Sleep didn't come for Kai.
Every time he closed his eyes, he felt the ghost of Lucias's body pinning him down, shielding him from bullets.
Every time he tried to steady his breathing, he remembered the heat in Lucias's gaze when their faces nearly touched.
It was maddening.
He hated it.
He hated himself more for how his body responded.
By dawn, his nerves were frayed raw. He sat on the balcony, legs drawn up, staring at the horizon while the city yawned awake below.
"Up early."
The voice slid over his skin before the footsteps did. Lucias emerged from the shadows of the hall, his shirt loose, hair damp from a shower. Even stripped of his suit, he radiated command.
Kai's throat went dry. He masked it with sarcasm.
"Didn't think mafia bosses kept track of their prisoners' sleep schedules."
Lucias leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. "Only the ones worth keeping alive."
Kai stiffened. He wanted to laugh it off, but the words clung to him. Worth keeping alive. Was it a threat—or something worse?
"You talk like I should be grateful."
Lucias tilted his head, studying him. "You should."
Kai scoffed and turned his gaze back to the city. "You think saving me once makes you a hero?"
Lucias's laugh was low, dangerous. "No, Kai. Saving you makes you mine."
The words were delivered softly, almost casually, but they sliced through the air like a blade.
Kai spun, fury sparking. "I'm not yours."
Lucias's eyes darkened. He moved closer, slow, deliberate, until Kai felt the balcony rail at his back. Lucias caged him in, one hand braced on the wall beside Kai's head.
"You say that," Lucias murmured, his voice rough velvet, "but when the bullets flew, you didn't push me away. You let me protect you."
Kai's pulse hammered in his ears. "That doesn't mean anything."
Lucias's gaze flicked down, lingering on Kai's trembling lips, then back up. "Doesn't it?"
For one dangerous heartbeat, Kai thought he might be kissed again—no, claimed. His body betrayed him, leaning the slightest fraction forward before his mind caught up.
He shoved Lucias hard in the chest. "Stay away from me."
Lucias staggered back half a step but didn't lose his balance. Instead, he smiled, slow and sharp, like a predator amused by its prey's defiance.
"As you wish," he said lightly, though his eyes burned. "But remember, Kai… every line you draw in the dark is one I intend to cross."
He left without another word, the weight of his presence lingering long after the door clicked shut.
---
Downstairs, Mark nursed a coffee at the long oak table. Jas entered, their hair still messy from sleep.
"You're up early too," Jas said softly.
Mark shrugged. "Couldn't sleep." His voice was flat, but his fingers tightened around the mug.
Jas slid into the chair beside him. "Because of last night?"
Mark didn't answer, but the silence spoke volumes.
Jas reached out and covered his hand. "You kept me safe. You didn't even hesitate."
Mark's eyes flickered, softer now, though his jaw remained tense. "It's my job."
Jas tilted their head, studying him. "No. That was more than duty."
Mark looked at them then, really looked. And Jas's chest tightened under the weight of his gaze—so guarded, so exhausted, yet silently craving connection.
For a moment, neither spoke. The air between them was fragile, tender, a stark contrast to the storm raging upstairs.
---
Back in his room, Kai paced. He couldn't sit still, couldn't breathe right.
Every line you draw in the dark is one I intend to cross.
The words clung like chains.
Kai knew Lucias wasn't bluffing. He also knew—deep down—that he was already losing.
And that terrified him more than any gunfight ever could.
---
That night, a storm rolled in. Rain lashed against the mansion windows, thunder cracking across the sky.
Kai sat in the dim glow of his laptop, but his work was a mess of errors. His mind wasn't on code—it was on fire and ice, on temptation and ruin.
The door creaked open.
Lucias stepped inside without knocking, his presence filling the room like the storm itself. He was dressed in black again, freshly armed, ready to head out.
Kai tensed. "What do you want now?"
Lucias studied him in silence for a moment. Then he said simply, "I'm leaving for a meeting. I don't trust anyone else to keep you safe while I'm gone."
Kai blinked, thrown. "So what? You're going to tie me to a chair?"
Lucias's lips twitched. "Tempting. But no." He turned, voice low. "I just want you to lock the door. Don't open it for anyone but me."
And with that, he left.
Kai stared at the closed door long after the echo of his footsteps faded.
His chest ached in a way he didn't want to name.
Because for the first time, he realized—Lucias's obsession wasn't just power. It wasn't just control.
It was personal.
And that was more dangerous than anything else.