Page 31 of Hold my Reins

Rox stared at him, mouth open. “He made you kill one of your herd?”

“To ensure they never took me back. To make me a criminal and an outsider.” Not that he could go back, anyway. Because of the bridle, Bothvar could track him into any corner of the monster realm. He’d be dragged back and whipped within an inch of his life and then compelled to fight until he died. He’d been forced to watch another suffer the same punishment.

“How did you listen to me whine about my mother’s death while you’re carrying all of that? I am so sorry…you didn’t lose your herd. You lost everything, including your freedom.”

“But I have found it here. And I have found you. I am rebuilding, and while this is not the life I expected to have growing up, it is one that I am enjoying. I have seen things I could not have imagined had I stayed in the monster realm. So please don’t look at me with pity.”

“It’s not pity. It’s amazement that you came through all of that and seem so normal.” He laid the necklace on Lynck’s chest. “I’m going to find a way to break the chain that.”

“It can’t be removed. I’ve tried.”

Rox pressed his lips together. “Have you asked anyone for help?”

“No, because they might ask what it is. And some of the other monsters here might’ve heard of Bothvar.”

“You trusted me with this knowledge.”

“Because you have the right to know what kind of man you are…dating? I think we’re dating.”

Rox smiled. “We are definitely dating.”

“You need to understand. I was compelled to do things?—”

“Whatever he commanded you to do, it is not your fault. What would happen if you resisted?”

“The bridle becomes hotter, until it burns, searing the skin. It is incredibly painful.”

“You tried to resist?”

“Of course I did. I didn’t want to kill one of my herd, my family. I hoped he’d kill me. But he didn’t. The scar faded with multiple shifts, but the memory didn’t.” He moved over Rox, their legs tangling. “I do not want to talk about that period of my life. And you cannot tell anyone.”

Rox gave him a wicked grin. “Or you’ll have to silence me? Sorry, that was a bad joke.”

“I’d never hurt you.” He’d rather let the bridle burn through his body. For a moment, he was sure he smelled his own burning hair and flesh.

“Will removing the bridle hurt you? Will it kill you?”

“No. The magic doesn’t work in the human world.” He wasn’t sure what Rox was planning, but there was a look in his eyes that was sharp and bright, like a sword.

“I have access to all kinds of tools. If I can’t cut through the chain with bolt cutters, I have an angle grinder and an oxy torch. If I can cut through fucking car bodies, I can cut through that tiny chain. We will defeat Bothvar.”

He spoke with such confidence that Lynck almost believed him…but could monster magic be defeated by human power tools?

With Rox looking at him like that, it was hard to believe he’d fail.

He thought he was free, but sharing his secret meant acknowledging he still lived in fear of Bothvar finding him and returning him to the monster world. Until the bridle was destroyed, he would never be free, and that was a hard truth to admit. He kissed Rox, pushing away memories and truths and losing himself in desire.

fifteen

If Rox didn’t hurry the fuck up, Beastly Brewhouse was going to be closed before he got there. He hadn’t wanted to go around in his sweaty, oil-stained clothes, so he’d stopped by the motel to shower and change first, which had added twenty minutes to his turnaround time.

He did not want to abuse the privilege of being able to stare at the piano by turning up at closing and expecting to be let in, no it was better to turn up in a timely manner before closing and play, or attempt to, while Lynck cleaned up.

Lynck had texted yesterday to say that it was fine for him to play while he closed and that he was looking forward to seeing him again. Rox hadn’t been willing to wait another day, so even though he expected to play like shit, at least there’d only be an audience of one, and Lynck wouldn’t make fun of him.

He walked through the open door, and his cheeks burned at the sight of Thursten behind the counter, and he wanted to turn around and walk out. They hadn’t exactly been quiet yesterday morning, and they’d both needed a shower after grinding together until Lynck spilled over his belly and chest. It looked as though six guys had come on him—and that was after Lynck had scooped up some cum and fed it to him.

Thursten smiled. “Greetings, noisy human.”

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