Sacred Flame: His Enemy, His Mate (BL)-Chapter 104: Should be fun

Kain Locke

Dinner tonight was probably the most awkward it’s ever been since we got here.

Alec was quiet the whole time—not a single joke, not even a sarcastic remark. Just silence. He barely touched his food, only eating about half before pushing his plate aside and walking out without a word. Something was definitely off with him. His mood was miles away from his usual self. So I will need to ask what’s up with him tomorrow... even though I probably knew what it was.

And Kael? God, don’t even get me started.

He had his eyes on me the entire dinner. Like entirely. Not even a single moment of looking elsewhere, not even pretending to be subtle. Every time I shifted or glanced up, there he was, eyes glued to me like I was some kind of puzzle he was trying to solve. It was unnerving.

And then, as if the day hadn’t already been weird enough, Audrey decided to stir the pot.

I was just heading into the room when he nudged me with that smug little smirk on his face and said, "He should share the room with you!" he completed with a playful wink,

And Kael? Of course he didn’t object. Not even a flicker of hesitation.

If anything, he looked pleased, too pleased. That barely-there smile tugging at the corner of his lips said more than words ever could.

He wanted this.

And that alone made my stomach do an uncomfortable flip.

***

I gently laid Brian down on the bed, tucking the blanket up to his chin. He stirred a little, but didn’t wake, thankfully. The poor thing was out like a light. All thanks to all those running and playing earlier with kael.

However, when I turned around, I nearly choked to see the man was already slipping off his shoes, calm as ever, like he lived here.

Then, just like that, he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside, leaving him completely shirtless.

My breath caught in my throat.

His body was... I mean, obviously, he’d always looked good, but seeing him this close again, undressing and unbothered, hit differently.

Plus the scars stood out more now that the wounds had healed. They crisscrossed his skin in pale, faded streaks, like quiet reminders of what he’d been through. No new ones this time around though, thank God.

And maybe I was crazy, or tired, or just completely messed up in the head, but... I actually think they looked beautiful on him. Raw and real. Somehow, they only made him look stronger.

Was I a total freak for thinking that?

"You’re staring," Kael said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I blinked fast, heat rushing up to my face. "I’m not!" I denied.

He raised a brow, clearly entertained. "Yeah. Definitely not," he said, sarcasm practically dripping from his words.

I cleared my throat and looked away, desperate to change the subject. "What are you doing?" I asked sharper than I meant, but seriously, why was he stripping right here?

Or could Audrey have gotten into his head?

He didn’t even pause. "Taking a bath," he said as he started undoing his trousers like it was the most normal thing in the world. "Unfortunately, I don’t have any of my stuff here, so I’ll have to borrow your towel. Maybe even sleep in some of your clothes tonight." Then, like it was nothing, he added, "I’ll have Jay bring my things tomorrow."

I stared at him, stunned.

Not only was he completely unfazed, he’d already planned on making himself comfortable. Like this was just... happening. Just like that.

This man.

Audrey was going to pay for this.

***

I wasn’t sure how long Kael spent in the bathroom, maybe ten minutes, maybe more. I didn’t really notice. I was too busy rummaging through my things, trying to find something he could wear tonight. Something loose. Something that didn’t feel too personal. Not because I cared, because I didn’t, I mean, he was going to do whatever he wanted anyway, so what was the point in arguing?

Still... I picked out the softest towel, a clean shirt, and a pair of sweatpants that looked just a little too big on me, he’d manage.

By the time he stepped out, I was already tucked into bed, my back turned to the door, pretending to be asleep even though my mind wouldn’t shut up. No matter how much I tried to focus on anything else, his presence in the room made it nearly impossible to relax. I could hear him moving behind me, the soft rustle of fabric as he slipped into the clothes I left out for him.

"Where do I sleep?" he asked after a moment, his voice low but teasing. "Can you make some space?"

I slowly turned over, my face barely poking out from beneath the blanket. I met his gaze, then let my eyes slide toward the corner of the room where I’d already laid out a small blanket on the single chair.

With a sweet, wicked smile, I pointed. "You sleep on the floor."

Kael raised a brow, then looked at the chair... and back at me for a second, then let out a breathy chuckle. "No problem," he said, like it was no big deal. L

He picked up the thin blanket I’d left on the chair and bent down to lay it out. Except... he couldn’t even spread it properly. The edges kept folding in, and he kept flattening them out only for them to curl right back up. I watched from the bed, quietly amused as he wrestled with it like a man determined to prove a point. It was almost sad.

Almost.

When he was done with his masterpiece of a bed, he walked over to the table, grabbed the hair dryer, and casually started drying his hair, like he wasn’t crashing on the cold floor of a tiny room in borrowed clothes.

His damp hair stuck to his forehead, and he raked his fingers through it a few times, letting the warm air hit him while his eyes flicked toward me in the mirror. Not that I was watching or anything.

I mean, I wasn’t... was I?

When he was finally done, he turned off the dryer, placed it back neatly, and returned to his makeshift bed on the floor. He lay down, arms folded under his head, staring up at the ceiling like it was just another night.

Fine. Let’s see how long he can hold out.

I pulled the covers up higher and turned my back to him with a little smirk on my face.

This should be fun.