Page 2 of The Devil's Embrace

Only for someone to step up to his side and offer one before he could.

Calix prepared himself for the worst and glanced over, breath catching in his throat when he registered it was Heathe.

Heathe D’Leo, his first crush.

What were the odds he’d heard about the incident? He’d been a grade above Cal in school and had already graduated when it’d happened…

Wishful thinking again?

“Hey, it’s Calix, right?” Heathe waited until he accepted the cup and then held out his hand. “I think I remember having a class with you?”

“Fifth period history.” He nodded and slipped his palm against the other man’s, warmth trickling through where they connected. It’d been a long time since he’d last thought of the older guy, but this close, all those old longings and memories came to the forefront of his mind.

It hadn’t been that big of a crush—had been practically erased after the incident when Cal had met the doctor assigned to his case—but it’d certainly been something. Calix remembered gazing at Heathe, fascinated by his whitish silver hair. It always reminded him of moonlight, and he caught himself staring at it now, just like he used to.

The color wasn’t even that uncommon.

Maybe he’d had too much punch.

The stuff was spiked, after all.

Nervously, he dropped his hand and took a deep gulp of the drink he’d been given, because if he was already buzzed, what would a little more hurt.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you around the city since then.” Heathe propped a hip against the edge of the table. “You move after graduation?”

“To the Academy.” Did that mean he really hadn’t heard? Calix was pretty sure the other guy had gotten into Holder University on the other side of the planet. That should have been far enough for him to avoid the gossip. Still… “You?”

“Spent four years at Holder and another two at Divine Jury.”

“Law school?”

“Yeah, I only just moved back about a year ago. Dear old dad kicked the bucket and my mom needed someone to take over the family firm.”

“Oh,” Calix’s heart shrank, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He shrugged like it was no big deal. “Dad and I hated each other.”

“Oh.” Some of the attraction fizzled, which wasn’t fair. Even back then, rumors about Heathe’s father had been abundant. The guy was supposedly an abusive prick who kept his wife and kid on a tight leash, hanging financial security over their heads.

The D’Leo family came from a line of Imperials who’d left their dying homeworld centuries ago. Without the title or the planet to rule, they’d been reduced to old money and keeping up appearances in society.

Not that Calix would really consider that a reduction.

Not when the man standing across from him could probably afford to buy a third of this planet’s resources, if not more.

Calix would never tell someone they were lucky for withstanding abuse.

But he also didn’t shirk the idea of inherited wealth and always having a home to go back to.

“You remember that old diner? My sister bought it and cleaned it up. Isn’t that funny? She’s always been the odd one in the family. Shit,” Heathe grimaced, seeming to realize his mistake and straightened. “Sorry, I forgot. You’re an orphan, right? My bad, man. I didn’t mean to bring up old traumas.”

“It’s not a trauma,” he lied, forcing his lips to form a friendly smile even though he was back to wishing he’d never come. “Anyway, that’s great you’re doing so well. We always knew you would.”

“We?”

“The school,” he motioned toward the crowd. “You were pretty popular back then.”

Heathe laughed. “Is that your discreet way of asking if I’m seeing anyone?”

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