Page 35 of The Price of Mercy

“Fuck me.”

Enzo growled, his mouth searing against Julian’s as he quickly unbuttoned his pants and took out his cock, not even bothering to get undressed before slamming into Julian.

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Julian moaned, his hands, still trapped by his shirt, slipping and losing purchase from the force of it.

Enzo pressed Julian down against the cool surface of the desk, his weight a grounding presence, his touch burning in its intensity, his pace unrelenting as he pounded into him with abandon.

There was nothing gentle about it; this was need, raw and demanding. But beneath it, Julian felt something else, something unspoken, something that terrified him more than any of this.

He let himself sink into it, into Enzo, into the fire between them that had been waiting to ignite for far too long.

And when they finally unraveled, tangled in each other, Julian knew with absolute certainty that there was no going back.

Chapter 24

Missing

The days that followed Julian and Enzo finally giving in to their desire were a blur of stolen moments and quiet intimacy. For the first time, Julian allowed himself to feel something other than fear and resentment. Enzo’s touch, once a source of tension, became a refuge; a place where Julian could let go, even if just for a little while. They didn’t talk about what it meant, about the dangerous line they were walking. They didn’t need to. For now, it was enough.

The nights, however, were something else entirely.

Julian had never known what it felt like to be consumed by someone until Enzo. The way Enzo touched him, held him,lookedat him; it was overwhelming, intoxicating. Each encounter was charged with something deeper than lust, something unspoken yet undeniable. They clashed as much as they came together, their hunger threaded with defiance, their bodies speaking in ways their words never could.

In the dim, golden glow of Enzo’s bedroom, shadows danced across the walls, casting the room in an intimate, almost otherworldly light. The air was thick with the scentof sandalwood and something uniquely Enzo; warm, earthy, intoxicating.

Julian lay pinned against the cool, smooth silk sheets, his body arching instinctively as Enzo hovered above him, his dark eyes burning with an intensity that made Julian’s breath catch. The weight of Enzo’s body pressed him into the mattress, solid and unyielding, yet Julian felt anything but trapped. He felt alive, every nerve in his body alight with anticipation.

"You keep fighting me," Enzo murmured, his voice low and rough, like the scrape of velvet over skin. His fingers trailed down Julian’s arm, leaving a trail of fire in their wake, the touch so achingly slow it made Julian shiver. "Even when you don’t want to."

Julian’s breath hitched as Enzo’s lips brushed over his jaw, the barest hint of contact sending a jolt of electricity straight to his core. His pulse hammered in his throat, his chest rising and falling with shallow, uneven breaths. He could feel the heat of Enzo’s body radiating against his own, the faint tremor in Enzo’s hands betraying the control he was so carefully maintaining. Julian’s lips parted, but no words came out; just a soft, shaky exhale that seemed to hang in the air between them.

"Maybe I like fighting you," Julian finally managed, his voice barely above a whisper, laced with a defiance that was more breath than bite. His hands, which had been gripping the sheets, now moved to Enzo’s shoulders, fingers digging into the hard muscle beneath his shirt.

A slow, wicked smile ghosted across Enzo’s lips, his eyes darkening with something that made Julian’s stomach twist in the best possible way. Before Julian could say another word, Enzo’s mouth was on his, capturing his lips in a kiss that was anything but gentle. It was deep, deliberate, full of the tensionthat had been simmering between them for months, threatening to boil over. Julian’s hands flew to Enzo’s hair, tangling in the dark strands, pulling him closer, needing more, always more.

Enzo’s tongue slid against Julian’s, the kiss turning hungry, almost bruising in its intensity. Julian moaned softly into Enzo’s mouth; the sound swallowed by the heat between them. Enzo’s hands roamed over Julian’s body, mapping every curve and plane as if committing him to memory.

His touch was firm, possessive, yet there was a tenderness beneath it that made Julian’s chest ache. When Enzo’s fingers found the hem of Julian’s shirt, sliding beneath to trace the sensitive skin of his waist, Julian gasped, his back arching off the bed.

"Enzo," Julian breathed, his voice breaking on the name. It was a plea, a prayer, a confession all at once. His hands slid down to Enzo’s back, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them. The heat of Enzo’s body against his own was overwhelming, the friction of their movements sending sparks through Julian’s veins.

Enzo’s lips left Julian’s mouth, trailing down his jaw to his neck, where he pressed a series of searing kisses that made Julian’s head fall back against the pillows. A soft, involuntary sound escaped Julian’s lips, and Enzo responded with a low growl, his teeth grazing Julian’s skin in a way that sent shivers down his spine. Julian’s hands slid down to Enzo’s waist, gripping him tightly as if to steady himself, his body trembling with the intensity of it all.

They moved together in a way that felt both desperate and inevitable, their bodies fitting as if they had been made for this. Every touch, every gasp, every whispered name was a confession neither of them could bring themselves to say aloud. Enzo’shands were everywhere; tangling in Julian’s hair, skimming down his sides, gripping his hips with a possessiveness that made Julian’s breath catch. Julian’s own hands roamed over Enzo’s back, feeling the play of muscle beneath his skin, the way his body moved with a controlled power that was both thrilling and terrifying.

When Enzo’s lips found Julian’s again, the kiss was slower, deeper, filled with a raw emotion that made Julian’s chest tighten. He could feel the way Enzo’s hands trembled slightly as they cupped his face, the way his breath hitched when Julian’s fingers traced the line of his spine. It was as if every barrier between them had been stripped away, leaving nothing but the truth of what they both wanted, what they both needed.

Afterward, when the heat of their passion had settled into something quieter, Enzo pulled Julian against him, their legs tangled beneath the sheets. It was strange, this closeness. Dangerous, even. Yet Julian didn’t pull away. For once, he let himself sink into the warmth, into the steady rhythm of Enzo’s heartbeat beneath his palm.

"You’re thinking again," Enzo murmured, his voice heavy with sleep.

Julian huffed a quiet laugh. "I always think."

Enzo’s fingers traced lazy circles against Julian’s back. "Then stop. Just for tonight."

Julian didn’t answer, but for the first time in a long time, he let himself believe it was possible.

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