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It only contained a few files, with a tab labeled ‘Denied: Supers and Humans.’ The brief in the first folder summarized that a supe and normie petitioning to marry was dismissed for reasons of ‘scientifically proven biological incompatibility.’

Oh, Xan…

While I always thought it was odd that heroes and villains were considered different species, supes and normies definitely were. If I unleashed even a quarter of my full strength on a human, they would splatter like a bug on a windshield.

I could only imagine the potential complications of a normie woman giving birth to a half-supe, but such precautions didn’t apply to twomenwanting to be together. With a sinking feeling, I realized Xander might actually burn down the USN to get what he wanted. Namely,me.

I need to come clean asap.

Maybe after he calms down…

The sight of Xander waiting near the doors, looking as defeated as I’d ever seen him, made all hesitation disappear. I strode to my villain with purpose—invading his space and gathering him into my arms.

“The same goes for you, too, Xan,” I mumbled into his hair, hoping I was providing some comfort. The man might have multiple doctorates, but right now, he needed to get out of his own head. “Anything you need to talk to me about, you can.”

And I need to do the same for you.

He tensed for only a moment before melting against my chest. Xander was almost as tall as me, but I definitely outweighed him, and it felt good to be taking care ofhimfor a change.

“My big, strong man,” he crooned, lifting his head to scrape his teeth along my jaw, lighting me up. “Should we skip drinks altogether in favor of fucking the pain away?”

I sharply inhaled. While I wascravingXander inside me—and had been fantasizing about experiencing him in the same way—it didn’t feel ethical to do anything like that without him knowing the truth about me.

The records room door banged open, saving me from my turmoil, but when I saw who was interrupting us, I internally groaned.

I’d rather confess everything than deal with this guy.

“Well, well, well… this is something I never expected to see.”

Tobias Johnson was a high-ranking officer of the USN, although it was through no merit of his own. Like me, his family had worked for the Biggs empire for generations, but that was where the similarities ended.

Whereas I had been under contract to serve the city since birth, Tobiaschoseto exist in shadowy circles—more than happy to serve as Solomon Biggs’ unscrupulous eyes and ears at the USN.

He was also always thrilled with an opportunity to taunt me.

“It’s not every day I get to see ButchHawthornebehaving so recklessly. Does Biggs know his petdogescaped its short leash for a salacious tryst?”

“Thefuckdid you just say?” Xander had turned to face the intruder, his amber eyes flashing gold as the full force of his glare fell on the other man.

Tobias paled, stumbling back a step before regaining his usual haughty demeanor. “Excuse me, but who are you exactly? Does security know—”

“I’m Dr. Don’t-Give-a-Fuck,” Xander growled, advancing on Tobias until he towered over him. “And I will gut you—slowly—if you ever talk to or about Butch that way again.”

A tidal wave of power thrummed through the space, rattling the file cabinets and causing the fluorescents to sway overhead.

Oh, shi…

Tobias was a normie—like all USN employees—and I was so accustomed to the disrespectful way he spoke to me that my powers hadn’t even blipped.

That surge didn’t come from me.

It came from Xander.

Not only did Tobias’ eyes widen at the display, butXander’sdid as well. He even turned to look atme,as if to check whether I’d felt it too.

Does he not know what he can do?

Before I could wrap my head around how the son of two extremely lethal supervillains could be so clueless about his own powers, Tobias huffed indignantly.