Instead, he forced the right words out. “Not tonight.”
Gage’s smile slipped, hope draining from his posture.
“I have some business to handle,” he added, trying to make it sound normal.
Gage nodded slowly.
He caught Gage’s face with both hands and kissed him deeply, trying to force the truth inside him.
He pulled back just enough to speak against his lips.
“You’re all I want, I swear it,” he said. “You’ve been all I’ve wanted since the moment I laid eyes on you.”
Gage traced his fingers along his jaw, gentle and searching, as he listened.
Scar kept his arms around him. “But I’m trying to do right by you.”
“Right by me?” Gage’s brows pinched. “What does that mean?”
“Will you trust me?” Scar pleaded.
Gage was silent for a long moment before he gave him a small, reluctant dip of his chin.
Scar kissed him slower putting every emotion he had into it—reassurance, promise, dedication…and love.
I love him.
Within the kiss, the truth landed like a blade turned inward. He’d not only kill for Gage—but like Roz had been willing to do for Shannon—he’d live differently for him.
He pulled back and brushed his thumb along Gage’s cheek.
“Go inside,” he murmured. “And please, just trust me.”
Gage nodded again, and Scar forced himself to step away before he changed his mind.
He waited until Gage was inside before he walked into his own quarters. He shut the door and went straight to his phone.
Meridian answered on the first ring.
“What part of anonymity do you not understand?” he gritted, voice already mean and cutting.
Scar froze, caught off guard. “What?”
“You leave for three hours and become fuckin’ Instagram stars.” Meridian growled. “Yours and Gage’s video has over sixteen thousand views already. You and the goddamn ‘blind sensation.’ Really?”
Scar dug his thumbs into his eyes. He didn’t give a single goddamn fuck about that balloon game right then. He only cared about making Gage the happiest assassin in the world.
“Can’t the IT team wipe it?” Scar snapped. “Just take it down for fuck’s sake!”
“That’s not the point,” Meridian hissed.
Scar exhaled slowly, forcing himself not to go off.
“Meridian, I have something serious to discuss. I need to ask the biggest favor I ever will in my life. And I’m about to ask you.”
“Name it.”
Scar spoke with the finality of a trigger pull.
