Page 100 of Hard Bargain

Dominic kept it efficient. Didn’t think about it too much. When he was done, he set the cloth aside and leaned back, dragging a hand through his hair.

Now what?

That was the part he hadn’t planned for. He didn’t let things stretch past what they were meant to be. People didn’t end up in his bed and then stay there after. That wasn’t how it worked. He never did sleepovers.

His gaze shifted back to the boy—kicking him out wasn’t an option.

And that was a problem.

Chapter 26

Knox

Awareness seeped back in slowly. First came the weight of his body against the mattress, then the warmth of the sheets, and finally the unfamiliar ache that brought last night rushing back.

Heat and pressure flooded his mind. Everything had spiraled too fast and not fast enough at the same time. He remembered it all in vivid detail—the sounds he’d made, the way he’d begged.

Oh, god.

Knox opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.

That had happened.

He dragged a hand over his face, exhaling quietly. His body shifted and the ache sharpened just enough to make him suck in a breath.

Yeah. Not a dream. Not something he’d imagined because he’d spent too much time thinking about Dominic Rivera.

He let the thought sit for a moment. Waited for the panic, the regret, the sick twist of shame that should have arrived by now.

It didn’t come.

He remembered Dominic cleaning him after. Careful in a way Knox hadn’t expected. Hadn’t asked for. He’d been half gone by then, might not have even stayed conscious long enough for Dominic to finish. The thought settled oddly in his chest.

He let his arm fall back to the bed and finally turned his head. The space beside him was empty.

Yeah. That tracked too.

He pushed himself up slowly, muscles protesting just enough to remind him—again—exactly what he’d done last night. He grabbed his clothes from where they’d been thrown and pulled them on.

The loft was quiet when he stepped out of the bedroom. Dominic stood in the kitchen, dressed and composed with a mug in hand. Every line of him was back under control, as though nothing in the world could touch him.

Knox slowed. It was almost jarring to see him like this after last night, as if two versions of the same man now shared a single body. Last night felt close enough to touch, and yet looking at Dominic now, you wouldn’t know any of it had happened at all.

Knox walked closer, more aware of himself than he’d been two minutes ago. Aware of the ache. Aware of the fact that this—whatever this was—had actually happened. Dominic looked infuriatingly composed while Knox’s entire understanding of himself had been rearranged in the last twelve hours.

Dominic’s gaze moved over him. “Are you okay?”

Knox nodded. “Yeah.” No elaboration. He didn’t trust his voice with anything longer.

Dominic studied him a second longer, then gave a small nod and looked away.

Knox leaned against the counter instead of sitting. He wasn’t planning to stay long enough to get comfortable. “I’m heading home,” he said.

Dominic took a slow sip of his coffee before setting the mug down. “Alright.”

No pushback. No questions.

Knox rubbed the back of his neck, shifting his weight. “I should check on my mom. She’s not been great this week.”