He wasn’t deluding himself. Here in this room, just the two of them in their own protected bubble, it felt safe… but it would eventually shatter. Reality beyond the gates wouldn’t show mercy.
“The press will eat me alive,” Ehlian said in the end. Not to mention high society, but he didn’t add that.
“They will,” Hayce said with little pretence. “But we’ll deal with it when the time comes.”
“I’d prefer to keep it a secret from the public for a little while…” Ehlian raised his head, looking up at Hayce. “A few more months, maybe. Don’t you?”
“It’s your decision more than mine.”
“Alright,” Ehlian said. “That’s what I want. Just… not from friends. Willian really wants to meet you.”
“I’m hearing he’s a Cartivair expert,” Hayce said. “Sounds like a decent man.”
Ehlian laughed. “Anything that feeds your ego, huh?”
Hayce placed a hand on Ehlian’s hip, the touch warm through the thin nightwear. “It was wise moving in with him for a while. He kept you safe.”
“He’s a good friend,” Ehlian said. “You’ll like him. Not to mention,” Ehlian untied Hayce’s bathrobe, sliding his hands beneath to claim hot skin.Mine. All mine.“I’m a Cartivair expert too.”
It took mere seconds for Ehlian to end up on Hayce’s desk, the meetings completely forgotten.
Epilogue
Ten years later
Ehlian enjoyed the clear morning sky and the freshness of the air from the mansion’s terrace, the place he had called home for a long while.
In the end, he and Hayce had agreed to wait a year before introducing Ehlian to the public. Ehlian hadn’t minded. He knew his life would change drastically, that he’d see his own face plastered everywhere. Not to mention, he needed to prepare himself mentally for the fact that his privacy would almost entirely vanish and he’d have to say goodbye to parts of his freedom. It went as expected. An absolute clusterfuck of a disaster, just like everything else that had led him to this point in his life. The press had dug up every piece of dirt on him: his criminal record, his time with Hayce in prison, the death of his parents. He hadn’t been able to walk down the street without passing his own hologram. It had been hard and mentally draining, and if it wasn’t for Hayce’s support and his tireless work countering the vile headlines, Ehlian didn’t know how he would’ve pulled through. But eventually, the initial shock of Hayce choosing him had settled.
There were parts of his old life Ehlian missed, like how he could no longer visit Willian’s shop, or anywhere else withoutat least one personal guard accompanying him. Fortunately, Willian often visited them instead. Ehlian secretly suspected that Willian enjoyed staying in the small but well-kept quarters reserved just for him. He also got his discounts.
Sandar, on the other hand, couldn’t help his nature. Barely a year into his sentence and he had already planned an attack on them. Hayce had kept a close eye on him and known about the plan, but let the attack unfold just long enough to establish the legal grounds to freeze his assets for criminal intent. Not long after, Sandar was transferred to a high-security prison and tried nothing since.
There had also been an unexpected face trying to slip back into his life. After Ehlian refused his calls, his uncle left a litany of voicemails filled with overstretched apologies. Ehlian hadn’t believed a single word. His uncle wanted only a large slice of his wealth. If he ever found himself in serious trouble, Ehlian might consider helping, but he would never let him back into his life again.
“Your food is getting cold,” Hayce’s voice yanked him back to the present.
Hayce sat at the well-set table, reading the news on his holopad. Abandoning the view, Ehlian walked over, snatched the holopad from his hands, and plopped down in his lap.
“I’m not your food,” Hayce said.
Ehlian bit him playfully near his bond point. “That’s debatable.”
Hayce didn’t seem to age a day, thanks to Aroxans’ slow aging ability, which kept them looking around thirty for decades. But he did feel more mature, his power just as dazzling as when Ehlian first met him.
He rested his head on Hayce’s shoulder, letting his eyes drift back to the view. “I guess Kaice was right. You didn’t tamper with my mind.”
Hayce shot him a flat look. “And you’ve reached this conclusion only after ten years?”
Ehlian stifled a smile. “I was just… testing you.”
“You test me in more ways than should legally be allowed.”
Ehlian let out a soft laugh, and after a few silent moments, he closed his eyes, ready to just listen to Hayce’s calm breathing.
“Don’t fall asleep on me,” Hayce warned. “I have a busy day, and I can’t carry you around everywhere.”
“You can’t have a busy day. That’s an order from your bondmate.”
