Page 45 of Martyr

“Hey.” West tugged him against his side again. “It’s going to be fine, I swear.”

“Becoming Essential isn’t something I’ve ever wanted,” Nix confessed, but West didn’t seem offended by that.

“It doesn’t have to mean anything grand. You won’t be a paying member because we brought you in as our sacrifice, so it’s a free ride for life. You’re clever, Nixie, that’s the hottest thing about you. Smart enough to know what’s really being offered here. Use it.”

Nix pulled back slightly so he could take a closer look at West’s face. “Are you suggesting I take advantage of being an Essential to fight you, Lake, and Yejun?”

“Maybe fight is the wrong word,” he said, but he was nodding. “You’ll have more power than you do now, whichmeans more control over your own life. That’s what you want, right? Space? You can find ways to get that for yourself.”

“Can you give me an example?” Really, he was just trying to see where the trap here was, but for the life of him, Nix couldn’t find it. West seemed far too casual, too sincere. As though he really meant everything he was saying.

“Star Eye Holding is located on the outskirts of the city,” West began. “Once Lake takes the throne, we’ll all move to the palace, which is on the opposite side. That’s a thirty-five minute commute there and back every day. You really think Lake will have that kind of time as the emperor?”

“What about you and Yejun? That’s sort of the problem with you all coming in a set of three.”

“Sorry, babe, but I’m no chauffer. I’ve got better things to do with my time now. I’ll for sure have better things to do with it then, especially since my goal is to go pro full time.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but we’re not talking about my dreams here, we’re talking about yours. June is terrible at keeping any kind schedule, there’s no way he’d be up for driving you either. Sure, Lake could assign you someone, and he probably will, but you’d get space from us, in any case. None of us have any interest in working for a gaming company.”

Nix hadn’t bothered to consider the pros to this arrangement, too busy feeling sorry for himself. But…He had to admit, West made a very good point. He’d thought switching schools during his senior year might mean setting his goals back half a semester, or worse, depending on how things went with Branwen’s King. This could be his ticket back on track.

Of course, everything West was saying, he was telling Nix without knowing the full story.

“What if I did something,” he tentatively began. “Something that really, really upset all of you. Or even just one of you. What then?”

West pursed his lips and thought it over. “Not sure. We’d all react too differently for me to guess, besides, that’s too broad of a question, don’t you think? I suppose Lake could always have you arrested. Since he’s bitten you, he can’t exactly throw you away, now can he?”

“What if Lake already knew and was okay with it?”

West stiffened at Nix’s side, the only sign that he’d given far too much away.

For a moment, Nix had bought into the carefree boxer persona and had forgotten that West was also a bona fide genius.

He slid off the ring and cleared his throat. “Let’s—”

“If Lake’s already discovered your big secret,” West interrupted, not moving from his seat, “and his reaction was to mark you instead of discard you, then nothing between you and I changes.”

Nix stared, waiting for the other shoe to drop, but when the Demon remained silent, he couldn’t help but push. “Really?”

“I like you, Nixie. I like fucking you,” his gaze softened when Nix grimaced, “and I like talking with you. Any animosity you’ve seen between Lake and me is surface-level. I trust him with my life. I trust he always has all of our best interests at heart. If he wants to keep you forever, we’ll keep you forever. I’d prefer it if you and I weren’t at odds for an entire eternity. Wouldn’t you?”

“That’s certainly preferable,” he agreed dumbly.

“Don’t look so shocked.” West grinned and finally stood. “I promise when I bite you, I’ll give you fair warning, unlike that asshole Lake.”

“When?” his voice cracked, but a shiver raced up his spine and it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

Shit.

A couple of nice conversations, and suddenly Nix was starting tolikethe guy?

No.

No, he couldn’t.

“Relax, babe.” West leaned in and rested a hand on the top of his head. “I’ll make it good for you by doing it the way it’s supposed to be done.” He stepped forward and pressed his warm lips against the curve of Nix’s left ear. “With you riding my cock and sobbing my name.”

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