need a mate.
Ehlian knew exactly what Hayce wanted. A fuck toy. Nothing more. He wasn’t here to play pretend or build some happy little fantasy.
Hayce would laugh at him, or worse, giving him one of those quiet, ridiculing looks that annoyed Ehlian to no end. It was humiliating enough that Ehlian wanted the fake illusion of a healthy relationship and was willing to put aside his pride, he didn’t need Hayce’s humiliation on top of it all.
The momentary trust he’d felt toward Hayce wasn’t real.
Yeah, it was just momentary madness.
He merely needed a few more days to get over himself and his pathetic needs.
*
It was a quiet morning.
Only the mechanical buzz of the prison disturbed the silence, but by now it had blended almost entirely into the background, filtered out by his mind.
Ehlian stretched his limbs, stifling a yawn. The cell’s door was still locked, which meant it was too early. The silence disturbed him a little. The cell was the quietest part of the prison, and maybe for that very reason it felt like a trap. His thoughts always echoed louder here.
He refused to spiral into them again.
Nearly soundless steps cut through the still air. Now that Ehlian’s mind came into full focus, he realised he couldn’t feel the intense buzz of Hayce’s power right beside him in the bed.
He rubbed his eyes and sat up.
Hayce stood at the wardrobe, peeling off his dark top and tossing it onto the armchair, revealing the lean, firm line of his back. It flexed with every small movement as he reached for the waistband of his pants, sliding them down with a lazy tug. Ehlian snapped his eyes away just in time as they dropped to the floor.
It was damn near impossible to push those thoughts aside. Hayce was the focus of every one of them.
He was just there.
Alwaysthere.
Ehlian could still see it, the way Hayce forced 665 down to his knees effortlessly, ruthlessly, wielding his power like a blade. The dominance. The strength.
Ehlian swallowed hard. The fear from 665’s intentions still haunted him, but there was something else, something hotter and darker coiling in his belly every time the memory surfaced.
He shouldn’t fixate on this.
He shouldn’t go crazy over this.
Fuck. He was already crazy over it.
Hayce was dangerous. The memory alone, his exile to this place, was proof enough. Everyone feared him… feared challenging him, feared standing in his way. And here was Ehlian, fearing nothing but raw attraction.
He couldn’t run. But he should hide. He should be smarter than giving in to his unreasonable needs.
