Page 27 of The Mourning Throne
“In the tub,” Lex said.
Ollie obeyed.
Of course, that’s when the tears started. They welled up in those giant, glassy eyes, spilling over in messy tracks down his flushed cheeks. His breathing came faster, raspinghigh and thin, hands pressed over his mouth like he could physically smother the noise of his own hyperventilation.
“Scream all you want,” Morgan chirped as he came into the bathroom. He pulled off his jacket, rolled up the long sleeves underneath. “This room is soundproof.”
Soundproof?
Lex’s nose scrunched.
Why the fuck do we need a soundproof room?
Morgan glanced over, pausing. His expression landed somewhere between mild amusement and that quiet, razor-thin warning he wore like a second skin when they were about to kill someone.
“You’re loud when we fuck,” Morgan said, deadpan. “I wanted to make sure there were no complaints.”
Lex’s brain stuttered.
Heat surged up his neck, crawling into his scalp and setting his ears on fire
Saying it out loud. With aguestpresent.
What theactual hell.
That was easily one of Morgan’s most asshole moves to date—and Lex had alibraryof contenders. A whole fuckingarchive. Highlighted footnotes included.
But did he complain? No. He knew better than that.
Instead he watched Morgan open the travel case—neatly organized tools, each one fitted into foam like surgical equipment. The knife came out.
Nothing dramatic. No gleam of chrome or serrated edge. Just a simple blade, worn handle, curved for precision.
Probably something left over from Morgan’s previous career.
Lex’s stomach turned—not from fear, or nerves.
Just frustration. After all that buildup, gutting Ollie now would be such a goddamn waste.
They’d gone through all thattrouble. Lex had made such an effort, and now he had to… what? Stand here and record?
That wasn’t an issue. It was something he really loved. Truly.
But that high from earlier had settled and left him wanting so much more.
Lex couldn’t stop himself from stepping forward.
“Wait.”
Morgan didn’t pause.
Lex grabbed his elbow.
This time, Morgan stilled for a second. Just a second. Then he turned—sharp, sudden. Too damn quick for the little space.
His eyes narrowed, dark lashes cutting across that blank face. Lex jerked back before his brain caught up, knocking against the bathroom door. The hollowclickof the latch catching behind him sent a shiver up his spine.
“Wait,” Lex said again, quieter now.
