Chapter 89: The Dream of You

Darius hand remained still against Basil’s chest, warm and heavy, feeling the frantic rhythm of Basil’s heart beneath his palm. Under that unwavering gaze, Basil felt exposed in a way he never had before, every emotion laid bare for Darius to see. "I want to go further than kissing," Darius said, his voice rough and scraped raw. "I want to feel all of you. Skin against skin, yours pressed against mine. Your heart beating against my chest. I’ve been dreaming about this day, about this moment, since the first moment I saw you come back looking so devastated and lost. I wanted to capture your lips and devour you every time you threw a snappy remark at me."

Basil’s breath caught, his chest heaving as he stared up into those burning blue eyes.

?"I need you, my prince," Darius added, his tone almost reverent. "Every night I dreamed about you, waking up imagining what your hands on my skin would feel like. What your mouth against mine would taste like. The sounds you’d make if I touched you right here." His thumb stroked Basil’s collarbone. "Tell me you want this too, my prince. Tell me I’m not alone in this. Tell me you also want to be mine."

?Basil swallowed hard, his heart pounding so hard it hurt as his mind reeled. All this time he had been suffering in silence, trying so hard to hide the forbidden feelings that had been trying to consume him ever since he met Darius. He had spent countless nights convincing himself that what he felt was foolish, forcing himself to bury it deep down. Never once had it crossed his wildest imagination, nor had it been in his wishful thinking, that Darius might be suffering the exact same longing, dreaming about him the same way he had been doing.

?"Please, my prince, let me worship your body the way it truly deserves," Darius whispered, his expression raw and pleading. "Let me take you and make you mine. Receive me as yours, and let us belong to each other."

?Basil’s throat tightened as he let out a ragged breath, the last remnants of his fear completely evaporating. "Claim me, Darius," he whispered, cupping Darius’s cheek. "Do with me as you please. I’m yours to take."

?A sound tore from Darius’s throat, a mix of relief, hunger, and something entirely raw and unguarded. He had been terrified that Basil might back out, but now, all hesitation was gone. He captured Basil’s lips again, kissing him with a fierce, consuming passion, as if they were racing against time itself. His hands worked frantically at the buttons of Basil’s shirt, yanking the fabric apart to reveal smooth skin in desperate, hungry increments. The shirt gave way with a soft rip of thread, and Basil gasped against Darius’s mouth as cool air hit his chest.

Darius pulled back just enough to look at him, really look, his gaze dragging down the exposed line of Basil’s throat, the rise of his sternum, the quick flutter of his pulse beneath pale skin.

He pressed his palm flat against Basil’s chest, fingers spread wide, feeling the frantic knock of his heart. For a moment he just held it there, like he was memorizing the rhythm. Then his hand slid lower, nails grazing lightly over Basil’s ribs, and Basil arched into the touch with a sharp inhale. "Undress me too, my prince," Darius commanded against Basil’s mouth, his breath hot and uneven. "I need to feel you. All of you."

?Basil’s trembling fingers found the hem of Darius’s shirt, fumbling with the first button as heat pooled low in his gut. His hands were shaking too violently to make quick work of it, taking the buttons one by one. Darius growled softly, unable to take the agonizing pace any longer. Grasping the fabric, Darius tore his own shirt off and tossed it onto the floor. Then they were chest to chest, skin to skin, and the sudden contact drew a sound from Basil’s throat that was closer to a desperate moan.

?"Touch me, my prince," Darius commanded, his voice dropping an octave.

?Basil’s hands tentatively roamed the broad planes of Darius’s chest, tracing the line of his collarbone before sliding over the hard muscle of his shoulders. He traced the raised line of an old scar across Darius’s shoulder blade and felt him shiver under his touch.

"That one’s from a territorial skirmish with a rival gang," Darius murmured, his lips brushing the sensitive shell of Basil’s ear. "Three years ago. I thought about you the whole time I was bleeding out in our hideout. Thought that I might never get to see you again."

?Basil froze, his brows pulling together in confusion as he pulled back slightly. "What do you mean?" Basil asked, his voice laced with bewilderment. "We only met two months ago for the first time. What are you talking about?"

?"I will explain later. For now, focus on this." Darius caught Basil’s wrist and guided his hand down, pressing it hard against his front. The heat beneath the fabric was searing, the shape of him unmistakable, straining against his trousers.

"Feel what you do to me, my prince. Feel how long I’ve wanted this. Craving you."

Basil’s fingers curled instinctively around the hard length, and Darius’s hips jerked forward, a rough exhale tearing from his lips. The power of it—of being wanted like this, of being the one who could make this man come undone—sent a dizzy rush through Basil’s head.

?"I want you out of these," Basil found himself saying, tugging at the waistband of Darius’s trousers with clumsy, desperate fingers. "I want to feel all of you, right now."

?Darius caught his hands, stilling them gently. "Slow down, my prince. I never knew you to be an impatient person. I want to take my time with you."

Basil stared at him in disbelief, his cheeks burning. His heart was racing so hard he could barely think straight, and the calm patience in Darius’s voice only made him feel more flustered.

"Darius..." he began, only for the words to die in his throat. A faint smile touched Darius’s lips. He lifted Basil’s hands to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the inside of one wrist, then the other, right where his pulse beat frantically beneath the skin.

The simple gesture made Basil’s breath catch.