Page 125 of Fool Me Twice

“I am,” Hart said. “We both know I am. I think everyone knows now. I did some stupid shit while I was cursed.”

“Hey,” Cane said, “if I can’t blame myself then you definitely can’t blame yourself either.”

“I said and did some really awful things. To everyone,” Hart said. “To you.”

“Not your fault,” Cane repeated.

“I’m still sorry,” Hart said, shaking his head when Cane went to respond. “Not just for the curse, but for everything. For not being really yours, for keeping you hidden, for not giving you a clear response. For using you.”

“I don’t feel used, sweetheart.”

“But—”

“Did you ever hear me say no to you?”

“No, but—”

“And you never fucking will,” Cane said, and Hart’s insides burst with a hope he couldn’t contain anymore.

“So you’ll keep me?” he asked, quiet and looking into Cane’s eyes like he was the last thing he’d ever see.

“I’ll repeat this however many times you need to hear it,” Cane said. “I was yours from the moment I met you.”

“Then I want to be yours too,” Hart said. “For real this time.”

He watched a smile bloom on Cane’s face. Not the vicious, threatening, shark-like one he used to scare people off. But a real, open one Hart wanted to tuck inside his chest and keep forever.

You can, his mind whispered, and he shivered at the thought.

He could. He’d found his way to where he belonged, and now he got to stay. Close to Cane. By his side the way he was always supposed to be.

Returning the smile, he leaned in and captured Cane’s lips in a kiss, pouring everything he was into it. Giving it all to Cane because he owned it anyway. He felt Cane’s hands splay over his back protectively, his lips matching Hart’s slow pace.

It was a kiss of promise. Of devotion. Of all the things neither of them would probably be very good at voicing. But they had years of practice at showing them with their actions, and he had no doubt they’d only keep getting better.

He licked his way into Cane’s mouth slowly, exploring, tugging on the piercings he found on the way, mapping out the warmth, and stealing Cane’s breath to fill his own lungs.

It felt like they were turning into one person, tied together, their frayed edges matching up perfectly.

Hart sighed against Cane’s lips, his chest heaving and his mind completely still for the first time in forever.

“I wish I wasn’t roughed up like this,” Cane groaned. “I’d bend you over every surface in this room, sweetheart.”

Hart’s body trembled with need, but he knew he wasn’t really up to it either. He was still bone tired and aching. But the thought…oh, the thought was delicious.

“You have time to do it, though,” Hart said. “When we’re both healed. We have time.”

“Time,” Cane said, holding Hart’s gaze. “With you.”

“Yes,” Hart said, simply because he felt drained of other words.

“I like the sound of that,” Cane said, leaning in to kiss him again.

But before he could, a thud reverberated through the room and reality came crashing in, carried on the wings of Black’s screech. “OKAY! We’ve waited long enough!! YOU GOTTA COME OUT NOW!”

Chapter 26

Hart

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