Page 29 of Midnight Rules
“How can you tell if there are wards in place?” Marric understood what a ward was. His mother had put some on their property. Her magic still tingled whenever Marric walked the perimeter. But he had felt nothing upon entering the archival room.
“You can’t feel them like you would with other wards. This one keeps stuff in, rather than people out.” Iven didn’t answer his question, but that was okay. He’d learned something about wards he hadn’t known before.
“So keeping stuff in, meant books and papers and things like that, right?” Marric eyed the shelves.
“Right.”
“So I’ll feel the wards on the way out.”
“Only if you take something.” Iven smirked. “Don’t do that and you’ll be fine, little thief.”
Marric loved the way Iven teased him about how they met, but it brought back Miss Hattie’s murder. While they were findinga spell to reverse the curse, they were also investigating the murder of a woman who didn’t deserve to die.
Iven drew his eyebrows together when he saw Marric’s expression. He guided Marric in between the stacks and drew him into a hug. “What’s wrong, honey?”
Marric lay his head on Iven’s shoulder. He lost tension he didn’t even know he had until it wasn’t there anymore. “Someone died because of me.”
“There’s no evidence that suggests Hattie’s murder had anything to do with you.” Marric’s gut told him something different.
“She didn’t deserve what someone did to her.”
“No, she didn’t.” Iven rubbed Marric’s back. “Do you want to know more about her? It might help.”
Marric met Iven’s gaze. “I think I would.”
Iven nodded. “Hattie used to babysit Griffin when he was a toddler. That was back when I was a deputy and Zinnie was renovating the inn. She was like a grandmother to Griffin.”
Marric sucked in a breath. “I’m so sorry.”
Iven cupped Marric’s cheek. “It’s not your fault. None of this is your doing.”
Marric didn’t believe him, but he wouldn’t make a fuss about it. It wasn’t about his guilt. It was about Iven grieving a loss at the same time he investigated his friend’s murder. No one should have to do that. “I’m still sorry. I feel terrible for you. And I’ll do anything I can to help.”
Iven smiled. “You’re investigating with me. That’s all the help I need.”
Marric realized something about Iven. He had a quiet strength that hid his true feelings. But if Marric asked Iven, he’d be honest about how he felt. “Will you promise me something?”
“Depends on what it is.” He wore his quietness like a shield. Marric had to wonder if he was a ticking time bomb behind the walls he put up.
“Will you promise not to hide from me?” Marric knew the request would be difficult for Iven to promise.
Iven stiffened and drew his eyebrows together. Marric thought he’d even release him from the hug, but his hold tightened. “I’m not hiding anything from you.”
“Not now, but you won’t tell me some things.” He hadn’t told Marric the dead lady was family. He’d made it all about Marric. Iven had shoved his own feelings aside. “You take care of people, right? That’s who you are.”
“That’s not a bad thing, Marric.” Yep, Iven didn’t like being called out. He was upset enough to drop the endearment and use Marric’s name instead. He also dropped the hand on Marric’s cheek.
“It’s a wonderful thing. It makes me like you more.” Marric smiled and ran a hand down Iven’s chest to calm him. Iven looked at his hand and then at Marric with raised eyebrows. “You’re not a spooked horse. I forgot.”
Iven chuckled, which was the result Marric had wanted. “Get to your point, Marric.”
“My point is, who takes care of you while you’re taking care of everyone else? You have needs too. I have a feeling you won’t let me help you unless I make it a point, so that’s what I’m doing.” Marric knew he hit the nail on the head when Iven sighed.
“I’ll try.” That was going to be as good as it got. Iven was out of practice with letting people in and Marric was demanding it. Hell, not shutting down the discussion right away was a step in the right direction. It told Marric the wall Iven had built around himself was scalable.
“That’s good enough.” Marric sealed the discussion with a kiss. He intended for it to be chaste, but Iven leaned into it with ahand on Marric’s nape. And then he deepened it by licking at the seam of Marric’s lips. Iven’s little licks went straight to Marric’s heart and then it went to his cock.
His chest ached at the same time he melted. His moan was more of a whimper. The sound echoed, bouncing off the stacks, making it seem louder than he intended.
