Desire Me If You Can Novel - Chapter 118

“No more.”

Grayson knew it instinctively. If he crossed this line any further, Dane would immediately rebel. Their relationship might even deteriorate beyond repair.

But even so, Grayson couldn’t easily back down. If he gave up now, he would never know anything about Dane. What this man was hiding, what kind of past was concealed within him. Grayson wanted to know. Even if it cost him his life.

“Dane.” This time, Grayson softened his tone and spoke his name.

“We’re lovers. We shouldn’t have secrets from each other. I haven’t heard a thing about you. I don’t know how many family members you have, what your childhood was like, or even what kind of donut you like. Does that make sense? Lovers are supposed to share everything, even the trivial things.”

His words were somewhat true. Most people form relationships that way. The trap was in the word ‘most.’

Dane slowly rose to his feet. As he stood tall, his eyes were now much higher than Grayson’s.

“No, you idiot. Neither you nor anyone else in the world has that kind of right.” Dane spat the words out, grinding his teeth.

At this point, Grayson should have stopped. His instincts were clearly telling him so. It wouldn’t have been difficult. All he had to do was shut his mouth.

But unfortunately, Grayson didn’t stop.

“Dane, you keep trying to push me away. That’s not right. It would be better for you to just tell me everything…”

“SHUT UP!” Dane roared.

The sudden shout jolted Grayson fully awake. As he blinked in surprise, Dane continued to press him in a loud voice.

“Don’t force me! I have no intention of socializing with anyone! Don’t mistake my momentary acceptance of you—don’t cross the line arbitrarily, you fucking bastard!”

“Dane, I just…”

“Overstepping!” Grayson tried to say something, but Dane didn’t stop.

“Someone like you is nothing in my life, less than dust! And yet you dare tell me what? To confess everything? That you need to know about me? Who the hell are you! You crazy lunatic!”

“Dane, don’t be like this… I can help you with anything…”

“Help? With what? How? How can you help me?” Dane’s neck veins bulged. He was genuinely furious. This was the first time Grayson had seen him so enraged.

I need to calm Dane down. What does Dane want? What can I help with? Grayson rapidly searched his mind.

“Should I kill that man?”

“What?”

Dane froze for a moment. Seeing his stunned reaction, Grayson continued to pour out words enthusiastically. “You wanted to kill that man. I can kill him for you. Should I do it right now? How about that? Would that be enough? Then I’d be worthy of being your lover, right? Huh? We are lovers, aren’t we?”

Grayson kept repeating the same phrases, pressing him. With every word, the color drained from Dane’s face. Grayson, who had been speaking rapidly, full of desperate hope, felt a bad premonition from Dane’s reaction.

This isn’t it? Why isn’t he happy? Isn’t this what Dane wanted? Then what should I do? How?

“You crazy…” Dane finally whispered after a long pause.

His pale face was filled with a mix of contempt and disgust overlaid on his anger. It was the exact expression Ashley Miller had worn when looking at Grayson.

Ah.

Only then did Grayson realize he had made a mistake. As his face instantly turned ashen, Dane said nothing more and simply turned his back.

“Dane!” Grayson frantically called his name and rushed after him.

It wasn’t hard to grab Dane. He quickly seized his arm but stopped short when he saw Dane’s enraged face. Even so, he couldn’t let go. He felt that if he loosened his grip, Dane would turn around and walk away forever.

“Th-Then what should I do?”

Anxiety made his breathing shallow. He tried to smile as usual, but the corners of his mouth wouldn’t turn up. Trying desperately to pull up his stiff lips, he continued.

“We’re lovers. I’ll be helpful no matter what. Tell me, I’ll do anything. Please, Dane. I was wrong, Dane!”

His trembling voice grew louder. But the only reply he received was a single word.

“Let go.”

Grayson froze at the icy look on Dane’s face. Shaking off Grayson’s hand, which had been clutching his arm without mercy, Dane bit out, grinding his teeth.

“You’re truly tiresome.”

His face was filled with hostility. Ah, Grayson realized. Dane’s tone and expression had reverted to how they were when they first met. A sudden chill, as if all the blood had drained from his body, overcame him.

“Dane.” Grayson called his name again, but that was his limit. He couldn’t move, even as he watched Dane walk away. He couldn’t even lower the hand he had tentatively raised into the air; he could only stare at Dane’s retreating back.

I just made it this far. The thought barely surfaced in his blank mind. Am I going back to the starting point again?

A sudden chill ran down his spine. The sun was still hot, but under the blazing Western sun, he felt a deep cold.

Why did I say that? What good would it do?

In the end, he had only made Dane’s defenses thicker. Now, Dane would be even more reluctant to talk to him. If so, then…

What happens to us now?

Grayson stood rooted to the spot, his face deathly pale.

[I’m sorry, Dane. I was wrong.] [Dane, can we talk?] [What do you want me to do? I’ll do anything, just tell me, please.] [Dane, at least read my messages.] [Dane…]

Grayson sighed deeply, looking at the pile of unread messages. The number next to the messages showed no sign of disappearing. He used to at least read the messages before, but now it seemed he wasn’t even opening them. There wasn’t even the bare minimum of an occasional response.

Since that day, Dane had treated Grayson like he didn’t exist. If Grayson spoke to him, Dane would just walk past. If he grabbed him, Dane would shake him off. He started spending more days away from the fire station, claiming to be in training or deployed to other regions. It was clear that Dane was intentionally avoiding him.

“He’s been working very hard lately. Good, that kind of attitude is very good.” The Chief was delighted, patting Dane on the arm with satisfaction, but the more he did, the lower Grayson’s spirits sank. Dane, who hated bothersome work and usually did everything to avoid it, was now volunteering for assignments. Didn’t that mean he hated Grayson more than he hated “work”?

What should I do?

Grayson covered his face with one hand and sighed deeply. He couldn’t come up with a solution. If killing someone would win back Dane’s heart, he would have done it without hesitation. But recalling the look on Dane’s face when he’d suggested it, it was absolutely the wrong thing to do.

Then what more should I be doing?

He tried buying items for Darling and leaving them outside his room, but they were returned to Grayson’s room the very next day. Grayson realized then that Dane’s opportunistic side only emerged when dealing with someone who had already lowered their emotional walls somewhat.

The only reason Dane hadn’t moved out of Grayson’s mansion was likely due to their damned agreement. He had to be grateful for the three months they were spending together. It bought him time, but no plan came to mind.

Just as he sighed deeply again, a loud siren wailed, and the waiting crew members hurriedly ran out. Seeing Dane among them, Grayson immediately followed suit.

“Hey, what the—”

Grayson shoved the guy about to climb onto the last rig and jumped in. The colleague blinked in surprise, then headed to another truck with a frustrated “Tch.” Grayson paid him no mind and slammed the door shut. Dane was inside. This was the first time they had been together in such a confined space since that day. Grayson’s pheromones intensified from the tension, but Dane just stared out the window, showing no reaction at all. As Grayson’s heart burned with anxiety, the truck sped toward the scene.