Page 57 of Devil May Hunt
Brennon frowned. “No, I’m positive you implied there was.”
“Can we talk about this in the car?”
“Tell me about it now.”
“This isn’t the time to be stubborn! Your life could be in danger!”
“Then I’ll die in the foyer of the home you so desperately wanted,” he said, internally wincing when that came out crueler than he’d intended. “Shit. That’s not what I meant. Just calm down for a second.”
Gunho let him go, unable to hide the flash of sadness from his face. “You want away from me that badly? Badly enough you’d trust a stranger and ingest a random drug?”
“Be’tessi—”
“There is no antidote,” he stated, “because there doesn’t need to be. The effects will wear off naturally within three months. This week is going to be your last heat. I was planning on sitting you down and explaining. I was going to beg for your forgiveness and give you a choice this time…but I see now that I was being foolishly optimistic. Of course you don’t want to be with me. It was all the drug, and I—”
Brennon did the only thing he could think of to finally get the guy to shut up. He shot forward and sealed his mouth over his. His tongue darted past his parted lips when Gunho gasped in surprise, and Brennon pressed in even closer, hands going to the alpha’s waist to pull him in and keep him close.
The sparks between them were instant and electrifying, even now. Even with things so messed up.
“I didn’t take anything from Salz,” Brennon pulled back just enough to say, heart already racing from just the kiss.
“You didn’t?” Gunho sounded so hopeful, it made Brennon feel even worse for allowing the misunderstanding.
“Of course not. I’m not an idiot. You told me all about how manipulative your grandfather is. There was no way I was going to blindly accept anything from him.” Though, he sort of wanted to know what that drug was, if it wasn’t an antidote. Had the emperor intended to kill him like Gunho feared?
Guess using his connection with Rin to threaten them had been the smart play after all.
“But, I’m sure he made you promises…?” Gunho frowned.
“Oh, he wants to throw you in prison. Actually, I can think up a few ways you can thank me for refusing to testify against you,” he made his tone teasing, hoping to clear the air, but his alpha still seemed too shaken to fall for it. Brennon sighed. “Be’tessi. Let’s go back to the living room and sit down, yeah?”
He hesitated, but then gave a firm nod, allowing Brennon to take his hand and lead him back the way they’d come. As soon as the alpha was seated, Brennon went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water.
He peeked into the bowl on his way out, smiling when he saw Gunho had been in the process of making cookies.
“Were you going to have those delivered?” he asked as he returned, uncapping the bottle and holding it out to the alpha. He motioned over his shoulder with his chin toward the bowl. “That’s my favorite kind.”
“I told you. This was going to be your last heat cycle.”
“Ah, so you planned on buttering me up and winning me over with your skills in the kitchen.” Brennon sat down next to him. “You can’t be mad at me for what just happened. We both know you deserved it. After everything you put me through, a few minutes of panic is nothing in comparison.”
Gunho hung his head, but didn’t disagree.
“Be’tessi,” he licked his lips and corrected himself. “Alpha, relax. I’m not going anywhere.”
He glanced over at him. “Really? If you’re just saying that, but you’ve planned some elaborate escape with Salz, just tell me now, Brennon. I promise I won’t hold you back. I’ll let you go if that’s what you want, just…give me a heads up. Please.”
“I’m guessing the drug only lasts for three months because the creators hoped that was enough time to get the subject addicted to crazy alpha sex,” Brennon surmised, and when Gunho didn’t correct him, got his answer. “While I agree it was shitty of you to use those types of tactics on me, there’s a reason that sort of conditioning is suggested. It works.”
“I don’t know whether to feel happy or guilty.”
“Do you regret it?”
Gunho looked away. “No.”
“Good, because here’s the thing.” Brennon took his hand and squeezed. “You aren’t the only selfish one in this relationship. I still don’t know if I’ll ever be able to give you what you really want. I don’t know if one day we’ll wake up and somehow be the family you’ve always dreamed of having. I don’t even know if I’m capable of falling in love with you. But I refuse to give you up either. I’m not letting go. You’re stuck with me, alpha, whether you like it or not. Whether you regret it now or later. You’re mine.”
What Brennon felt for him was stronger than anything he’d ever felt for another person, but that didn’t mean it was true love. He didn’t know what that was like, or if he’d ever be able to give that to Gunho, no matter how desperately the alpha wanted it from him.
