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Shinji leans over him and whispers in Takeshi’s ear.
Takeshi turns an incredulous glare on the man he’d just announced was his husband. “You’re fucking with me, right?”
Shinji leans to his ear and they begin a furious discussion I’m not privy to.
A pang twists my heart in knots. My reaction is ridiculous, but seeing the two men talking to each other, their love and dedication on full display reminds me I can never have what they have. Not with my life in danger every day. I could never open up enough to let someone in knowing the risk I’d expose them to.
Shinji, with his long wavy hair, and Takeshi with his shorter, more conservative cut both represent an odd mix of soft masculinity that I can’t take my eyes away from. They are beautiful on their own. Together, their potency would bring men and women to their knees.
They need to be locked up for humanity’s safety.
And they’re married to each other?Fuck my life. No wonder he’s loyal to his husband. I shake my head, freeing myself of the useless thought and reminding myself I need to leave.
“It’s what I want, and you promised,” Shinji says to Takeshi.
“That was before?—”
“I want what I want.” The smile disappears from Shinji’s face and his determination shines through.
Takeshi turns a resentful glare on me before facing Shinji again. “Only you, Shinji. Only you could stop me from?—”
“I know.” Shinji caresses Takeshi’s cheek with a soft smile on his face. “I promise, you won’t regret giving this to me.”
I clear my throat because their intimacy is doing crazy things to my insides. “Well, it looks like you have everything settled, so I’ll be on my way.”
“Not so fast.” Although wounded, Takeshi’s words are strong enough to stop me in my tracks.
The door looms and all I want to do is rush out and put as much distance between myself and this situation.
Shinji unbuttons Takeshi’s shirt, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of a hardened chest. While Shinji uncovers Takeshi’s wound to ascertain the extent of the damage, Takeshi’s focus never wavers. His stare puts me under a microscope, and I’m not ready for him to uncover my secrets.
“If not for Shinji, you’d join the man behind you. You hurt my husband and that’s not something I let people walk away from, but because I can deny him nothing, you won’t have anything to fear from me.”
“Good to know. As you can tell, someone already has that spot in my life. And if we don’t get away from here soon, his people will send in another team to finish what these guys couldn’t.”
“Who are these guys?” Shinji asks while studying Takeshi’s wound.
“Good question. One our friend here has yet to answer.” Takeshi winces at Shinji’s prodding.
“Sorry, Keishi. Bear with me a little while longer, love. Dr. Kelekolio is on her way to take care of you.” Shinji turns his attention to me with an expectant expression.
My mouth opens without my permission. I snap it shut, shaken by the power of one look from this man. The last time we met, he hadn’t needed to do much to convince me to give up Portia’s secrets. Whatever witchcraft was woven into his DNA pulls at me to tell him everything about myself as strongly today as five years ago.
I will not give into this compulsion and no pretty eyes or soft mouth is going to con me into doing so.
“I don’t think she wants to tell us,” Shinji says. “How about a deal?”
“Deal?” I relax my stance. Not completely. Enough to appear like I’m open to whatever these men have to say, but I’m still ready to sprint my ass out the door and to anonymity once more.
“You need protection. We can protect you.”
I send a speaking glance toward the wounded Takeshi.
“Despite our current circumstances, we have the resources to provide more protection than you can get on your own. If we had known you had this caliber of enemy looking for you, we would have provided you with more adequate protection.”
“At a discounted rate?” He doesn’t fool me. I pay a premium for the protection they give my business as is.
“With terms we all can live with.” Takeshi raises himself to a half-seated position.
