Second Time's a Charm (MxM)✔

Chapter 38 - The Fight

Warning! Spicy Chapter!

Instinctively, Cain reached up and snatched Maddox by the wrist, stopping the man from removing his mask. Then he glared as he tightened his grip.

Maddox barely winced as he was found out, but played it off with a cool smile. "I see you're still awake."

"What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Annoyed by how nonchalant the man was, Cain flicked Maddox's hand away and sat up, forcing the villain to back up and give him room. "Was this what you were planning while you pretended to be lost in thought earlier?" He accused angrily.

"Well...It wasn't the only thing."

Cain shot to his feet and began gathering his things. It was still dark out but what just happened was enough to encourage him to brave the night alone. He'll figure out how to summon Catalina again, he was sure of it. He'd have felt it if she'd died so odds were that whatever Maddox did had only drained the demon's powers rather than destroyed them.

What a fool he was for letting his guard down!

While Cain continued to belittle himself, Maddox suddenly yanked the man's cloak from his arms and shoved the ex-marquess against a boulder. "Calm down and let me explain."

Cain's rage could not be contained. The audacity of this man to think he could casually try and reveal his identity then play it off like it was no big deal! Without so much as thinking it through, he found himself headbutting the overconfident villain with all his strength. This seemed to be enough to catch Maddox off guard as he stumbled backward, releasing his grasp on the marquess.

"For god's sake! Why are you so protective of that mask?" Maddox asked, irritated.

"It's none of your business!"

"Have you forgotten? We're both neck-deep in treason right now."

"Why are you suddenly so interested in my identity? I thought you understood that I wasn't comfortable taking this off?"

"That was before a tamed dragon was led straight into camp!"

Cain's eyes widened and his jaw worked to form words. "You...You think I was behind that dragon attack?"

"No. At least...Not entirely."

"You do!" Cain realized. The whole time that Maddox had stopped talking with him, the man had been suspecting him of working with the Empire!

Of course it felt absurd to Cain. He knew where his loyalties lay, but to Maddox...Well, he didn't know Wolf Brooks' true identity. Let alone where he came from or how he had so much information on the Empire in the first place. It would make sense to suspect him of being a double agent.

"I've put my neck on the line time and time again for you." Maddox pointed out. "Today was the first time I realized how dangerous of a game I was playing. However, I can't take such risks anymore. Not now. I need to know who you are."

"And you couldn't have just asked?"

"Would you have told me if I did?"

Cain went quiet, not sure of his answer. In all honesty, his true identity would more than likely earn him even more favor with the queen since he was already a wanted criminal in the Empire. But on the other hand, if he was revealed to be aiding the kingdom, then even if he could clear his murder charge, he'd still lose his right to the Duclair Dukedom.

Would Maddox be able to keep his identity a secret? The man was certainly good at such things, but at the same time, Cain also knew he was very good at blackmail. Somehow he felt revealing his identity now would come back to bite him.