Jamil’s eyebrows flew up. His first instinct was to say that he definitely wasn’t acting like a sad kitten, thank you very much, but then he paused as it occurred to him what exactly it meant. They’d known each other for seventeen days. Just as Jamil shouldn’t feel hurt by Rohan’s lack of trust, Rohan shouldn’t be so affected by the fact that Jamil felt hurt. They both were reacting strangely to each other, acting like people who’d known each other for years instead of days.
It was odd.
Scratch that, it was pure madness.
“You said the intimacy people feel during a merge doesn’t affect the real life,” Jamil said faintly.
Rohan’s shoulders tensed up. He didn’t even need to ask what he meant.
Heavens, they really had a problem.
Sighing, Rohan sat down beside him. “It shouldn’t. It doesn’t normally.”
“Well,” Jamil said dryly. “Clearly there’s nothing normal about this.”
They were silent for a long while, not looking at each other.
Jamil chuckled, looking at his own hands. “This is so ridiculous,” he whispered. “I really want you to hold my hand.” He actually had to ball his fingers into fists to stop himself from reaching out.
Rohan pinched the bridge of his nose. “I know.”
“This is messed up.”
Rohan laughed, the sound sharp and hollow. “Putting it mildly.”
“Do you think it’s the bond?”
Rohan gave a shrug. “Maybe. Probably. I don’t know.” His lips twisted into a crooked smile as he shot Jamil a sideways look. “I don’t know everything, Jamil. This is new for me, too.”
Jamil found himself returning the smile helplessly.
Rohan stared at him. “You’re so ridiculously pretty,” he said before grimacing. “I used to wish you were a woman so that I could fuck this out of my system.”
Jamil wasn’t sure if he should be insulted or flattered. He settled on insulted. “Your assumption that I would have sex with you is unbelievably arrogant.”
Rohan smiled humorlessly. “Don’t lie to yourself, sweetheart. We both know we’d be fucking all day long if you were a woman.”
Jamil glared at him, his face hot.
Rohan shook his head. “Anyway, as I said, I used to wish that. Now I’m glad you aren’t a woman.” His thumb brushed against Jamil’s warm cheek. “It’s bad enough already without sex in the mix.”
Refusing to think about what that meant, Jamil decided to change the subject. “So are you going to tell me why both crimes were committed so close to each other?”
“Considering that the rebels weren’t the ones who committed them, your guess is as good as mine.”
“Don’t lie to me. Please.”
Rohan sighed. “All right. That spot… we call it the Blind. It’s a narrow strip of forest at the foothills of the Northern Kavalchi Mountains before they elevate abruptly. That spot is unique because of its geological makeup: it has just enough of korviu deposits to prevent scanners and satellites from working but not enough to prevent the use of powerful transgalactic teleporters.”
Jamil frowned. “You mean that you can teleport to that spot without being detected?”
“Yes. We use that spot to travel between Calluvia and an orbital station near Tai’Lehr.” There was a wrinkle between Rohan’s brows. “Prince Warrehn was just very lucky to get attacked by his own bodyguards near the Blind. Our people were heading back to Tai’Lehr and they came across the ambush and saved the prince. As for Prince-Consort Mehmer, I really have no idea.” He looked Jamil in the eye. “Trust me.”
Jamil swallowed, losing his train of thought for a moment. “I could visit Dalatteya under the guise of asking her opinion on the matter. The fact that someone—or something—attacked her nephews and my husband at the same location eighteen years apart is strange enough to warrant at least a discussion. I could take you with me as my servant.”
Rohan nodded, still looking him in the eye.
Jamil wondered if his eyes looked as hungry as Rohan’s did.
He knew what Rohan wanted, of course. He wanted the same thing, too. Craved it.
“All right,” Jamil whispered. Fuck, he was weak. “Maybe just a short one?”
Immediately, Rohan’s mouth latched onto his neck, his mind pushing back inside Jamil, and the world around them disappeared.
When Jamil opened his eyes next time, the clock on the wall showed that two hours had passed. He was sprawled on his back, with Rohan’s heavy body on top of him, Rohan’s mouth still on his pulsing core and their hips grinding helplessly against each other.
Groaning, Rohan rolled onto his back. “For fuck’s sake,” he bit out, shoving a hand into his borrowed pants and pulling his erection out.
Jamil was pretty sure he stopped breathing. His own cock throbbed as he stared at that dark, thick cock in Rohan’s hand. The cock was leaking so profusely the head was coated in lubrication, all shiny and smooth and mouthwatering—
“Fucking hell, this is so fucked up,” Rohan said, his gaze flickering to Jamil’s face before fixating on the ceiling as he stroked himself roughly.