Page 74 of Knox
"No." Knox tightened his grip on Adrian’s back, his fingers pressing into the fabric of Adrian’s shirt. "Nothing you did or didn’t do forced Chris to fuck a stranger."
"It wasn’t a stranger," Adrian confessed, sounding more bitter than ever. "It was my little brother. They’re getting married in a month."
Knox’s mind raced, trying to process the betrayal. His hold on Adrian tightened instinctively, as if he could somehow shield him from the hurt that had already been inflicted.
"Your brother?" Knox repeated, struggling to keep the anger from bleeding into his tone. "And now they’re getting married?"
Adrian nodded, burying his face in Knox’s chest. "My parents keeps telling me to get over it, to be happy for them. But how can I?"
Everything in Knox drew tight. He understood betrayal, but this… this was a level of treachery that cut deeper than any he’d known. No wonder Adrian was so afraid of love, having been treated like shit by not one but two people who should have been loyal to him. "You have every right to feel hurt and angry. What they did to you is unforgivable."
"My grandmother agrees with you there. I didn’t tell her about the details, of course…"
"I’m sure she understands well enough. The details you shared with me don’t change anything." Knox tightened his embrace. The weight of the betrayal Adrian had endured pressed heavily on him, making Knox’s anger toward the mortal’s ex and brother simmer dangerously close to the surface.
Adrian’s lips trembled and Knox felt a surge of protectiveness. "You deserve better," he continued. "You deserve someone who sees your worth, who loves you for exactly who you are."
Adrian stiffened. "People only find that kind of love in books. Real people suck."
For a brief moment, Knox wondered if he counted as ‘real people’ to Adrian yet, or if he was still part of a story to the mortal.
Which camp did he fall into?
And anyway, could he be the one to give Adrian what he deserved? In his heart of hearts, he wished to be. He wanted to take all of Adrian’s pain and make it disappear, help him carry the hurt until it disappeared in the light of the future they created together.
He wanted to give Adrian a romance to rival the sappiest story any poet could spin.
For the longest time, he’d thought he’d been pulled into this world by chance or evil machinations, but what if he’d crashed into this building because the man in his arms had always been meant for him? What if taking care of Adrian was his real mission?
What ifthatwas the way he would redeem himself? By freeing Adrian from the monsters that had invaded his world and becoming the only demon in his heart?
When he looked at things that way, what he needed to do became incredibly clear.
Unable to hold back any longer, he tilted Adrian’s chin up, gazed into those haunted hazel eyes, felt the pulse of desire between them, that need within Adrian that called out to him like a siren’s song, and giving in to his instincts, he pressed his lips against Adrian’s in a fervent kiss. The connection sparked, setting fire to their burgeoning bond, reconfirming for Knox what he had already suspected.
When he pulled away, his resolve was firm.
"Where does Chris live?"
Adrian blinked, confusion flickering across his features. "Why do you want to know where Chris lives?"
"It’s vital." A dark anger bubbled inside Knox. "Take me there."
Adrian’s brow furrowed. "But we have more important things to do. We need to find Caelen and stop these portals from opening."
Knox shook his head. "Nothing could be more important right now. This has to be done."
Adrian hesitated, clearly torn between his fear and the urgency in Knox’s eyes. "I guess we still have the car," he conceded. "But why…?"
"Take me there," Knox repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Adrian swallowed hard, then finally relented with a nod. "Alright. I’ll take you to Chris."
A grim satisfaction settled over Knox. He would make Chris regret what he had done, then he would claim his mate, and then he would defeat Caelen.
Everything else would fall into place after.
Chapter
