Kyle jerked awake. His muscles tensed and his mind spun as he tried to remember where he was and why he flet a foreboding sense of danger.

The shapes of the furniture in his own kitchen started forming. Right, he'd fallen asleep at the table like a moron, waiting for Kay. And it was the sound of her key in lock that had woken him. She was finally home.

He checked his watch. The florescent hands showed it was barely past midnight. She must've had fun out. Kyle stretched as Kay finally opened the door, still groggy but a lot less tense. He stopped in mid-stretch. Voices drifted from the hallway. She wasn't alone.

"Are you sure it's okay?" a guy asked. The voice was familiar. Eric.

"Yeah, no sweat," Kay answered, dropping her purse with a loud clang.

Kyle jumped off the chair and turned on the stove. He'd just pushed the empty kettle over the flame when the lights turned on. He shut his eyes and fought not to hiss in annoyance.

"Kyle?" Kay asked, surprised.

No. It's the damn Pope.

He turned towards the door, sparks still shooting in front of his eyes. He hadnt been wrong. Kay stood there with Eric, both of them shocked by his existence. Kay wore a lime green long dress with spaghetti straps that looked gorgeous on her. Eric had jeans and a blazer on. The moment Kyle turned to them, he knocked his heels together and his hand shot to his forehead in a salute.

"Commander."

Kyle waved him away. "At ease, kid. We're not at work so you can call me Kyle." Though he'd really rather he didn't.

"Why aren't you asleep?" Kay asked, her voice filled with a tremor that spoke of many things. Worry, fear, annoyance. Confusion.

"I was. I just got up to make some tea." He indicated towards the kettle.

Kay raised her eyebrows, obviously not buying it, but Kyle was more interesred in Eirc who blushed like an idiot for some reason.

"That's why I came by," he murmured.

Sure. For tea. Idiot. "I'll just add water for you two then." Kyle turned back towards the stove and actually put some water in the kettle fighting not to crush the mug he was using in his hand. Anger trickled into him, slow and steady and he did his best to push it back.

He had no reason to lose it, no reason to get all murderous. This was beyond stupid, but it still ate at him, like a maggot slowly easing through his skin.

Kay and Eric sat at the table, looking like two kids caught misbehaving. Kyle tried his best to keep the polite smile on his face and not start interrogating them to find out why exactly Eric was in his house at midnight.

"So," he said instead, "how was the reunion?"

"It was fine," Kay mumbled.

"Eh, not the best. We kinda got stood up," Eric said almost at the same time. Then he looked at Kay guiltily. "But that didn't mean it wasn't fine."

Kyle blinked. His insides jolted again and he clenched his fists to calm down. This didn't mean anything. "What do you mean you got stood up?"

Eric shrugged. One of his knees bounced  nervously under the table. "The others canceled on us."

"So it was just you and Kay?" Don't read into this, don't read into this...

"Yeah..." He rubbed the back of his head as if finally realizing sharing that was not a good idea.

Poor idiot kid. He didn't even know when he was supposed to at least try to lie. His face had caught fire and he looked away from Kyle.

"Don't get weird," Kay said. "It was still two colleagues hanging out."

Fucking bullshit. "Yeah. It's not like you two went out to dinner or anything," Kyle answered with a shrug, his eyes fixed on Eric.

He went even redder if possible and Kyle had his answer. This was beyond awkward and stupid. The anger made no sense because he wasn't jealous, not when he was sure Eric stood no chance with Kay. But then again, she wasn't being honest with him. And she'd brought the kid home. The thought sent another titlewave if rage through him and for a second, his vision blackened.

Gritting his teeth, he pushed the worst part of him back. There was no way in hell she even thought about cheating on him. Not in his own house while he was there. So maybe this was only about awkwardness and-- What the actual fuck had Kay been thinking?

"Can you please stop glaring at us?" she asked, snapping him out of it.

"I'm not glaring." He turned back towards the boiling water. He'd totally been glaring and Kay should know better. "So, kiddo, how do you take your tea? Sugar? Honey?" Rat poison?

"Sugar is fine, Commander."

"You don't have to call him commander," Kay said. "And he has a name, Kyle."

"Isn't kid his name?"

Eric actually chuckled. Kay didn't look amused at all, but fuck it. He was as far from amused as he could be since he couldn't understand what that guy was doing there in the first place.

"It's Eric," he said with actual joy in his voice.

"I know your name, kid."

"You do?" Poor guy now sounded surprised.

"You're on my team. I know everything about you." Kyle dropped the mugs on the table a little too hard. "Name, height, weight, blood type."

Kay and Eric picked them up and looked at him expectantly, but he remained standing and mugless.

"Where's your tea?" Kay asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I gave it to you. You need it more. Don't want you to get hung over now."

Her eyes narrowed even more. "Tea does nothing for hangovers. But I didn't drink anything, anyway. "

He squinted back at her, the anger threatening to emerge again. "Are you sure?" Because there was no way sober Kay was stupid enough to bring a guy home.

Kay dropped her mug, fire burning behind her eyes. And despite the shitty situation, a thrill ran through him, because he'd always loved her passion. It was short lived as the desire to crush something overpowered it.

"You're being an ass."

"No, I'm not. I'm being very polite. Aren't I, Eric?"

Eric looked from him to Kay, his eyes wide with fear, probably noticing the bubbling volcano about to erupt, and he didn't want to be caught in the crossfire between his boss and the girl he was not-so-secretly crushing on.

"I think I should go."

"You're right, Kay. He's not a kid. I should be calling him Old Sage. At least he's wiser than you."

She stood and slapped the table. "Kyle, that's enough!"

Oh, it was just starting. "I haven't even warmed up yet. No offense, kid, but I have no idea just what the fuck you're doing in my house, with my girlfriend, at this hour."

"Kyle!"

Eric stood too, his face looking like a tomato. "Yeah... Sorry, you're right. I shouldn't be here. It didn't sound like such a bad idea when Kay said it but this is..." He shook his head and backed up towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow at work." He looked from one to the other as if even he wasn't sure who he was talking to. He waited for a few seconds as if giving Kyle the chance to fire him on the spot, then let himself out.

Silence filled the kitchen, so tense and loaded, it was practically palpable. Kay just glared while he tried to contain the fury burning in his veins and figure out just why she couldn't see what she was doing to him. This was beyond being ignored, beyond feeling lonely. This was him getting dangerous for her and everyone else.

She just sighed and dropped back in the chair, completely oblivious. She picked up her mug, but didn't drink, just stared at it as if it was the most fascinating thing ever.

Come on, say something. Make it better. Don't leave me like this. Don't make me ask.

Silence. He snapped.

"Are you even going to try to explain or should I go to bed?" He nodded towards the door.

"Go to bed," she whispered.

"That was me actually being polite. No fucking way am I going to bed without an explanation."

Kay sighed again, long and deep as if he were an exhausting toddler. "I'm going to go to Angie's."

"What?" He must've heard wrong. He was still too shocked and groggy and his brain wasn't working because of the rage. She hadn't just said she was leaving.

She stood with slow, tired movements, her eyes still boring into the surface of the table. Before his brain could catch up with his body, he strode to her, grabbed her mug and smashed it against the table.

Kay jumped back, her eyes wide as tea splashed her dress and shards flew everywhere. Before she could pull further away, he put his hand on her shoulder, and pushed her back down.

Her butt hit the chair with a thud and she winced. He'd pushed too hard, his hands still yearning to crush, to destroy. He pulled his hand back and balled it into a fist.

"You're not going anywhere. And you're explaining." At least his voice was low and somewhat controlled.

Her shoulders shook as she took in the mess on the table. Then she seemed to grow with anger. "What do you want?" she snapped. "We were all supposed to go out but the others bailed so it was just me and Eric. And we had fun because he's my friend and we get along well."

"Yes, that! That's what I want. You to talk to me, tell me this stuff, not try to hide it."

"Can you blame me for hiding it? You should've seen your face!"

"My face? You should've seen yours. You looked guilty as sin!"

They both froze, the unspoken question lingering between them. Kyle hated this because he understood and never doubted her. Why couldn't she just talk to him? All of this could have been avoided, including the broken mug she was doing her best to ignore. At least the reality of it managed to calm him down some.

Kay wasn't helping. She was still quiet, looking anywhere but at him, seeming beyond tired of the situation, the conversation. Him.

"Why did you bring Eric here?" he whispered. He suspected the answer, dreaded it, but he had to know.

"Because I knew it was late and I should come home, but I wanted someone to talk to."

Kyle stepped back and hit the counter. The words were so innocent, but they tore him open worse than if she'd said she wanted to do the guy. This was the worst thing that could happen to any relationship. Lack of communication.

"Why couldn't you talk to me?" he whispered.

"I thought you were asleep."

Anger shot through him again, clouding up his already addled brain. Because this was stupid, problematic and mostly her fault. "Don't deflect. I mean in general. We spend so little time together lately because you're always so busy and then the little time we do have you--"

Kay raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Are you jealous?"

His first impulse was to say no, but he bit his tongue. What the hell was the point in playing macho when she was slipping through his fingers?

"Yes!"

The word rang through the empty room, taking Kay by surprise. For a second, she looked positively glowing, then she just scoffed.

"Come on, Kyle, do you seriously think I would cheat on you? I'd have to be crazy. You're like the perfect boyfriend."

Then why were they crashing and burning? Maybe because it wasn't about cheating at all.

"That's not why I'm jealous."

"Oh?"

"It's all the time you give other people. First Angie, now Eric. I barely see you anymore. When's the last time we had a real conversation? When's the last time we had sex?" The last question spilled out before he could stop it, but to him, it was turning into an issue.

Kay frowned. "Two weeks ago. And we talk every day."

Her answer shocked the anger out of him again. "Two weeks?" He hadn't kept track, but knew it had been long. But that long? Ever since they'd started, they'd barely had two days in between.

She rolled her eyes. "Don't get overdramatic. A lot of couples have even longer breaks."

They weren't a lot of couples. But they were apparently on their way to mediocrity. And it was scary how she didn't seem to care.

"That's not the issue. Don't you miss it?"

"That's not the issue either," she pointed out and heaved another sigh. "I just have so much on my plate right now with work and Angie, Jessie leaving and... I just didn't think you could ever be so clingy, so needy. That I'd need to start worrying about you."

Kyle's blood froze in his veins as he watched his girlfriend completely shut him out. He was no longer her soulmate, her companion. He was clingy and needy for wanting to spend time with her, talk to her. He was a problem.

A part of him wanted to scream that he was the one juggling a lot more crap. The Agency, his job, his parents' divorce, his brothers falling apart. Jessie leaving. But there was no point. She should've figured that out on her own, not avoid him and turn herself into a victim.

What had started slowly the night he'd failed to propose to her was finally burning its way towards the final conclusion.

He was no one's problem.

"You know what, Kay? I'm done." He stalked past her, out of the kitchen and into the living room.

He wanted out of there. He'd  never felt more caged. But it was technically his place, so he couldn't pack up his shit a leave. He couldn't throw her out either, because she'd already let herself out of his life weeks ago. He'd just hoped, been too blind to see it.

"Kyle, wait." Kay came charging after him, her voice desperate. "I didn't mean it like that. I just... Need some time to myself, I guess."

He just squinted at her because it was bullshit. Yeah, he was getting out of there. He turned his back on her and headed for the bedroom, still unsure of what he could do. Before he could reach the door, she grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.

"No, don't do this, I didn't mean it," she said between tears.

When had she started crying? And why didn't he care? Maybe because he felt she was doing it to manipulate him, to soften him up. It was way too late for that.

"Not working, Kay," he growled.

Tears kept pouring down her cheeks, but she frowned and pushed him against the wall. "It was a stupid thing to say, but I'm tired and it just came out wrong. Whatever you're planning, don't do it."

He raised his eyebrows. "Seriously, that's your excuse?" It didn't even count as half of one.

"It's not an excuse. It's the truth and I'm sorry. I'm just so..."

"If you say tired again I'm going to..." He had no idea what he was going to say to finish the warning, but he was spared when Kay cupped his face, pulled him down and kissed him. It was urgent and hard, not the way she usually kissed him.

His body instantly reacted to her, filling with excitement and the need to crush her against him, take over and fill the emptiness inside himself. But his mind was still sharp, so he held her shoulders and pushed her back.

"Don't leave me," she whispered and kissed him again.

Leave her? He'd never planned to leave her, just... Well, leave her there. But this thing she was doing wasn't okay. He could see right through it.

"Kay." He held her at arm's length. "What are you doing?"

She looked at him, biting her lower lip. Damn, she knew how much he liked that. Then she freed herself from his grasp, took a step back and lowered the straps on her dress. It fell into a pool on the floor leaving her in panties and high heels.

Fuck. She was an evil, devious succubus. And he was a weak fool who'd gone way too long without getting it on. Before he could even think about what he was doing, he flew over to her, picked her up, pressed her against the nearest wall, and kissed her. It was deep and desperate, a lot like hers, as if they were trying to saw together something torn apart.

It was wrong. So, so wrong. He should put her down, tell her to get dressed, pack his stuff and go sleep under a bridge. Instead he moved her into the bedroom, dropped her on the bed, climbed on top of her, let her pull his t-shirt off. Because he was an idiot who went on with it even if he knew it fixed nothing.

And yet, the taste of her skin was intoxicating. He couldn't get enough of her. Of her lips, her body, the way she knew just where to touch him, what to whisper in his ear. It wasn't even the sex he'd missed so much, but the intimacy, the feel of her skin, holding her against him and knowing she wasn't going anywhere.

It was only temporary. But he'd missed her so much, he'd take every single crumb she threw him.

At least for now.

♠️♠️♠️

We have an update. Even if mostly already written, I tweaked some details. Hopefully, I'll be able to churn out a few more chapters before I sink back into the pit of writerly despair.

Hope you're still enjoying the story. I decided to write the chapters as they come to me, so future updates will be slower.

In case you're curious, you can find a new chapter I'm working on to relieve the pressure on my page. It's a lot different from anything I've done so far, but it could be fun.

Anyway, thanks for reading and don't forget to leave a vote or comment if you enjoyed this chapter.