The incessant phone ringing resounded within the room, disturbing Lane’s rest.

Whose phone was that? Who was so stupid to set such a loud, annoying ringtone on their phone?

Lane groaned heavily, rolling over as he snuggled to... free𝑤ebnovel.com

To nothing?

Lane’s eyes snapped open, staring straight ahead. The bed was empty. Damien’s scent still clung to the covers, but the man himself was nowhere to be seen.

Lane lifted himself up, wanting to look around to solve this mystery... But then he noticed that ’his’ hands were larger than he remembered, his fingers thick.

Ah, right. He died again, and was now in a new body.

So that also answered his question about the phone - it was Oscar’s. Lane obtained it the previous night, but hasn’t bothered to do anything with it yet.

Grumbling and mumbling, he scrambled out of bed to check who was calling, and his whole face twisted when he saw the name on the screen. Commander Gracie Collins.

"Ugh." Lane groaned, and turned off the volume. He had absolutely no desire to listen to his aunt yelling at him over the phone... Of course, he would have to face her sooner or later, he had even come up with a story already, one that put no blame on Nyla for his disappearance... But he opted for the ’later’.

Just as he was scrolling through the messages - luckily Oscar had face recognition set up for unlocking the phone! - the door opened, and Damien walked in.

"You’re up?" he asked, placing a bag and a tray with food on the table. "I’ve brought us some lunch."

"Thanks!" Lane’s sour expression instantly morphed into a wide smile. "What’s in the bag?" he then asked, taking a seat and grabbing one of the coffee cups - the one that clearly had milk (and most likely also sugar!) added.

"Your clothes. I went to wash them, so you have something to wear."

Lane’s fingers twitched, and he couldn’t help but pause, lifting his gaze. He already knew that Damien was great... But the man still continued to surprise him on every turn! He was so attentive and caring...

That once again, Lane couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt.

How did Damien even fall for him in the first place? When Lane clearly wasn’t... a good person. Even Damien himself admitted that Lane was trouble once before, hasn’t he? Lane was sure that he said something like that at one point...

But, Lane was not one to complain that he got more than he deserved, so he smiled at Damien. "Thanks a lot! You’re the best!"

"It’s nothing," Damien shrugged it off... but the tips of his ears turned a bit red.

They sat down together, and had a meal in a slightly awkward (most likely because of Lane’s new body), but still very pleasant atmosphere.

"I... will have to leave now," Lane said, as they were finishing up. He dragged it out as much as possible, but some things just had to be done eventually.

"To go back to the Allen Guild?"

"Um. And... I might not have an opportunity to meet with you again until we’re back in the Capital."

"You’ll be flying with the Guild then?"

"Yeah. Since, well, technically I’m still a member." Lane shrugged his shoulders with a sigh, as if it was a minor inconvenience... But that was actually the main reason why he chose Oscar Morales in the first place. The Allen Guild had their private plane... Which meant Lane would be able to snuggle his real body in a carry-on suitcase! And on top of that, it was an opportunity to steal one high-ranker away from the Allen Guild. It wouldn’t have any effect on their overall strength, of course... But that was always a nice bonus!

"We can stay in touch through messages though," he quickly added. "And I’ll cancel my contract as soon as we’re back. So prepare to snatch me onto your team when I join the Association!"

For a while, Damien stared at him intently, as if he had something to say... But in the end, he just nodded his head. "Okay."

"So... Since we won’t be able to meet for a while..." Lane’s lips curved up in a playful smile. "Should we have some fun before I go?"

Damien momentarily froze. He was just lifting his cup to take a sip, and his hand just stopped midway, hanging in the air. It lasted for a good few seconds, before he snapped out of it, and shifted in his seat uncomfortably, putting his coffee down. "I’m... busy," he said, and although Lane had no doubt that he was, it sounded like an excuse.

And it made Lane feel uneasy.

Was it because of the new body? Because Oscar was not his type? No, that probably wasn’t the problem. More likely, he just needed a bit of time to get used to the change? That seemed more plausible...

But Lane couldn’t escape the feeling that there was something more to it.

Was it because of Damien’s suspicions regarding ’Lane Allen’? But then it was also weird! Damien was already suspicious of him before the summit, and yet he still allowed Lane to bed him! And nothing happened since then!

Unless...

Lane’s whole body tensed up, as he thought of one new clue Damien could have gotten since he slept with Lane. He lifted his head, throwing the man a furtive glance...

And as if on clue, Damien reached out to the side, and put Lane’s ’official’ spatial bag - that is, the one that he was using as ’Xavier’ - on the table, and pushed it Lane’s way. "By the way, I thought you might want it back."

"Oh, thanks-"

"The daggers you lent Miss Nyla are also there."

"H-huh?" All the blood drained from Lane’s face. "The, the daggers?"

"Yes, haven’t you let her borrow your spare daggers?" Damien asked calmly, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Ah, yes, yes I did..." Lane pressed his lips, trying to remain calm, even though his breathing became quicker and more shallow all of a sudden. "So, she returned them? That’s nice... Did, uhm, did she say anything else?"

Damien lifted his brows. "Anything else? Like what?"

The man appeared perfectly calm and composed, as if they were having just a regular, casual conversation. But Lane wasn’t fooled. He knew Damien was testing him again... His gaze was burning Lane’s skin, so much so that he was starting to sweat...

Did Nyla say anything? Or did she keep her promise? Lane had absolutely no idea! But he had no way to find out. One wrong word, and he might sell himself out...

So, trying to appear as nonchalant as he possibly could, he shrugged his shoulders. "I don’t know! Like, how reckless I was or something. Run her mouth as if she’s better than everyone else. Or maybe complain that I inconvenienced her?"

"That doesn’t sound like something Miss Nyla would say," Damien pointed out.

It really didn’t. But, it didn’t matter.

"Who knows. I don’t know her that well." Lane shrugged it off. "Either way... If not sex, then can I at least get a kiss? You’re not going to send me away without any proper goodbye, are you?" Lane got up from his seat, and leaned over Damien, completely shifting the topic of the conversation. He stared into Damien’s eyes for a moment...

And once he saw the silent agreement in his boyfriend’s beautiful emerald eyes, he leaned closer, claiming Damien’s lips with force as if he wanted to devour the man.