Page 11 of Distant Heart (Vicious Valentine)

“You don’t seem all that bummed.” Rexton filled his third box with stuff and waited for his best friend’s response. They were in his bedroom on Vitality, packing up his things for the move to Usurn.

He’d already settled his transfer with Guest Fine Arts Academy and was enrolled in the arts program at Sacrum Cor University. His first class was Monday, and he was a bit nervous to be starting fresh, but thoughts of getting to see Illya every day always dashed those doubts aside.

Aneski snorted and tossed the ball he’d been playing with at him. “You say that as though I didn’t see it coming.”

Rexton caught the ball and quirked a brow.

“Come on.” He was sitting in the center of Rex’s bed and kicked his feet out. “You’ve been dating the guy for years. It was always going to end this way.”

“He could have moved here,” Rexton argued, even though it was mostly to be difficult. “Or we could have broken up.”

“I suppose that last thing was possible, though unlikely. But him moving here?” Aneski shook his head. “Yeah, right. He’s a Black Hart with a position of power already ahead of him. You’re…about to be an even more starving artist. Doesn’t take a genius to see who would benefit most from moving and who would be—”

“I get it,” he stopped him. “You make me sound like such the catch.”

“You are.” Illya strolled into the room, Flix hot on his heels. He went straight for Rexton, running a hand through his hair as though he’d been thinking about doing it all day.

“Cut it out.” Rex slapped him away but didn’t bother to hide the smile. They both knew he liked to pretend to be annoyed when in reality he welcomed the other man’s touches. “Did you finish with whatever business you had?”

“He’s all yours,” Flix answered for Illya, plopping down next to Aneski on the bed. “Hey, Onus.”

“The deal with the Brumal has been concluded,” Illya captured Rexton’s chin and turned his gaze away from the scene on the bed, “yes. What about you? Are you almost ready?”

“That eager to take my best friend away, huh?” Aneski asked. He poked Flix. “Aren’t you going to at last try to stop him?”

“Why would I do that?” Flix sent Rex a wink. “Popcorn and I have never been that close.”

“Popcorn?” Illya scowled.

“Relax,” Flix reassured him. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

“He thinks Rexton smells like butter and—” Aneski’s words turned muffled when Flix covered his mouth with a hand and then dragged him off the mattress and over to the door.

“We’ll give you guys room to finish up.” Flix pulled Aneski down the hall and out of sight, leaving the two of them alone.

“What about the rest of your friends?” Illya asked, moving to help carefully place folded items of clothing into the open duffle bag on the desk.

“They’re meeting us at the shuttle port.” Rexton had already said his goodbyes to them last night when they’d thrown a party in his honor, but it was nice that they wanted to see him off. “Kage already bought his ticket. He’s planning on visiting us in the spring.”

“Sounds good.”

“I told him he could stay with us.”

“He can.”

“In our—”

“Unless you want Aneski to come running back in here because he hears you screaming, I’d cut that game short, xa’us. The two of you are best friends, sure, but I doubt you’d be comfortable with him seeing what you look like speared on my cock.”

Since that was incredibly true, Rexton opted to shut his mouth.

“He’ll stay in one of the guest rooms,” Illya said, humming in approval when Rexton nodded.

It was the Black Hart’s fault he’d been about to joke Kage could sleep with them. If it wasn’t so fun to tease him, Rex wouldn’t bother.

“Are you nervous?” Illya asked a moment later.

“A little.” Rexton paused in front of one of the wooden boxes tucked in the corner and tilted his head at it. He’d boxed it up to keep it safe in his absence, but he could easily picture the life-sized sculpture beneath the wooden planks. It was his best work. An exact replica of the man currently packing his things for him.

It’d taken him eight and a half months to sculpt it and was one of his most treasured possessions.

But he didn’t need it anymore.

Why would he need a statue when he’d now be waking to the real thing every morning?

“Are you sure you want to leave so many pieces here?” The Black Hart came up behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist and settling his head on Rex’s shoulder. “There’s plenty of space for everything at home.”

“I know.” Even if they didn’t have an entire floor in Castle Black that was all theirs, there was also Illya’s estate home. Space wasn’t the issue. “I want to start fresh. Including with my art. Besides, it’s not like I’ll never be back.”

“We can visit Vitality whenever you like.”

“Thanks.” A part of him had prepared for this ahead of time, even before he’d planned his surprise on Cor Night. It’d been a split-second decision, sure, but Rexton had known before he’d stepped foot on that spaceship what his intentions for going on Praeda truly were. He’d needed a push, needed for someone to force him to move past his fears and take a leap of faith.

He’d needed Illya to show him that was something the other man wanted as well.

“Remember when I asked you out?” Rexton had been so anxious, standing outside of Ellery’s house, waiting in front of Illya’s car. He’d known he was leaving soon and had made an excuse so he could catch him before he could drive off. “I thought for sure you’d turn me down.”

Illya held him a little tighter. “That why you didn’t bother thinking ahead?”

He sighed. “I know I’m the one who’s been holding us up, you don’t have to point it out.”

“If I had my way, you would have gotten into my car and moved in with me that very night.”

“Don’t be so dramatic.”

“I’m serious.”

“You didn’t even know me back then.”

“I knew you, xa’us.” Illya nuzzled the side of his neck. “I recognized you were mine right away.”

Rexton lifted Illya’s wrist and looked at the matching metal bracelet he wore. That morning, after the Black Hart had wrung half a dozen orgasms out of him, he’d insisted he’d only wear the tracking device if Illya got a matching one for himself. The Black Hart had agreed without even a second’s hesitation.

“I like being yours,” Rex confessed, turning in Illya’s hold. “And I like that you’re mine.”

“Good.” Illya pecked his cheek. “Because that’s how it’s going to stay.”

“I love you.” Rexton didn’t say it often. He was going to have to change that. Another new addition to his new life.

“I love you, too.” Illya grinned. “Are you ready to go home now, xa’us?”

Yes. Yes he was.