Page 60 of The Devil's Embrace

“I’m pretty sure that’s not how that expression goes.”

“You’re seriously eating that.”

“You told me to.”

“Okay, yeah, sure, but still. I definitely didn’t think you actually would.” His nose scrunched up. “What does it taste like?”

“Honestly?” Cal polished off the rest of the slice and dusted his hands off. “It doesn’t taste any different. Maybe just a little saltier?”

“Bull shit.” Aodhan grabbed a slice and ate a bite. “Why’s it also a little sweet?”

“That would be me.” Calix shrugged when his brow winged up. “That’s what I’ve been told, anyway. Some past lovers have commented on it, that’s all.”

“Some other people have tasted your come and told you it was sweet?” Aodhan’s mood noticeably darkened. “Yeah, that’s—” His multi-slate started to ring, cutting off anything he was going to say. He turned and stared at the screen, and it was obvious he was debating whether or not to ignore it when he finally relented. “It’s the hospital, sorry.”

“No problem.”

Aodhan popped out the earbud attachment and stepped back into the living room as he took the call. His shoulders were tense, and he didn’t seem pleased, but he finished talking rather quickly.

“I’m being called in for an emergency,” he told Cal, coming over to plant a kiss on his forehead. “I’m really sorry about this.”

“Oh,” disappointment swept through him, “okay.”

“It’s not because you ate the come pizza,” Aodhan rushed out, going around the table and picking up the bag he’d left on the floor earlier. “Or because you enjoyed being spanked and whipped. I know you can get wrapped up in your head, and I don’t want you wasting the rest of the night doubting things.”

“…All right. That’s kind of more insightful than I would have liked, but thank you.” He hadn’t realized his struggles with self-compassion had been so noticeable. Shit.

“Feel free to eat that one if you want, but...” Aodhan pulled another box from the bag and set it on the table next to the one they’d ruined. “I got a backup for after.”

Cal’s cheeks heated as the box was opened, showing him an identical pizza. “Did you plan this from the beginning?”

“Kind of?” His multi-slate beeped, and he growled. “I get it, I get it. I’m fucking coming already, chill.”

“You should go.” Still naked, Cal walked him to the door. “Thanks for coming.”

“Literally.” Aodhan kissed him quickly, biting on his bottom lip hard enough to break skin. “Whoops. Sorry. I’ll call you later.”

He left Calix standing there, bleeding. Wondering how the hell they’d gotten to this place where suddenly, the idea of solving the case and leaving the planet as fast as possible was no longer as appealing as it’d once been.

Chapter 19:

“He was found this morning in his car,” Troya spoke hoarsely. “It was parked by the river. A jogger spotted him through the window.”

Calix stared down at the body on the table in the hospital morgue, an odd sense of numbness taking over him. He’d gotten the call less than twenty minutes ago and had rushed here, still wearing his pajama shirt over his jeans, which he’d only just remembered to throw on.

“Estimated time of death is between eleven and one.” Mitri, who was standing next to Troya on the opposite side of the table, took Cal in with a solemn expression. “Would you like to sit down, Detective?”

“No.” His fists tightened at his sides, though they couldn’t see it with the table blocking their view.

There was only a small thread of anger he could feel through the wall of ice that had encased him the moment he’d stepped foot into the room and seen the body with his own eyes. He tried to grab onto it, tried to cling and allow himself to experience the emotion it was clear the other two were, but it eluded him.

Not because he didn’t care.

Because he had never experienced a loss like this before in his adult life, and he didn’t quite know what to do with it.

If he even had arightto it.

“Maybe you should,” Troya suggested. “He was like a father figure to you.”

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