Page 35 of King of Violence

“Why won’t you let me help you?” he shouts. He doesn’t seem angry, though. He looks...worried. “I have a theory about what’s going on with you, Julian. Just tell me the truth and we can figure this out.”

My heart hammers against my chest, anxiety and a weird sense of relief flooding my body. He knows? How could he know? Did someone mention the job I offered them?

The silence between us crackles with tension.

Before I can stop myself, I reach for him, my hand brushing his cheek. “No, because once I do, you’ll be in danger. And I can’t bear that.”

“Let me make that choice,” Felix snaps, but he doesn’t move away.

“Why do you want to help me so bad? Just believe me. Your life will be so much easier if you just fucking believe me.” I lean my forehead against his, pleading.

“Because...” Felix whispers, his hands gripping the soaked sleeves of my hoodie. “Julian.” He sighs my name so gently it feels like a caress against my skin.

And then, like a thread snapping, the space between us disappears.

I kiss him, hard and desperate, like it might be the last time. He kisses me back just as fiercely, his hands fisting in my damp hair.

The next few moments blur together—our breaths mingling, his body pressed against mine, the taste of him intoxicating me. My hoodie hits the floor, followed by his shirt, and then he’s pulling me into his bedroom. I kick the door shut as I tug my shirt over my head.

Felix shoves me onto the bed, fumbling with the button and zipper of my jeans.

“Felix,” I whimper as my cock springs free.

He throws my pants to the floor, leaving me exposed against his bedsheets. He spits into his hand and rubs my shaft, making it slick and wet.

I groan as Felix’s hand moves faster against me. I pull the ties of his sweatpants, causing them to drop even lower so I can slip my hand into his pants to feel his thick dick in my hand. His head lolls to the side as he pulls his waistband down, knocks my hand away, and begins stroking both of our lengths in one hand.

I hiss as I feel him wet and angry against me.

“Tell me the truth, Julian,” he says roughly in my ear, his hand moving faster against us.

I pull him down to meet my mouth, trying to distract him with a sweep of my tongue. Felix pulls away and pushes my knees against my chest. I can feel the head of his penis teasing my hole.

“Please, Felix,” I beg. I’m not entirely sure if I’m asking him to stop asking questions or to drive into me.

“Tell me the truth and I’ll fuck you as long and hard as you want, baby.” He slaps his cock against my ass, his eyes dark and pleading. His hands are all over me, teasing me, tempting me. I almost spill everything because my need for him is so strong. Then reality crashes back in.

As much as I want him inside me, as much as I want his skin to be sticky with my cum, I can’t tell him. I can’t risk his life for this.

My voice is rough and broken as I say, “I can’t.”

Felix’s shoulders slump slightly. He pulls away from me and yanks his sweatpants up. “I can’t do this anymore, Julian.” He pinches the bridge of his nose before saying quietly, “Please leave.”

My skin is cold from the sudden lack of his heat as I grab my clothes and quickly pull them on. “Felix, it’s better this way.”

Felix doesn’t look at me, his eyes staring out of the window instead. “Get out.”

The ache in my chest is worse than any of the beatings I’ve taken. Without another word I grab my hoodie from the living room and leave, the door clicking shut behind me. The rain is still falling as I step out into the street, but this time, I welcome it.

FELIX

Ipace my apartment. My hair is still damp from the shower I took hours ago, and the faint scent of Julian’s cologne clings to my hoodie like a ghost I can’t seem to shake.

What the hell is wrong with me?

I drop onto the couch and bury my face in my hands. The memory of his touch—the heat of his hands on my skin, the way his lips moved against mine—plays on a loop in my mind. I groan, rubbing my temples like I can scrub the images away.

I almost slept with him.

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