Page 18 of Lovesick Titan

“He’ll never lay a hand on you again.”

The explosion shook the night, right at that moment when everything had seemed okay. It was quiet but tangible, a definite rumble traveling through the ground. From the vantage point of the neighborhood, Mal could see the power station plainly. Orange flames and smoke were already visible. He was too late.

Rushing Michael and Carla into the shelter, he told Lucy and Dom to stay put and keep a lookout for Dunkirk, then told Oz to get him to the power station, “Now.”

R

“I went to the station, but the cops were already swarming. I knew the people inside were dead. I figured somehow you’d won anyway, because Thanatos wasn’t gloating or attacking anyone, and the uniforms talked about seeing you jump away. Those deaths that night aren’t on you, Sparky. They’re on me. Your mother—”

“It was the same night,” Danny muttered, staring back at him without any of the rancor Mal expected. “Michael said you saved them, but I didn’t know it was thesame night. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know,” Mal said, trying to measure his words and not reveal too much, but he’d been doing that his entire life and he was so tired. “I almost did a few times. Didn’t think it was a good enough excuse. Better if you thought I was a selfish coward. If I’d known then that your mother was involved—”

“I wouldn’t have wanted you there,” Danny cut him off. “You saved an entire family.”

“There were dozens of people in that power station.”

“You didn’t know what would happen. All you knew was that a few good people right in front of you were in trouble and you could help, so you did. I can’t blame you for that. I never should have blamed you…” Danny cringed like he hated admitting he ever had.

Finally, they knew where each other stood. It should have been a sweet moment between them, but Danny’s voice faded into something more like sobs.

“I-I’m sorry,” he said as he wiped his eyes. “It’s not fair. It’s not f-fair it had to be this way…”

“Hey…” Mal held Danny’s hand still resting against his stomach and reached with the other for Danny’s face. He brushed away the tears that had formed with a gentle swipe. “It’s okay. It’sokay…if you’re not okay.”

Sucking in a breath, Danny fell forward until their foreheads touched, and the soft press of their lips was an easy conclusion. Neither of them hurried, even though four days had felt like four weeks, and Mal had missed this kid like he’d lost a limb.

Just their lips—moving, whispering against each other. Hands touching as they pressed to Mal’s stomach. Mal’s palm on Danny’s cheek. It was all so much weightier than before. Until now, all Mal had ever done to get what he wanted was lie. Tonight he wanted to tell the truth and give Danny everything he deserved.

R

Prometheus hadn’t bothered to draw his curtains. The slits for windows didn’t allow much of a view into the apartment, but Hades wasn’t sneaking a peek from outside. He saw everything through the reflection he’d chosen within the safety of his mirror world.

Dunkirk had worked out beautifully.

Hades wasn’t much of a voyeur, usually made scarce if he caught them this far along, but tonight he grinned as he sat back to watch. He had to be sure everything played out according to plan.

So far the cards were in his favor.

R

Cho’s tongue teased Danny’s lips and pushed inside with a subtle request, then delved in deep once he had permission like he was starved for a taste. He hadn’t abandoned Danny. He’d been here that night, helping his neighbors.

When would they catch a break? When did they get to be happy? Happiness was here, touchingMal, kissing him, keeping him safe. But Danny was awful for wanting that when it had all been built on a lie.

“Wait…” he gasped, pulling from the kiss.

Cho clung to him, pleading with his grip that Danny not let go.

“It’s too much…it’stoo much…”

“Do you want to leave?” Cho asked, almost too softly to be heard.

When Danny looked up into those bright, beautiful blue eyes, instantly he was lost and couldn’t find the strength to pull away again. “No.”

“Thendon’t,” Cho smiled with a stroke of Danny’s cheek.

They moved to reconnect at the same time like an exhale. Lips crashed together, Cho’s thumb hooking around Danny’s jaw as his hand slid from Cho’s stomach to loop around his waist and hold him close, careful to leave his injured arm out of the fray. Cho’s lips and tongue andskin—God, Danny had missed it. He almost tipped the man back into the cushions.

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