Durance by Lyn Gala Page 0,64

myself. Hell, that ugly suit I wore today? I bought it to get you to look at me.”

“I like that suit,” Kavon said.

Darren gave a dark laugh. “Figures. Back then, you hid that well. But I didn’t panic today because only one of us can freak out at a time, and you have the right-of-way this time.”

Kavon rubbed a hand over his face. “You’re the one who nearly died.”

“Exactly.” Darren sat next to him on the bed. “ That’s why you get dibs on the freaking out. When you nearly get killed, I plan to freak the shit out. Besides, I tend to schedule my panic attacks around things that matter more to me... you know, like whether people like me. Christ. I can be a twelve-year-old with no social skills.”

“Darren.” Kavon stopped. He carried as much blame for that as Darren. And Coretta and Rima carried a tiny percentage for not listening when Darren said Ben Anderson had targeted him.

“Yeah, I know. It was unprofessional and a little pathetic. But my point is that we lose it on different stuff. And Dave. That shit was big, and clearly Angel’s comment about you cut a little close to home, but you are awesome. He was trying to hurt you, and I think he has a lot of shamanic Talent with emotions because he zeroed in on the wound Dave had left.”

Kavon sighed. That all sounded like excuses.

Darren shifted. “I like to tell people that back when I was a probie, I reported my bosses for mishandling that Talent case because I was a badass. I acted like I was all about defending the victims. And I do hate it when agents pick and choose who to protect. However, I will admit that part of my anger of that was the fact they treated me like I was the weird kid who needed to shut up and stand in the corner. I don’t handle rejection well. Not even a little.”

Kavon pulled Darren close and embraced him. “You don’t give yourself enough credit. Standing up against experienced senior agents is no small feat. You risked everything because you believed those assholes were wrong.”

“You’re assuming I’m noble as opposed to insecure,” Darren said.

“When I showed up, I assumed you were a junior agent trying to show off how much you learned at the academy and earn brownie points. I used my Talent to check your motives, and all you felt was indignation and fear, and you still spoke up. Give yourself credit.”

Darren took a deep breath, and some of his more negative emotions faded. “Only if you give yourself credit. Any mistakes you make, you make out of a desire to protect your people. You’re a good man, and the only reason the FBI rules ban you from investigating a case involving your own people is because any agent would lose their shit in the same circumstances. Hell, I think Dave might have set up that confrontation to set you off.”

“He wanted to turn me into a charging bull?” Kavon wanted to believe that, but he feared it was wishful thinking on his part. He knew better, and he’d let his emotions override his good judgment. Darren ran his hand up Kavon’s back, and a shiver of lust followed the warmth of his touch.

The sharp shift in his emotions startled Kavon but he realized that Darren had opened the bond and pushed lust and affection through. “That’s manipulative,” Kavon said.

“Yep,” Darren agreed cheerfully before getting up. He moved to stand between Kavon’s knees, his arms resting on Kavon’s shoulders. “I’m using the tools available to remind you that you have an overprotective lover who won’t let anyone beat up on you, not even yourself.”

Kavon rested his hands on Darren’s hips. “Is that so?”

“Yep.” Darren popped his p.

“I feel like it would be rude to continue my self-flagellation when you’re right here.” Kavon slipped his hands under Darren’s shirt. Maybe he was being a coward, but Kavon wanted to escape the maelstrom of emotions and feel something purer, something real.

“Oh, definitely.” A tremor went through Darren, and he leaned closer. His breath came quicker, and Kavon tugged Darren closer with a hand behind his neck. Their lips met, and Kavon ran his fingers through Darren’s thick hair. Darren leaned into Kavon, tilting his head to the side and deepening the kiss. Kavon fumbled at Darren’s buttons with one hand.

Kavon grabbed Darren by the waist and pulled him down to the bed. Their teeth clacked