Chapter 61: Addicted

Third POV

Once again, Fabio remained silent. Only the sounds of their struggle escaped him, while Marco’s breathing, light but slightly broken, could be heard behind him. Neither of them seemed willing to let the matter go, and for half a minute, they continued like that, with Marco holding him in place and Fabio attempting to free himself.

The struggle gradually became more aggressive, but neither man backed down.

Marco spoke again. "You walked out on me that night."

Those words finally made Fabio stop moving. The silence that followed carried the memories of that night between them, the same night Marco had subconsciously confessed his feelings, only to be ignored by the very man he had chosen to open up to. It was humiliating for a man like him.

Fabio clenched his jaw. "I should not have done that," he said in a low voice.

Almost instantly, Marco replied, "But you did."

"I was shocked and... confused."

"I called out to you."

"I know."

"Three times. I called you three times, and you still left me there. Do you know how I felt?"

Fabio went silent. He had no answer that could change what he had done, and pretending otherwise would only make things worse. He remembered leaving, remembered the confusion that had taken over his mind, and remembered how he had chosen to walk away instead of facing what Marco had told him.

Well, it was a first time and all he did was act like a complete idiot.

Marco continued, "Then you risk your life coming here... for me? Why? Just for another wild night, huh?"

Fabio wanted to shake his head just to give Marco the sort of answer that would allow him to escape this conversation without revealing anything more. Unfortunately, his body refused to cooperate, and the words he needed would not come out as easily as he wanted them to.

"It’s not that," he finally said.

"Then what is it?" Marco asked in a low voice, sounding as if something was breaking in him.

Finally, Fabio snapped, "Because I cannot get you out of my system! You are stuck in my mind!"

Marco’s expression remained surprisingly casual. "It will fade away with time."

"I thought so too, but it only gets heavier with every passing day. Maybe because I do not want it to be over. Do you understand what I’m trying to say... though I know I sound like an EQ deprived person?"

Fabio’s chest rose and fell as he tried to steady his breathing. He had not planned to say any of this. In fact, he had come to Naples with every intention of only getting Marco out of here not confessing his addiction in a bathroom. Yet here he was, admitting things he had barely managed to acknowledge to himself. Things he still was afraid of. Yes, he was scared.

Behind him, for the first time since "forever", Marco’s cocky smirk returned. It slowly grew into a full smile, though Fabio could not see it.

"All I understand is that you are addicted to me. Is that correct?"

As he finished speaking, Marco tightened his grip on Fabio’s hand behind his back, drawing their bodies even closer together. Fabio let out an involuntary gasp when he felt the front of Marco’s body pressed against him from behind. He had spent six months trying to get this man out of his head, and now the smallest touch was enough to make him forget why he had been so determined to leave a few minutes ago.

"Seems like it," Fabio admitted.

It was not a direct admission of his feelings, but it was something, and that alone made Marco’s smile grow. The blankness in his eyes disappeared, replaced by the familiar glow.

Marco slowly freed his other hand and raised it to the side of Fabio’s neck, gently touching his skin with the tips of his fingers.

It was a simple gesture, nothing particularly special, yet it was enough to make Fabio’s breathing uneven. He even tilted his head slightly to the side, unconsciously giving Marco more room to touch him. After all the frustration and anger that had accumulated between them, his body still responded to Marco with a familiarity he could not seem to control.

Marco watched keenly as Fabio closed his eyes and began losing himself in the sensation. Then his grin fell into something far less reassuring. An devilish smirk.

He whispered, "It’s a little too late. I already have a fiancé."

Fabio’s reaction did not come immediately, but when it did, the entire bathroom seemed to turn chilly. He tore himself out of Marco’s grip with surprising ease and turned to face him.

His glare was calm. Too calm. He did not blink once as he watched Marco, whose lips remained slightly curved at the corners. The man seemed almost pleased with himself, as though he had been waiting for precisely this reaction.

Fabio said nothing. He simply stared at Marco.

Before either man could say another word, the sound of the outer door opening came from behind them.

Then a familiar voice followed.

"Babe? Marco, are you here?"

It was Luca.

Fabio’s gaze did not waver. If anything, the killing intent in his eyes became more pronounced as he slowly glanced down towards Marco’s waist. Without warning, he reached out and grabbed the gun tucked there.

He still said nothing as he turned towards the door, ready to open it.

Luckily, Marco reacted swiftly. He caught Fabio’s arm with all his strength, spun him around, and pinned his back against the same door once more, preventing him from moving any further.

Then Marco leaned closer and whispered, "Don’t be crazy. He is the Prime Minister’s son."

Fabio did not seem detered by that information.

He simply said, "I don’t care. Let go."

Marco grabbed both Fabio’s wrist, pressing their bodies together.

"Then what? You will kill him?" Marco whispered, gritting his front teeth.

Fabio did not reply but his silence was as good as a yes.

Marco closed his eyes for a second and he deeply gazed into the man in front of him.

"You can kill him some other time, but now, I need him."

That was supposed to calm Fabio but no, the man’s glare only intensified, fiercely fighting Marco off, until he managed to free one of his hand.

All Marco could do now to save a man from dying was, bend down and lift Fabio off the ground, taking him back to the tub. He threw him back in, the water splashing all over.

"The more you protect him, the more I want him dead," Fabio muttered, the gun still in his hand.