Page 50 of Cover Up

Dei didn’t know what to say to that. He hadn’t questioned why Felix wanted to come—why he really wanted to come—because it wasn’t his place. The only thing that had mattered to him was being there for Felix.

Because fuck, he was so in love.

He cupped Felix’s cheek again and leaned in. “You want me to get you out of here?”

Felix’s eyes slipped closed. “Yeah. I also want you to kiss me, but I know you’re not there ye—”

Dei didn’t let him finish the question. He was there. He was more than ready. His resolve had shattered into pieces so small it was little more than dust. And closing the distance between them was maybe the easiest decision he’d ever made.

Their lips met—still at first—so soft and so damn warm. Felix was frozen, and Dei started to panic, but before he could pull back, Felix’s hands lifted and gripped the back of his neck. He rose just before Dei’s back threatened to give out, and his fingers pushed into Dei’s hair, gripping him tight and holding him like he was terrified to let go.

Dei’s entire body softened. His arm went around Felix’s waist, hitching him close as he parted his lips, urging the kiss to deepen. The first taste of Felix’s tongue was heaven. It was slick and warm and so wet. Dei shuddered with need, on the edge of collapsing from how starved he’d been for this.

Not just for any kiss but for Felix’s.

“Sweet thing,” Dei murmured against his lips.

Felix groaned, pushing into Dei harder, almost knocking him off his feet, but Dei held his ground, steadier than he thought himself capable of. The smell of Felix’s soap and cologne was almost overwhelming, and he felt a sob in his chest because he wasn’t sure he was ever going to be brave enough to take what Felix was offering, but he could see a future with him anyway.

It was right there. All he had to do was reach out.

“On church grounds!”

Felix broke the kiss abruptly, but instead of pulling back, he buried his face against Dei’s chest and groaned. “That’s my mother. If only I could forget her voice as much as her face.”

Dei tried not to laugh as he eased Felix back and tipped his chin up. “Do you want me to handle it?”

“No point. I had a feeling she was going to follow me out.” He took a deep breath, then let it out against Dei’s shirt. “I’m gonna do this.”

Dei pulled back slightly and urged Felix to look up again. “You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to.”

Felix bit his lip, then gripped Dei tight along the hips. “Just stay right here with me?”

“You couldn’t make me leave you right now if you tried, darlin’. There’s not a chance in hell you’re doing this alone.”

Felix’s eyes were bright, his jaw a little tense, and he gave a single nod before he let Dei go and turned to face the woman storming toward them. Up close, Dei could see the resemblance even more. They had the same shade of hair and eyes and the same cut of the jaw. She was shorter than Felix, but not by much, and Dei could tell her attitude made her seem bigger.

She was lacking the warmth he had, though. Her eyes were cold and cruel, and he could see the cogs turning in her head. She was working out what would hurt him the most.

“Your grandmother would be turning over in her grave right now,” she spat.

Felix laughed. “If you hadn’t cremated her?”

Felix’s mom snapped her jaw shut so fast Dei could hear it click. Her eyes moved over to him, widening a little when she took in his missing arm and the scars on his neck, and he wondered if she was going to be brave enough to take him on.

“The fact that you thought you could come here and parade your little…friend around like some rebellious teenager tells me that you haven’t made any progress. Your father and I have spoken to an attorney, and—”

“So have I,” Felix interrupted.

She froze. “Is that so?”

Felix laughed suddenly, making Dei jump. “Actually, yeah. See, the thing is, the shop I’m working at now? I’m making more money than I know what to do with. My buddies there told me that if I was afraid you’d start making threats, I should go ahead and get an attorney on retainer. So I did.”

“I—”

“In fact, if you want to exchange information, I’m sure he’d be happy to see what evidence you have for a conservatorship.”

Her eyes went narrow, and then she smiled. “How about the fact that I’m not actually your mother? That I’m not even a relative. I’m your mother’s neighbor, and she asked me to do this to prove that you wouldn’t recognize her if you—”

---