Knight lifted one of his hands and glanced at the sigil before lazily untying the back of Elliot’s straitjacket. “Nothing important.”
Elliot battled the instinct to kiss those capable fists. He was not allowed to do that anymore. “Nothing important? I was sure he would murder me! What did you do, Knight?”
“I killed him. He’s no longer here, and he won’t be a bother to you or Laurent,” Knight said, and with one last pull at the back of the straitjacket, Elliot realized he had enough freedom of movement to do the rest himself.
He grasped Knight’s neck with arms still clad in the overly long sleeves and clung to him as hard as he could. “I’m not letting you off the hook. You have to tell me how you did that. I will never be able to thank you enough. You saved my life for the third time. It means you get a wish now.” Elliot felt so light and warm without Fane’s soul weighing him down. Would Knight wish to get Elliot back and be in an open relationship?
Knight watched Elliot without a word, breathing evenly in the embrace. “You know what I want Elliot? When I finally heard the things he was saying to you it was so hard not to let him know I could see him. I wish that you wouldn’t believe the things he said about you, because none of them are true.”
Elliot bit his lip and hugged Knight even harder. “I’m so embarrassed that you know what he said. He was so cruel. But I grant your wish, I’ll forget all about his poison,” he whispered the last words and nuzzled Knight’s temple. The weight of Fane’s insults dropped off his shoulders.
Knight smiled. “I made an agreement with the demon. Gonna come in handy. I can hurt souls.”
Elliot sat back in Knight’s lap to look into his eyes, torn by the horror of that admission. He pulled up Knight’s hand to look at the sigil scar at the back of it. “You shouldn’t have. Knight… what is the cost?”
Knight squeezed Elliot’s hand with his warm fingers, and it was a relief to see color returning to his handsome features. “Come on, you know I couldn’t let him do this to you any longer.”
“I know. You’re my dark knight after all. You must think I’m the most useless person ever.”
Knight rolled his eyes. “There we go again. Didn’t you just promise not to believe him?”
Elliot laughed, even though what he really wanted was to cry. He wasn’t being crushed by Fane’s evil presence anymore, and yet he didn’t feel whole either. “I’m sorry. I’ll just try not to get in trouble all the time.”
“I mean, you know my number. Whenever something happens, all you need is to call. Pretty simple,” Knight said, gradually leaning more of his weight on the bed frame.
Elliot snorted, unable to contain his love for Knight even though he was from now on bound to conceal it. “You’re unbelievable. I still need to know what the price for this… power is. It was all my fault, so I want to help you in any way I can.”
“I wouldn’t mind a beer,” Knight said, and his hand lazily rested on Elliot’s thigh.
Elliot got the message loud and clear. Knight wasn’t telling him. Chivalrous as he was, he likely didn’t want to share any of his burden. “Thank you, Knight. No one’s ever given me as much as you.” He forced himself to smile and rubbed his eye. “You want a sandwich with that beer?”
Knight swallowed and moved his fingertips up and down Elliot’s arm, never looking away, as if he were completely enchanted. “You needed my help.”
“I’ll always need your help. I trip over my own feet.” Elliot had never said a truer sentence. Knight was embedded in his life now. Carved into his soul the way the sigil on Knight’s fists was permanently burned into Knight’s skin. No matter what happened, he knew he could depend on Knight. Even if Knight wouldn’t say it, the sacrifices he’d made for Elliot spoke of love loud and clear.
Knight laughed and pulled himself up to sit on the bed. “Yeah, I wouldn’t mind a sandwich with that beer. Make two. You must be starving.”
Elliot groaned once he stood on his own two feet, already craving Knight’s warmth again. “My tongue hurts. Motherfucker bit me.”
Beast burst through the door just like he had before, but once he saw the scene, he just stood there, watching them, all red-faced under the ink. “Is he gone?”
Elliot stroked Knight’s shoulder. “He is. Knight smashed him to pieces.”
Knight grinned and turned his head, nuzzling Elliot’s forearm. “It’s nothing. Everyone would have done so in my place,” he said in a tone suggested he knew very well that this wasn’t the case.