Chapter 63: Am I missing him?
Knox froze. Kayden noticed his stiff reaction and explained, "I didn’t pry on your life. It just got wound up in so of Shawn’s information and I’m not so dense and slow to not connect the puzzles. I really thought he was the alpha who had you bonded before, but now it makes sense why he’s so overprotective of you," he shook his head after recalling the recent scandal that Diva specifically relayed the true story to them. "It seed that my foolish cousin tends to lose his brain when it cos to you, Knox. He’s so frustratingly stupid. Should I keep this secret to him as well?"
Knox pouted, "I tried telling him twice but he kept interrupting ."
Mischief flickered in the doctor’s eyes. He hid his goofy grin as he began to plan his pranks on Azrael. His thoughts were only cut off when Knoa spoke again.
"I...can’t simply agree to your request. This involves my brother and my friend. Although it’s true that Shawn was forced into this arrangent, I don’t have any say in this as I am...rely an outsider in my family," he paused, choosing his words carefully. "There’s only one thing I can assure you, Dr. Kayden. Athan and Shawn had no feelings for each other. However, due to recent events, I’m afraid that Shawn might be forced to accept the marriage proposal, to appease his family and punish himself for what happened to his father. He’d been running away from it, but this might be the catalyst of his submission."
Disliking the turn of their conversation, Kayden snorted, "That’s not his fault. Is that why he was crying with your child?"
Knox nodded, "Yeah."
Kayden went silent. He was brooding over how to claim his little runaway oga without putting him under so much stress. After a while, he announced, "Then, I just have to co between the two families. Can you tell
about the proposal? If I offer a more beneficial proposition to Shawn’s family, I can free him from impending marriage."
"And get married to you after?" Knox sipped coffee. Then, he stared at Kayden seriously after, "I don’t think Shawn was simply hating the idea of marriage because it was sothing out of convenience. He probably wants freedom. As an unmated oga, his family was strict and he probably felt suffocated. He wanted to do things and stand on his own, perhaps pursue his dreams and his hobbies. He’s very good when it cos to tracking, hacking, and surveilling, I’m telling you, based on my experience."
"Then, he can work for my family. Aren’t we ant to be? I can protect him if he will only just walk under my wings."
Those words echoed in Knox’s head again and again, even as he walked on the unpopulated street to Franz’s café. He rembered Kayden’s affectionate look as he glanced at the window as if he was seeing Shawn’s image on it.
For a mont there, Knox felt envious. He abruptly stopped in his tracks, realizing where his mind was wandering off to. He shook his head to erase those thoughts and looked up at the clear night sky.
It was a night full of stars, but the moon was nowhere to be seen. He yawned and his eyes watered, blurring the image of the sky above. He closed his eyes and felt the sumr night breeze in his skin. Without seeing anything for a while, he felt at peace.
He didn’t even care about receiving weird glances as he just stood there, breathing evenly while clearing his head. He was exhausted, work kept stressing him out, and from ti to ti, anxiety would kick in about Azrael popping right in front of him demanding his ti and attention, all the while risking his secrets and neglecting his son.
If he could split his body into five, he would have done it, with one of them just lounging on his ho like so shaless shut-in, unbothered by the prying eyes, pointed fingers, and blabbering mouths.
He let out a heavy sigh and opened his eyes. Only to screech at the sight before him, "Heuk...!"
He stumbled a few steps backward. Firm arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him back, steadying him on the ground. Cool eyes shimred like crystals and glistened with a playful glint t his jaded eyes.
Was he hallucinating? He was just thinking of the person a few monts ago. Still, the warmth of those hands above his clothes and the shadow looming over him snapped him from reality. Knox blinked again, this ti, was because he was hurled in a dream-like encounter, with those teasing eyes that appeared soft and gentle.
Azrael never gazed at him that tenderly. So, Knox concluded – ’Ah, I’m probably just imagining him...even his touch seed real...am I actually missing that jerk?’ He closed his eyes and let out a short chuckle.
"Are you waiting for a kiss?"
Knox’s eyes shot open, widening as realization flashed on them. He parted his lips, but words got stuck in his throat. Azrael arched his brows, "Really? You’re even parting your lips now. I’m bending down."
"W-Wait!" Knox leaned back, his hands shot up on Azrael’s chest and frantically pushed him away. "What are you trying to do in an open place?! No, that’s not the case. Just...what are you doing here?"
Azrael grinned, "So, I can do it if it’s we’re in a closed space?"
"That’s not—hey!"
Before he could finish, Azrael pulled him inside the convenience store. The staff behind the counter welcod them, but the alpha just went to the second-farthest aisle. At first, Knox thought that he would actually kiss him inside the store, but when Azrael walked to the middle of the aisle, his face changed into a scowl seeing the stocks on the shelf.
Knox gave Azrael a suspicious look, "What are you trying to do?"
"Hm?" Azrael turned to Knox, feigning ignorance to his words. He glanced around and his mouth then turned into an O-shape. "I didn’t notice. I’m innocent. I ca here to buy so drinks."
"Yeah, yeah. Tell it to your face," Knox rolled his eyes and turned away. The reach-in refrigerators were at the farthest back, and there were only brands of condoms on the shelves before them. ’Does he take
for a fool? Try drinking a condom then!’
Azrael pulled Knox back. A goofy grin on his face. He cocked his head at the upper corner of the ceiling where a convex mirror was installed. Knox turned to look and furrowed his brows. He then asked, "What are you trying to say?"
"I’m really thirsty," Azrael answered, his breath brushing on the back of Knox’s ears.
Knox, finding no sense in the alpha’s answer, just shrugged his shoulders and remarked, "Uh, okay. Then, let’s buy you a drink now."
He walked away but got tugged back again. Annoyed, Knox spun with a frown and faced Azrael, but his body stiffened as the man’s face was just a paper’s width away from him. His eyes crossed from the sudden proximity, thus, as he closed them, soft lips touched his. His nose brushed on Azrael’s cheeks and the guy slowly nibbled on his plump lips.
His gasps were caught between that shy kiss. The crisp yet refreshing sll of the forest mixed with a light woody scent enveloped his nose, drowning the flowery fragrance slowly emitting from his body.
Knox breathed in the combination of their scent, and he’d never been convinced how they suited each other. It was soothing to the soul, and calming his weary mind. He stayed frozen with his eyes closed, basking in that perfect blend of pheromones.
Then, Azrael chuckled, and Knox fluttered his eyes open. Only then did he realize that Azrael already pulled away and was staring at him. His face imdiately turned red at the cocky smile on the alpha’s face.
Azrael brushed his own lips with his thumb seductively and teased Knox, "Mr. Arden’s wanting for a deeper one, hm?"
Knox, "I do not!"
Azrael, "Really? You were left wanting more. This aisle was hidden from the mirror, but if we stayed here for too long, the employee might co and check on us. I’d hate soone witnessing your lustful gaze and sexy lips—
"Argh! Stop! I’m leaving. Buy your drinks and get lost!" Knox barked, walking away while folding his arms on his chest so Azrael won’t have any arm to pull again.
"I already had a sip though," a voice followed from behind Knox but he only ignored it. He bit his lips and walked with his head lowered. After seeing his flushed face as red as the New Year’s money packet, he was too embarrassed to even look at others.
Who knew he’d fold after only a gentle kiss? He wasn’t like this before. He’d bicker with Azrael and glowered at him while restraining his flustered emotion, but now he couldn’t even contain his pheromones from leaking.
He hastened his steps only to stop promptly again. If he went to the café now, then Azrael might see Knoa. That mustn’t happen. He checked the ti on his wristwatch and sighed. It was already quarter to eight.
A coat draped over his shoulders, brushing his thoughts away. He glanced at Azrael weirdly, who then answered while glancing around, "It’s cold even at night."
Knox, "...its sumr..."
"I know. I’m being nice for once; can’t you just accept my kind gesture? Even if it is sumr, you can catch a cold especially if you look so exhausted like this," Azrael took Knox’s hand and placed the apple-flavored vitamin drink he brought inside. "I’m already holding back from slaving you around, but why does it seem that you prefer doing more work instead? You’re only going ho at eight? Have you looked in the mirror?"
Knox grasped the bottle, his eyes looking down at the hands that held him, as though he was so fragile porcelain vase. Warmth swelled inside him, questionably. He looked up, placed his palm over Azrael’s forehead, and frowned, "Do you have a fever? I’m having goosebumps from this kindness, Mr. Del Valle. Are you sick?"
Azrael took his hand, but only to nuzzle his cheek on it. He bit on the lumpy part below his thumb finger which made Knox flinched. He chuckled, satisfied at the thought that the oga was affected by his every move. He intensely gazed at him, as he cryptically responded, "I guess I am."
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