Blood Thirsty

Ch. 25: Anthony

"Is this some sort of roleplay?" Anthony asked, behind Knox as his fiancé dragged him down the steps of the castle. "Like, do you have a secret kidnapping, kidnapper kink?"

Knox whipped Anthony forward and yanked him back, trapping Anthony in his arms and manhandling him towards the car. Milan rolled up in a black Mercedes. Attempting to escape his grasp only made Anthony more stuck. Knox buried his face in Anthony's neck and gave him a tight squeeze. Knox had freshly showered, emerging like a prince from a storybook, immediately making Anthony think he underdressed for this date.

"If kidnapping is what it takes to take you on a date, then I should do it more often," he said and kissed Anthony's neck, tickling him and making his nerves dance around like sparklers. To avoid looking anything but cool, Anthony wouldn't tell Knox, but he tried on several outfits before settling on his softest beige sweater, black pants that hugged him nicely in all the right places, his usual trench, and the wristwatch he couldn't live without. This way, Knox might be more inclined to touch him. He even did one of Phoebe's old tricks and put a little perfume in his hair and, from the way Knox breathed Anthony in, he felt like he just won something.

Milan walked out of the car, handing the keys off to Knox. Anthony was ruffled. "Are you not coming?"

"It's unnecessary for me to watch you two flirt all day," Milan said, but he wasn't dressed for a day off, his weapons still hanging from his belt. Tilting around them, Milan motioned something down the driveway and a similar car roared to life. As they slowly rolled up, Milan said, "But you'll have protection. More so than usual, actually."

"I've asked him to finish your work," Knox explained, laying his hand on Anthony's back, leading him to the passenger's side of the car. "Personally, I think my mother can close a few tunnels, but I know you won't let it go."

Anthony couldn't argue with the facts, so he glanced at Milan. "You're not just going to goof off, right?"

Milan smirked. "No, sir. I don't goof and I'm as careful as you."

"Thank you," Anthony said sincerely while Knox let out a long, impatient sigh like a little kid.

"Come on," Knox said and put Anthony into the car. Walking to the other side, Knox smiled unconsciously as he adjusted his seat and fiddled with the radio.

"You're in a good mood," Anthony pointed out.

"I just like it when a plan comes together." Knox continued to smile and look devastatingly beautiful. Sometimes, Anthony felt lost looking at Knox, wondering how this perfect person even existed and how everyone else in the world fumbled and failed to snatch him up. Anthony reached over to his side and took Knox's hand, bringing him over to his lap and cradling his hand.

If this day was about him, Anthony was going to do the things he always wanted to do. Even something as simple and silly as holding your partner's hand in the car. Knox curled his fingers through Anthony's, and Anthony brought his hand up and kissed his highest knuckle. It might've been Knox's smell, but there was so much sweetness in this car, Anthony didn't know what to do with it.

***

Of all the places, Anthony didn't expect to find himself in an antique mall outside the city. When Knox said he wanted to take Anthony out, he assumed this man would bring him to boutiques or a watch store or some place as fancy as the way Knox dressed.

Instead, Knox was walking around, pointing at antiques, and guessing the price. It was a full game and Anthony eventually abandoned him to a booth with a grandfather clock that gave him a riddle of working parts. Anthony roamed a gigantic booth filled with what looked like the closet of an old woman. He got lost inside the coats and her collection of wallets and bags, wondering if there was old loose change anywhere. Anthony enjoyed rifling through drawers, chests, and clothes in places like this. Trying on an old Chanel jacket made Anthony realize he hadn't thought about the monsters in hours. He cursed Knox Lavigne. He did it. He tricked him into having a good time.