Unnatural - Alessandra Hazard Page 0,61

Although they were mated in every sense of the word, this urge to reaffirm their mating was too strong for a normal mated couple. By now, Royce was used to feeling agitated if he didn’t see Haydn even for a day. Granted, it was annoying that his staff treated him like a ticking bomb every time Haydn was away on his Lord Chancellor duties or left in search of Devlin. It would have been embarrassing if he and Haydn weren’t so used to having eyes on their relationship since its conception.

Considering that they were always in the spotlight as the Kadarian prime minister and the Lord Chancellor of the planet, it was difficult to keep their relationship private, so they didn’t even try. Everyone on the planet knew that theirs was a happy marriage. Everyone knew Royce loved his husband; he wasn’t ashamed of showing it. Their PR managers didn’t seem unhappy with them, so Royce shamelessly used it to get away with kissing his husband whenever and wherever he felt like it. It was one of the rare cases of good media coverage coinciding with something he actually wanted to do.

Though the press wouldn’t think favorably of him if they knew just how much he was distracted from his work by Haydn’s absence.

Royce looked at the clock again and scowled. It was nearly noon. Haydn had promised that he would be back this morning.

He looked at his phone and forced himself not to touch it. He didn’t want to be too controlling. Haydn had been a single, independent alpha for decades. He wouldn’t be amused if Royce started stifling his freedom and demanding to know where he was at all times.

His intercom chimed. “Your husband wants to see you, Your Excellency,” said his secretary’s voice.

“Let him in,” Royce said, his heartbeat picking up and his every sense sharpening.

Part of him was incredulous. They’d been mated for months; such eagerness and obsession were ridiculous and inappropriate. He was at work.

But it had been eight days. Eight days and four hours since Haydn had kissed him goodbye before leaving on his never-ending quest to find his cousin. At this point, Royce privately thought Devlin must have been dead, killed by some trigger-happy asshole like Taube eager to “put down an animal.” Royce hadn’t shared that thought with his husband, but Haydn wasn’t stupid, either. With every fruitless search and false lead, the hope in Haydn’s blue eyes seemed to become dimmer. Royce had been bracing himself for the inevitable: the day Haydn would either find the body or give up altogether. He wasn’t sure which option would be worse. A proper closure would probably be good for Haydn, but goddammit, Royce didn’t want his husband to be upset.

He frowned, preparing words of encouragement and support—anything to make Haydn feel better—when the door opened and Haydn strode in, a wide, brilliant smile on his face. “I’ve found him, Royce!”

For a moment, the words didn’t even register: Royce was too busy staring hungrily at Haydn’s beautiful smile. When they did, Royce sat up straighter. “What?”

Beaming at him, Haydn straddled his lap and kissed him hard. “I found him,” he said between kisses, his hand gripping Royce’s tie. “Mmm, I’ve missed you.”

“Missed you, too,” Royce said, nipping on Haydn’s bottom lip and pulling him flush against his chest. Fuck, he couldn’t hold him tightly enough, his cock already hard and eager. He felt thirsty, hungry, starved for him. He kissed Haydn hard, grinding his cock against his ass, and trailed wet kisses down Haydn’s muscular neck before latching onto his scent gland.

Haydn laughed breathlessly. “Don’t you want to know where I’ve found him?”

“Is his life in danger?”

“Well… no.”

“Then it can wait.” Royce started unbuttoning Haydn’s shirt, peppering his neck with kisses. “It’s been too long since I had my cock in you.”

“Charming,” Haydn said with a laugh, though he was equally hard against Royce’s stomach. “Babe, we’re in the Senate building. We have to work here.”

Royce forced himself to stop, even though his body was screaming in protest. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he took a deep breath. “You’re right. I’m sorry—it was irresponsible of me. I just missed you.”

Haydn smiled at him, his blue eyes very soft and so very lovely. “I know. Me, too. It’s been practically forever.”

“Eight days.”

“And four hours,” Haydn added unhappily, stroking Royce’s chest.

Royce laughed and hugged him tightly. It was good to know he wasn’t the only one being pathetic.

“I love you,” he said, kissing behind Haydn’s