Page 19 of His to Protect

"Fuck it," he muttered to himself, sliding into the driver's seat and starting the engine. The purr of the powerful car did little to soothe his racing thoughts – if anything, it fueled the fire that burned within him.

As the car roared through the night, Dante's mind filled with images of Felix: his deep brown eyes, wide and vulnerable; the feel of his body pressed against Dante's own, trembling with desire and fear; the intoxicating taste of his skin. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white as he navigated the streets with a single-minded purpose.

Damn, what am I doing?he thought, his heart pounding in time with the engine.This is a terrible idea.

But the memory of Felix's breathy moans and the tight heat of his body wrapped around him drowned out the voice of reason. The streets blurred together as Dante drove faster, the city lights streaking past like shooting stars.

His resolve solidified, Dante steered the car through the darkened streets, knowing he was diving headfirst into dangerous waters.

Chapter eight

Felixstirredthepotof steaming tomato sauce, a simple dinner he had managed to whip up with his limited pantry. A tight budget forced creativity in the kitchen, but he was proud of his resourcefulness. The aroma of garlic and basil filled the small kitchen, making it feel warm and cozy.

"Everything's starting to look up," Felix murmured to himself. Luna's recent grades had come back with high results. As a reward, she was out enjoying a sleepover at a friend's house.

Felix felt a sense of accomplishment and pride wash over him. He was taking care of his sister, and she was flourishing -- even if it meant living on a shoestring.

His phone buzzed on the counter, interrupting his reverie. With sauce-splattered fingers, he picked it up and saw Dante's name flash across the screen. His heart skipped a beat

It had been days since he'd messaged Dante, asking him for a ride away from Felix's boring date.

And Dante had definitely given him a ride. Felix still shivered at the thought of it.

Over the last few days, he'd found himself hovering a finger over Dante's name in his contacts. He wanted… he wanted…

What, exactly? He wasn't sure.

He'd wanted Dante to pop his cherry. Dante had done so — thoroughly.

But now there was no reason for him to contact Dante again. They'd both got what they'd wanted. Whatever tension had existed between them had been dealt with.

But Felix hadn't deleted Dante's name from his phone.

And now Dante was texting him.

I'm in the neighborhood. I've got some time to kill. You home?

The message was casual, but Felix could feel the unspoken intention behind those words.

Dante wanted more of him. It sent a shiver down his spine.

Felix hesitated for a moment. This was a bad idea. He didn't want anything to do with the underworld.

But he couldn't ignore the way that he wanted more of Dante.

Yeah, I'm here,he typed, his fingers trembling slightly.

He tried to focus on finishing dinner, but his mind couldn't escape thoughts of Dante – his commanding presence, the way he'd looked at Felix like he was something precious. The more he thought about it, the more that familiar ache grew within him, a hunger for the touch and dominance that only Dante could provide.

He tried to quell the rising heat in his cheeks. He knew the potential consequences of getting tangled up with someone like Dante. But deep down, a part of him craved the danger just as much as the passion.

Felix's phone buzzed again, breaking him out of his thoughts. It was another message from Dante:Be there in twenty.

"Shit," he whispered, wiping his hands on a dishtowel. He glanced around the house, suddenly aware of its humble appearance. He knew Dante wouldn't care about things like that, but the nerves were getting to him. He threw himself into some last-minute tidying — and then into the bathroom, spritzing himself up as fast as he could.

Soon, the sound of a low rumble echoed down the street, announcing Dante's arrival. Felix peeked out of his living room window and saw the powerful silhouette of Dante's car as it came to a stop in front of his small house. The sight of Dante behind the wheel, looking every bit the dangerous and seductive figure he'd come to know, sent a shiver down Felix's spine.

"Alright," Felix whispered to himself. "You've got this." He took a deep breath before opening the door, feeling the cool evening air against his flushed cheeks.

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