Page 13 of The Mourning Throne
“Never?” Morgan asked, not even glancing up from the email on his phone. “What about last year? New York isn’t exactly close to Ohio.”
“I drove. Eight and a half hours. Longest road trip of mylife.” Lex snorted. “Don’t recommend doing it solo unless you’re trying to suffer.”
He shifted, rolling his shoulders back. The leather creaked again.
Leaning forward, he fiddled with the vent above his seat. The plastic felt flimsy, but the air conditioning was on, at least. Summers here were all wet heat, the humidity so bad he’d end up soaked before he got out the front door.
He cracked his knuckles.Pop. Pop. Pop.Like breaking tension would help keep his skin on.
The cool factor spiraled fast intooh shit, what if we crash?and Lex had the sudden, terrible urge to bolt down the aisle and fling himself out the door.
He wanted Morgan to say something else.Anything. Wanted him to pay attention, to offer one of those rare smiles, or even a cold, “Stop fidgeting.” Something. Just to occupy the space.
But Morgan just kept tapping out the email, one hand still gripping Lex’s thigh.
“What did Kate mean,” Lex asked after another minute, “when she said ‘don’t do something you’ll regret’?”
Morgan glanced over, andfinallyhe put down the fucking phone. The hand moved off Lex’s thigh, and then both palmswere on either side of Lex’s face. Calm. Cool. Just his thumb brushing slow circles over Lex’s lower lip, like he was testing for weakness. Or claiming something. Or both.
“What do you really mean,” Morgan started quietly. “What do you want?”
The words came faster than Lex expected. “I want to go to the bar again.”
They never said it out loud. Not what the bar really was. But it wasn’t a place—it was ritual. Blood in the dirt. Morgan off his leash.
It didn’t matter where they were, or who they were with, it was something forthem. And between the consultancy business, charity functions, meetings, newspaper articles… Lex would take anything that gave him that sense of exclusivity.
“We were there three days ago,” Morgan said, as if that mattered.
“I know.”
Morgan’s pause dragged. Then: “Fine. But this time, you’re picking our plus one. I’ll show you how.”
Like it was nothing. Like handing Lex a blade and telling him to go nuts.
Morganneverlet Lex choose. Not when it counted. Not when it was about blood.
That was a lot of responsibility, and god knew he was up for it. Morgan’s choices and methods were so very, veryMorganand a change of pace would be fun. Different.
Lex swallowed the grin clawing its way up. Bit the inside of his cheek, hard. Getting too excited, too early, was just another way to let Morgan knew he won.
Not yet.
The plane started to taxi, engine rumbling low beneath them. A constant, vibrating growl that built in his bones. The floor shifted. Tires bumping over concrete.
Lex’s stomach swooped like it was trying to escape through his spine. He laughed—a little too loud, too sharp.
Morgan pressed a kiss to his lips and settled back in his own seat, focused on the phone again.
But he did leave his hand on Lex’s leg, palm up.
An invitation and lifeline, wrapped up in one, without ever saying a word.
Lex didn’t hesitate. He laced their fingers together, squeezing, and laid his head on Morgan’s shoulder. Warm. Solid. Thankfully not moving, unlikeevery other thingaround Lex.
Which email was he working on, anyway?
As of this morning, all pre-approvals for the London acquisition have been processed. Contracts are under final review by legal, pending confirmation of terms—
