Cloak and Silence (The League #6)(10)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Sighing, she gave Maris a droll stare. “I feel like an invalid.”

“I think he’s taking revenge on you for the way I treated him while he was wounded.”

She sat down. “Really?”

“Yes, it’s true. I wouldn’t let him lift anything. I was quite demanding.”

“He was quite annoying in a very sweet and precious way.” Ture poured him a glass of dessert wine.

Maris frowned at him. “Are you trying to get me drunk?”

“Depends…would it work?”

Maris smiled. “Sorry. I know my limits and I never go near them.”

“Too bad. But this won’t. It’s barely alcoholic and it enhances the aftertaste of the chocolate. Try it.”

Anachelle reached for another napkin. “You might as well. He’s always right about food… People, not so much.” She took her juice from Ture’s hand. “Thank you, boss.”

“You’re welcome.” He ran back to put out a fire.

Literally.

Maris started to get up, but Anachelle stopped him.

“Don’t worry. Happens a lot with the newer chefs. Ture only freaks when it catches someone else on fire.”

“Someone?”

“Cooking can be deadly.”

After a few minutes, Ture came back to the table. “Was I right about the wine, or was I right?”

“Yes, you were. About everything. I honestly have to say that was the best meal I’ve ever eaten. Thank you so much for it.”

Ture beamed.

Anachelle grimaced and let out an audible groan. “Ah no, you’ve fed the beast. Mari? How could you betray me so? I have to live with that massive ego that already takes up half the apartment!”

Ture rolled his eyes. “You need to go on home and get some sleep for me.”

“I still have another hour on the clock.”

“Don’t worry about it. Head on before traffic picks up.”

She grinned at Maris. “Dang, I should have gotten knocked up by a bastard jerk a long time ago.” Rising, she paused by Ture’s side and kissed his cheek. “I’ll see you later.”

Ture slung the towel in his hand over his shoulder then turned back to Maris.

“How long have you been friends?” Maris asked.

“A good five years. She’s an angel, but the baby’s father is the son of a senator. I don’t know which one. That bastard has made her life hell. He had her thrown out of her old apartment and has been causing all kinds of trouble for her.”

“Why?”

“He wants her to leave the planet and vanish. My fear is he might have her killed.”

Maris saw red at that. “You want to move her to the palace for protection?”

Ture cringed. “I would hate to impose.”

“I can speak for Darling. The place is large enough no one would even know she was there. And he would extend the invitation himself if he were here, especially given it’s one of the CDS family members who’s harassing her.”

Ture loved how protective both Maris and Darling were of those around them, even strangers. “I can ask her, but we commoners are a little intimidated by the places you frequent so naturally.”

Maris smirked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I see nothing common about you, or Anachelle.”

Ture smiled at the unexpected compliment. That was why he loved Maris so much. No matter what he said or did, the man made him feel special and comfortable.

Safe and protected.

Wanted.

Things he hadn’t felt since he was seventeen and his father had caught him kissing his first boyfriend and thrown him out of the house.

You’re disgusting! Damn you to hell! I can’t believe I buried my daughter and not you! Get out. I hope you die of an infection before any of my friends find out about you!

To this day, neither of his parents would speak to him. And the cold brutality of their actions was nothing compared to the words they’d said that were still branded into his soul.

The worst part? His parents had called his boyfriend’s mother and father to tell them, and in retaliation, his boyfriend had beaten the hell out of him for it. Ture still bore the scar on his left cheek from his boyfriend’s class ring that had torn into his face as Devilyn rained punches down on Ture’s face.

But that was a long time ago and he refused to think of it anymore.

Maris stood up and looked about awkwardly. “How much do I owe you for the food?”

“No charge, love. My gift of thanks to you. For everything.”

“Thank you, then.” Maris hesitated. “I guess I should leave you to your work.”

“I’d rather you stay.”

Maris swallowed hard at words that meant a lot more to him than they should. You need to go.

But he didn’t really want to. “Are you sure?”

He nodded. “We’re only open for another thirty minutes, anyway.”

“Then I shall wait here.”

Ture adored the way Maris phrased things. He was so proper and yet flamboyant and fun to be around. Some of it stemmed from the fact that he still wasn’t completely fluent in Universal, and some of it was that he liked to keep others off-kilter where he was concerned. “Actually, you’d probably be more comfortable in my office while we close down. I tried to get Ana to use it, but she has a weird aversion. She’s afraid the rest of the staff will hate her for her special treatment.” Ture led him to the backroom that was furnished with a small desk covered in papers and a wall monitor and comfortable leather sofa. “You don’t have to stay here, but it is where I spend a great deal of my time.”

Maris gave a curt bow. “Then I shall be here when you finish.”

Ture turned away then spun about so fast that Maris barely realized he’d done it. Before he could react, Ture pulled him into his arms and kissed him with a passion that made his head reel.

Maris growled deep in his throat as he wrapped his arms around Ture’s lean, ripped body and held him close. He hungered for Zarya’s friend a lot more than he should. A lot more than made any kind of sense to him.

Ture slid his hand down Maris’s back and pressed his h*ps against his until he felt the fact that Ture was as hard for him as he was for Ture.

Damn it.

Why couldn’t his body, for once, listen to his brain?

“This is a mistake,” he breathed against Ture’s lips. He knew it with every part of himself.

Fisting his hand in Maris’s hair, Ture teased his earlobe with his tongue, sending even more chills over his body. “I swear to you, Mari… I won’t ever be your mistake. Let me give you the love you deserve.”

Those words carved themselves into his heart and burned with an indescribable pain.

Wanting to believe Ture in spite of a past that had taught him better, Maris met his gaze and saw the sincerity that emblazoned there. Could he trust it? “Ture… I can’t be hurt anymore. I’m tired of it.” Clenching his teeth, he winced at the bad memories that scarred him soul deep. “See, here’s what’s going to happen should we tangle our lives. You’re going to tell me that it doesn’t bother you that I’m in love with a straight man, thinking you can drive Darling out of my heart and life. For a few days, weeks or months, we’ll have fun. But after awhile you’ll start to get annoyed when Darling calls and I take it, no matter what’s going on or how nak*d we are. Then one day or night, I’m going to call you darling and you won’t know if it’s an endearment or if I’m pretending you’re him. Then you’ll start hating me and this will end badly. It always does.”

Ture scowled at him. “Good grief, Mari, what kind of insecure ass**les have you dated?”

He laughed bitterly. “They’re not insecure until they date me.”

Ture pressed his forehead against Maris’s in a way similar to how Maris held Darling at times. “Yes, they were. Because I can swear to you that I will never be jealous of your love for Darling. It’s the loyalty and love you have for him that I treasure. It shows the true depth of your character and heart that you can be there for him without question or hesitation when there’s nothing more to be gained from it than platonic friendship.” He kissed Maris’s forehead. “I don’t want to drive Darling out of your heart or replace him in any way. I just want to share you sometimes. Believe me, I understand split and heavy obligations.”

Still, Maris was unsure. “You say that now, but—”

“I will say it tomorrow, too.” He took Maris’s hand into his and led it to his groin so that he could press it against his hard cock. His gray eyes burned Maris deeply with their love and sincerity. “Just think about it, Mari. Trust me. If you’re still here when I close, then I can promise you a night you won’t soon forget. And if you leave… I’ll be heartbroken. But I’ll understand and we can go on as nothing more than civil, platonic friends.”

Yeah, but like Ture, he wanted more. He craved the same fairytale that Darling shared with Zarya. To have that one person in his life he could count on. To go to sleep and wake up in the arms of someone who would grow old with him. Someone he could trust not to hurt or judge him for things he couldn’t help.

Someone who accepted him, faults and all.

Maybe his family had been right. Maybe he didn’t deserve anything.

Still, he hoped.

And he hated himself for it.

Praying he wasn’t about to make another awful mistake, Maris nodded.

Ture pressed his face against Maris’s hair so that he could inhale his scent. “I won’t hurt you, Mari. My heart is scarred and in pieces, too. I don’t trust lightly, but I want to trust you.”

Those words brought tears to his eyes. He cupped Ture’s face in his palm. “I will be here. Waiting.”

“Then I will close quickly…before you change your mind.” He gave him a light kiss then pulled away.

* * *

Terrified Maris would grow bored and leave, Ture rushed to close and get everything cleaned and cleared so that his people could go home and he could be with Maris. But for some stupid reason, it took twice as long to do the simplest task.

Please don’t leave, Mari…

Damn you, fate, for conspiring against me.

By the time he returned to his office to do the last bit of paperwork, he had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that he was too late.

It evaporated the minute he opened the door and found Maris sleeping on his couch. A slow smile spread across Ture’s face as he noted how very boyish and sweet Mari appeared. His long legs were bent, and yet they still dangled over the edge of it. He’d taken his jacket off and used it as a makeshift blanket while he had his head resting on his arm. Never had he seen Maris more at ease.

Or more delectable.

The need to rake his hand over that luscious sight was so compelling that he wasn’t sure how he resisted. But he didn’t want to disturb him until he could give Maris his full attention. Silently, he started for his desk. But the instant he moved, Maris shot off the couch into a lethal pose.

He relaxed as soon as his gaze focused on Ture. “Sorry. I should have warned you that I’m a light sleeper.”

No kidding. One who came awake like a soldier, ready to battle.

Ture filed that away as a warning not to make any sudden move while Maris slept. “No problem. I have a little bit of paperwork to finish in here, and I didn’t want to disturb you.”

Maris picked his jacket up from the floor. “Do you need me to leave?”

“No.” Ture blushed as he realized how fast and forceful that response came out. “I mean—”

Maris cut his words off with a laugh. “Why are we so nervous around each other? I haven’t danced around a man like this since the days before I told Darling I was g*y, and I was terrified he’d find out and hate me.”

Because I’ve never been in love with a man like this before…

Ture barely caught those words. They were the truth. He had a hunger for Maris unlike anything he’d ever known. But it was too soon to tell him that. “I don’t know. I think it’s your fierce aura that intimidates me.”

“My fierce aura?”

Ture nodded. “It’s like being in the same room with an exotic wild beast. You’re sleek and beautiful. Every movement is a symphony of grace. And at the same time, I know how easily you can take a life and not blink. How fast you can erupt into a bloodthirsty assassin.”

“I’m not bloodthirsty.”

Ture closed the distance between them to straighten the folds in Maris’s shirt. “But I’ve seen you kill without remorse. And I’ve had a bad run of people who’ve hurt me. So…yes, you make me a little nervous. I don’t want you to have some bad flashback and kill me.”

He cupped Ture’s face in his palm as those dark eyes scorched him with their intensity. “I would never hurt you, Ture.” Maris lowered his lips to his and gave him the gentlest kiss he’d ever known.