“I’m here. For anything. Anything you want.”
Raul groaned and dropped his head into the curve of Ji-Su’s neck. “Please don’t say that. Don’t tempt me. I’m at the edge of my control and I don’t want to hurt you.”
“It’s okay. I promise.”
“No,” he firmly stated. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.” The strength of his desire for Ji-Su scared him. He wanted him—wanted to fuck him rough and deep. But he wasn’t going to do that and risk hurting him.
He stepped back, forcing Ji-Su’s hold on him to loosen and fall. Exiting the shower in a barely controlled rush, he walked out of the bathroom soaking wet. In the bedroom, he quickly grabbed pants and a shirt, then sped off to the stables without bothering to dress first.
LEFT ALONE, JI-SU TURNEDoff the shower and stepped out. He dried off, slowly rubbing the thick terry cloth towel over his hair and body while one word bounced around his head.Rejected.Rejected.Rejected. Raul had rejected him again.
He didn’t understand. Raul clearly wanted him. Or at least, he said that he did. So why had he turned him down? And what had caused him to destroy the headboard then pretend like nothing happened as if Ji-Su couldn’t see the damage right in front of his face? He needed to think.
As he dressed, he suddenly felt the urge to get away from the bubble he was living in at Raul’s home. He decided to go to a hotel for the day or for however long he needed to stay to get his thoughts together.
Ji-Su was tempted to pack a small overnight bag to take with him. But that would raise questions and he wanted to leave the ranch without anyone asking where he was going. So, he walked outside with nothing but his car keys and phone in his hoodie pocket. He was running, yes. But not like when he’d run from Cedric. He needed some time to think.
As he walked to the garage, the ground lights began to blink off. The sun would be coming up soon. There was already a faint tinge of gray on the eastern horizon. He passed one guard, human since all the vampire staff should be preparing to sleep away the day. The woman gave him a courteous smile which he returned.
At the garage, he went to the pedestrian door and entered the code he’d been given on the keypad. A light on the keypad flashed green, and the door clicked as it unlocked. Ji-Su opened the door and went inside the garage. His car was at the far end of the double row of vehicles parked on the glossy concrete floor. There was no one there to notice him as he went to his car and got in.
Feeling as if he was escaping, Ji-Su used his opener to raise the garage door. He nervously bit his lip as it rose at a seemingly glacial pace, expecting to see Raul waiting for him in the driveway. But he wasn’t there. As he pulled out of the garage, the sky was fully gray. If Raul wasn’t sleep by now, he would be soon.
Ji-Su headed down the drive to the security gate and the guard who manned it. They were the only things stopping him from leaving the ranch. He slowed and came to a stop, rolling down the passenger side window when the guard stepped out to greet him.
“Going for a drive, Mr. Ji-Su?” he asked with a polite smile.
“Yep.”
The guard flicked a glance at the obviously empty backseat, then looked up toward the garage.
Ji-Su knew what he was looking for—an escort car. But there wasn’t one and its absence clearly had him reluctant to open the gate so that he could leave.
“Alone?” he asked.
“Yes. I have to make a quick run to the store.”
“I’m sure that Mr. Raul would prefer that a guard accompany you. For your safety.”
“I’ll be fine,” Ji-Su said calmly. He added a sweet smile for good measure.
Still the guard hesitated. “It’s almost daylight. I’d better call—.”
Ji-Su cut him off before he said he was going to call Raul. “I’m not a prisoner here. I can leave on my own if I want.”
“You’re right, Mr. Ji-Su. My apologies.”
He stepped back into the booth and opened the gate.
Ji-Su waved and drove through, like it was no big deal and he was simply headed to the store for milk. Still, he wasn’t surprised when he looked in the rearview and saw the guard on the phone, urgently speaking to someone.
“Damnit,” Ji-Su softly cursed. He drove a little faster, knowing he only had a few minutes before Raul was alerted to his absence.
Chapter 35
“Mr. Raul! Wake up!”
Raul slowly blinked his eyes half-way open. Shelly, one of the human staff members, stood in front of him, her brow creased with worry.