Cass ran his calloused fingers slowly along the smooth expanse of Darrien's back, tracing lazy circles over the delicate curve of his spine. Darrien lay draped over him, like a lazy cat, his body warm and pliant, the steady rise and fall of his chest a soft rhythm against Cass's own.
"Did we overdo it?" Cass asked with a tinge of concern. "Are you uncomfortable anywhere?"
Darrien tilted his head back, sapphire eyes gleaming as they locked onto Cass's. A small, satisfied smile crossed his swollen lips before he whispered, "Nope. I feel great."
He punctuated the statement with a kiss against Cass's chest, the featherlight press of his lips sending a shiver rippling through Cass's skin.
Cass laughed, his hand slipping to rest at the small of Darrien's back. "That tickles."
With a playful smile dancing in his gaze, Darrien shifted upward, his naked form sliding against Cass's with slow, deliberate friction. "Then should I kiss you somewhere it doesn't tickle?" he teased, his lips brushing along Cass's jaw, his breath hot and tantalizing.
The friction between their bare skin sent jolts through Cass's body, every nerve electrified by the intimate contact. A familiar heat coiled low in his stomach, his body betraying him despite the exhaustion that should have tempered his desire.
You perverted old dog! He cursed at himself again. Haven't you had enough?
But he didn't get to finish that thought. His mind emptied the moment Darrien leaned in, his lips brushing over Cass's in a teasing whisper of a kiss before pressing fully against them. His honey-sweet tongue slipped inside, slow and coaxing, drawing Cass into a haze of warmth and need.
A soft moan hummed from Darrien's throat as he shifted, pressing against Cass, grinding lightly in a way that made Cass's breath hitch. His fingers tightened around Darrien's waist, and he groaned, torn between pulling him closer and forcing himself to stop.
Apparently, Cass wasn't the only one who hadn't had enough. Dominant omegas truly were a different breed—insatiable, intense, overwhelming. But Cass feared they might be pushing it too far. Darrien needed rest, needed care. He couldn't just keep taking from his body like this.
"We need to wash up," Cass murmured against Darrien's lips, forcing himself to break away.
Darrien pouted slightly but relented with a hum, his fingers tracing lazy patterns over Cass's shoulder. Cass exhaled, relieved. They really did need to clean up. Especially Darrien. Cass had to make sure all that semen inside him was gone—he'd heard before that omegas could sometimes have adverse reactions to non-alpha semen.
And they had done it raw. No condom. No preparation for this. The thought should have alarmed him, but at the time, it had been the last thing on his mind. He had never expected anything like this to happen with Darrien. But it did. And they got carried away. And on. And on. And on.
For an entire night and half a day!
Darrien stretched languidly, his fingers brushing over Cass's jaw. "Alright. But will you carry me to the bathroom?" he asked, tracing slow circles on Cass's cheek, his voice thick with drowsy satisfaction.
Cass smiled, shaking his head at him but unable to deny him anything. "Of course I'll carry you."
Moving effortlessly, he carried Darrien into his arms, feeling how utterly relaxed he was against him. He made his way to the bathroom, leaning down slightly. "Turn on the hot water," he said.
Darrien reached out, twisting the knob, steam curling into the air as the tub began to fill. Once it was halfway, Cass stepped in, lowering them both into the warm water. Darrien settled between Cass's legs, his back resting against Cass's chest as he sighed in contentment.
Cass took his time washing him, running his hands over smooth, heated skin. His touch was gentle but firm, his fingers tracing over every inch of Darrien's body with a reverence that startled even himself. When his hand drifted lower, reaching between Darrien's legs, he hesitated before pressing his fingers lightly against his entrance. He was a bit swollen and still very loose, his body bearing the evidence of everything they had done.
Cass exhaled through his nose, pressing his fingers inside slowly, intending only to clean him.
Darrien suddenly flinched as Cass carefully worked to scoop out the remnants of his release. "Cass… what are you doing?" he gasped.
"I have to clean you up," Cass said. "You're filled with my semen, and we need to take it all out. Beta semen isn't like alpha semen. It has no pheromones, so your body might reject it. You could get sick."
"Uh…uh," Darrien whimpered softly, his body quivering against Cass's chest.
Cass froze. His intent had been purely practical, but Darrien's reaction told him otherwise. Darrien trembled, pressing closer, his soft moans slipping into the humid air.
Cass swallowed hard. This was supposed to be nothing more than a necessary act of care. But when Darrien arched into his touch, his hand gripping Cass's wrist, guiding him deeper, a low growl rumbled in Cass's throat.
"Cass…" Darrien whispered, his voice breathless. "Water… I can feel the water going in too…"
Darrien's fingers curled around Cass's forearm, his grip tight, his body desperate. Cass felt himself unraveling, his own breath unsteady as he watched Darrien come undone from such a simple touch. He should stop. He should be careful.
But then Darrien tilted his head back, sapphire eyes glazed and pleading. "Harder," he whispered. "Please…"
Seizing Darrien's chin gently, their eyes locked for a brief, burning moment before Cass crushed their mouths together. The kiss was deep, searing, a feverish blend of tongues and heat, mirroring the urgency of Cass's fingers inside Darrien.
Darrien's pheromones thickened in the air, intoxicating. Cass groaned, his fingers thrusting deeper. Pleasure built between them, threatening to pull them under. Cass could feel his own arousal pressing insistently against tDarrien's back, pushing him closer and closer to the edge. Darrien's fingers clutched at Cass's arm, his nails digging into his skin.
A ragged moan escaped Darrien's lips as he arched against Cass, his whole body shaking. Cass buried his face in the crook of Darrien's neck, his breath coming in muffled pants, his muscles shuddering with the force of his release.
"That was… intense," Darrien said, his voice breathy and filled with lingering pleasure. He turned toward Cass, his limbs still loose and boneless from exhaustion, and rested his face against Cass's chest.
Cass let out a soft chuckle, his fingers absentmindedly tracing lazy patterns along Darrien's damp skin. "Yeah…" he agreed, his voice warm, yet laced with something unspoken.
It was always intense between them. Every moment with Darrien, every touch, every word felt electric, like the world around them disappeared, leaving only the raw energy between them. It was overwhelming, but in the best possible way.
Cass let out a slow breath, pressing his lips to Darrien's forehead, lingering there for a moment. He didn't want to think about what came next, about the inevitable pull of reality that would eventually drag them apart. Right now, the only thing that mattered was the way Darrien felt against him—warm, trusting, utterly spent.
Fatigue was finally creeping in, heavy and insistent. Cass gently eased himself back, letting the cooling water lap at their skin before he reached for a towel. With careful hands, he dried Darrien first, rubbing slow, methodical circles along his back and shoulders, before wrapping him in the thickest, softest blanket he could find.
"Come here," he said, lifting Darrien into his arms.
Darrien hummed in contentment, nestling against Cass's chest, his fingers curling lightly into his skin.
Cass carried him to the fireplace, where the dying embers cast flickering shadows against the walls. He crouched down, carefully settling Darrien between soft pillows and blankets before reaching for more wood. Within moments, the fire roared back to life, its golden glow wrapping them both in warmth.
Darrien made a pleased sound as he burrowed into the nest of blankets, his eyelids fluttering half-closed. Cass stretched out beside him, pulling him close, wrapping his arms around him as if he could shield him from everything beyond this room.
"I got your new ID," Cass said, his fingers gently playing with Darrien's.
"That was quick," Darrien said, surprise flickering in his eyes as he glanced at Cass.
"The plan went off without a hitch. Rex already confessed to your murder. The only thing we're missing is your body, but I made sure it looked like Rex incinerated you. That should be enough to convince the authorities to stop searching for it," Cass replied, his tone smooth, but there was a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.
"You're really good at this whole staging murders and faking deaths thing," Darrien remarked, intertwining his fingers with Cass's as he leaned in slightly.
Cass gave a small, knowing smile. Of course, he was. He'd done it countless times—each one more convincing than the last. Even now, as he tried to build a new life, he still occasionally helped Nataro with his talents when needed. Cass was the best at it—an artist in the shadows. In the underworld, everyone had blood on their hands. Even if someone was wrongfully imprisoned for a crime they didn't commit, it didn't matter. None of them were truly innocent.
"You must've done your homework when you hired me," Cass continued, his voice softening with an edge of sorrow. "You know what kind of life I've led… and how I grew up."
"Yes, I know," he said quietly. "But we can start a new life together. Are you willing to leave everything behind and try to find happiness with me?"
Cass froze, his heart skipping a beat. No one had ever asked him that—not in that way. The idea of happiness… it felt like a distant dream.
"Are you sure about this? Are you really sure you want me by your side, knowing everything you do about me?" Cass asked, his voice laced with uncertainty, his grip on Darrien's hand tightening just a little.
"Cass, I thought I already made it clear how important you are to me. I love you, and I know you might not feel exactly the same way just yet, but—"
"No," Cass interrupted, his voice suddenly strong, though there was a vulnerability in his eyes. "I love you too, Darrien. I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner. I must have been overwhelmed by everything, by the weight of it all, but… I love you. And I'll stay by your side for as long as you want me. No matter what."
Cass reached out, gently caressing Darrien's soft cheek with the pad of his thumb, his touch lingering as if to reassure them both.
Darrien smiled, a warmth spreading across his face, and he pulled Cass into a tight embrace. "Alright," he said softly. "Make sure you keep your word."
Cass felt his heart ache in that moment, a familiar pang of doubt creeping in. He would stay by Darrien's side, yes—until the very end. Until Darrien realized that it had all been nothing more than an infatuation, that the love he thought he felt was fleeting, and that Cass, this lowborn beta with nothing to offer, was never really enough. He would stay until that inevitable moment came, when Darrien would see him for what he truly was: a mistake.
But until then, Cass would follow him anywhere, even to Tunnya—one of the few kingdoms where Valmoor's influence hadn't stretched its greedy fingers. They could make a new life there, away from the shadows of their past. Cass would make sure of it.
He kissed the top of Darrien's head, holding him close, his arms tightening around him. This was his reality now, fragile and uncertain as it was. He would hold onto this illusion—this fleeting, beautiful hope—until the day it shattered. Until then, Cass would let himself believe in the dream of a life he didn't deserve, and he would cling to it for as long as he could.