Page 58 of Worse Fates

My hand tightens on the wheel. Rurik becomes deathly quiet.

“Since fucking when?” Kai demands.

“I…I didn’t know that was something you wanted,” Ramy stammers.

“Well yeah.” Golden tilts his head, his precious curls falling into his lovely hazel eyes. “Maybe not right away, but isn’t that the next step?”

There’s a thump when Kai kicks the back of Golden’s seat. “Mate, screw your head back on and actually think about something for more than two seconds.”

Golden’s about to snap back, but I place my hand on his neck to stop him. “Love, stop twisting in your seat. It isn’t safe.”

He raises an eyebrow as if I’d lost my mind somewhere along the road, but I keep my hand where it is. Rolling his eyes, Golden makes a show of twisting back in his seat, and giving me a ‘happy, now?’ look.

From my rearview mirror, I spot the wrinkle between Kai’s forehead.

Ignoring Golden’s friend, I give my mate a comforting smile. My chest expanding when he huffs, but rewards me with a little smile of his own. On the inside my heart clenches.

How to explain I have no plans on turning him? Of course, I’ve thought of Golden becoming a vampire. But then the memory of my brother screaming in agony floats to the surface like a bloated corpse and instead of Cristóbal, it’s Golden’s face I see.

To allow my Golden to suffer in that way? Never. And it isn’t just the transformation, Golden doesn’t even eat meat, I can’t imagine how he’d stomach blood.

All too soon we arrive at the farmhouse, and the more immediate concern of Vidar overshadows all others.

Vidar knew we were coming, but I’m still surprised to see lights glowing from the windows.

Golden unbuckles, but I hold onto his leg to stop him. “Rurik. Ramy.”

In a flash of speed Rurik and Ramy are gone. Kai, sensing I wish to speak with Golden alone, steps out the open door.

“I’ll just wait outside, I need some air.” And shuts the door behind him.

Turning in my seat, I cup Golden’s jaw and kiss him deeply. Now that I’m allowed to, I can't seem to stop, not that I’ve been trying very hard.

“Dude, I’ll be fine,” Golden says against my lips, his hands laying on my chest

“I hate when you call me that,” I confess.

Grinning, he says, “How about boyfriend?”

My mouth tugs up as I rub my nose to his. “Lover?”

“I ain’t calling you ‘lover’. What is this, the 80s?” Then he scoots as close to me as possible. “About yesterday…erm,” he whispers, nervously playing with one of my shirt buttons.

My heart melting, I encase him in my arms. “How do you feel about it?”

He chews on his lip before smiling shyly. “I liked it a lot, and…we’re gonna do it again, right?”

Chuckling, I brush my lips to his, feeding my addiction. “I very much hope so.”

“Good.” He lets loose a sigh, eyes shifting away. “I was nervous, and I know I wasn’t very good.”

“You were amazing.” I make Golden look at me so he can see the truth.

He shakes his head. “You didn’t cum.”

“If you think I didn’t enjoy myself then I wasn’t doing a good enough job,” I reply, voice a sensual caress.

His fingers sneak past my button, running the pads of his finger against my skin. “You were focusing on me, but I wanted to make you feel good, too.”