Daniel took the elevator to the eighth floor and then the stairs to the twelfth. Since everyone had obviously heard Isaac promise him the exclusive, Daniel couldn’t be too careful. He didn’t want any crazies following him up to Isaac’s room. At six a.m., it was possible Isaac was still sleeping. Hell, he might not even be in his room yet. There was a very real probability Isaac had found another man to spend the night celebrating with. Daniel couldn’t breathe at the thought. He’d known Isaac was special from the moment they met. Now the world would know it. Isaac could have his pick without the fame, but he had the fame now.

At Isaac’s door, Daniel wiped his hands on his pants. He’d changed his clothes and brushed his teeth in the airport bathroom. Since he was used to living his life on the go, it was nowhere near the first time, but this time, he felt woefully unprepared for this meeting.

Daniel’s knuckles barely skimmed the door before it opened. Amber eyes stared out at him. His expression gave nothing away. There was a bruise on his jaw. Daniel couldn’t stop looking at Isaac. Before that moment, he hadn’t realized eyes could miss someone. He knew it now. His eyes craved the sight of Isaac and didn’t want to miss soaking up every detail.

“Hey.”

At Isaac’s greeting, Daniel’s gaze slid to the man’s mouth. “Hey.”

Isaac took a step back. “Come in.”

Daniel’s grip tightened on his phone as he stepped inside the room. Once he crossed the threshold enough for Isaac to close the door, Daniel froze. Even though Isaac was in a suite, Daniel could still see the bed through the open doorway. It was still made. His empty stomach churned.

Isaac motioned toward the table. “Please, sit.”

Despite his inability to stop looking at Isaac, the moment his ass hit the chair, Daniel argued against being there. “I’m here because I’m paid to be.”

Isaac nodded as he sat across from Daniel. “Understood. Ask your questions.”

“Are you seeing anyone?” The question slipped out, shocking Daniel. He hadn’t meant to ask. This interview wasn’t about them. His boss had demanded it of him. Isaac had beat Jericho. That was huge. This was Isaac’s moment. What the fuck was wrong with him?

Isaac’s expression never changed. He nodded. “I am.” Daniel’s insides twisted and burned like acid. If he’d stuck to his usual script—gotten his interview and gotten out—he wouldn’t have to know this. His ignorance could’ve been his bliss.

He did his damnedest to keep his face blank. “I apologize. Let’s stick to your career.”

“No. It’s okay,” Isaac assured him with a small smile. “I don’t mind talking about him. He took me to lunch a year and a half ago. I thought he’d decided he didn’t like me, because he didn’t call afterward.”

Daniel’s throat tightened. He could barely speak. “I guess you were wrong.” It was the best he could come up with under the circumstances.

Isaac pulled a face. “That’s what I thought too, but he didn’t show up for my fight last night. I thought I meant more to him than that.”

“He sounds like an idiot,” Daniel said, trying not to let hope destroy him. His heart didn’t want to be beat into submission.

Isaac’s amber gaze never wavered from Daniel’s face. “He can be sometimes. But I love him,” Isaac added, sounding so damn sure.

“Why? He doesn’t sound very lovable.”

Isaac’s mouth lifted in one corner. “That’s only because you’ve never seen the way he looks at me.”

Daniel swallowed past the lump that kept getting larger. He couldn’t play along with this any longer. He had real issues. “The day you found me drunk in my hotel room, that wasn’t even a bad day. It had been just a slightly off day.”

“Maybe, but it was still a great night,” Isaac said with a knowing smile, as if he remembered every detail.

Even though Daniel couldn’t argue with Isaac’s point, he still found a way to keep trying. “That’s another thing. Hyper sexuality is a side effect of my condition. I can’t stop myself in those moments from taking what I want from you.”

Isaac cocked his head to one side and studied Daniel’s face. “Are you listing things you think I won’t like? I can’t tell. Just because I didn’t know about the depression thing doesn’t mean that I don’t know you.”

He didn’t know how to make Isaac understand something he couldn’t understand. “I can’t explain what’s it’s like inside my head, Isaac. It can get dark, and I can’t control it. When you said you loved me, I was terrified of myself in that moment. I don’t want to make the inside of your head as ugly as mine.” It didn’t matter if his reasoning didn’t make sense to Isaac. It was Daniel’s truth. The logical part of his brain said he wasn’t contagious. Logic had nothing to do with this. He couldn’t outsmart the thoughts that sneaked in, whispering he was a disease.

“So take charge of what you can,” Isaac whispered, luring him in. “Control me.”

Daniel shook his head and stood. “You don’t want this. I have to go.”

“What about our interview?” Isaac asked, following him to the door.

“I’ll make something up.”

The air squeezed from Daniel’s lungs as Isaac’s arms tightened around him, dragging him back against a hard chest. His lips touched Daniel’s ear. Daniel couldn’t move. He was trapped by more than Isaac’s strength. His body had shut down, losing the ability to move from Isaac’s hold.

“I love you,” Isaac said against the shell of Daniel’s ear. Daniel’s throat threatened to swell closed at the words. “I love you,” Isaac repeated. “You don’t have to say it back. Hell, you don’t have to feel it, but you won’t ignore me,” Isaac said, sounding like it was more of a threat than a promise. “You can control me in our bed. I want it. Need it. But you will not walk away from me again. I won’t hand you all the power just to watch you turn into a pussy when things get too real.” His grip tightened on Daniel’s jaw, holding him in place. “I love you.”

Daniel swallowed. His eyes fell closed.

“You can make me come and get down on my knees. If you want me tied down, I’m there. But you cannot make me stop loving you. If you were ever going to fight for anyone, fight for me,” Isaac begged, making Daniel’s eyes burn. “You don’t want to test me. Don’t make me chase you.”

Daniel didn’t realize he was stroking Isaac’s arm around his waist until the man’s hold tightened.

“I bought a house.” The admission slipped from Daniel with no real plan. Once it was out there, Daniel couldn’t stop. “For us,” Daniel added. “Two miles from the gym and three doors down from Aden.” The more he admitted, the stronger Daniel’s voice got. “I bought it a month ago. Three days before you told me you love me.”

Isaac’s hold didn’t slacken. “Why?”

Daniel blew out a steady breath. “Because I love you and I want to be with you. Because I won’t stop coming back for more and I want to give you everything.”

A soft kiss landed beneath Daniel’s ear. His heart turned over in his chest at the sensation. The grip on his jaw transformed into a loving caress. “Daniel.”

The sweet way Isaac whispered his name had Daniel weak at the knees.

“This is where you belong. Right here with me,” Isaac punctuated his words by burying his hand beneath Daniel’s shirt, going skin on skin. “I’m not afraid of your worst days, but I’m scared as fuck of never holding you again.”

The terror was in Isaac’s voice. Daniel heard it in every word. No one had ever been so raw—exposed their heart to him the way Daniel did. “Isaac.” Even Daniel heard the desperation in his one word. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then don’t,” Isaac said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. He turned Daniel in his arms. He cupped Daniel’s face, leaving him no other choice than to hold his gaze. “I love you,” Isaac said, sounding so sure Daniel couldn’t deny it. “Don’t leave me again.”

“I love you too,” Daniel said, because it was what he should’ve said over a month ago. He’d lost his chance then. Daniel wouldn’t ruin it this time too. Isaac’s eyes fell closed, as if he’d been waiting for those words for a lifetime. Daniel kissed him. It was out of his control. Those were his lips. Isaac belonged to him.

With no clue as to how it happened, Daniel found his back against the wall and Isaac’s hand kneading his cock through his pants. “Don’t leave again,” Isaac repeated through their kisses. “You’re the one for me. I’d find you.”

Daniel clung to Isaac’s shoulders, holding on for dear life while trying to get as close as possible while riding the man’s palm. “I bought you a house. I can’t leave.”

To his surprise, Isaac laughed against his lips. “Goddamn you, Daniel. This is all your fault.”

Daniel pulled away and met Isaac’s gaze. “Probably, but you’ll have to be more specific.”

Isaac took Daniel’s hand and led it to the hard cock hidden behind Isaac’s zipper. “Now I’ll be miserable all day, walking around like this.”

“Not if I can help it,” Daniel said with all the desire he felt.

A rueful smile pulled at Isaac’s lips. “My mom is supposed to be here any minute. She’s taking us to breakfast.”

Daniel blinked. His mind blank. “Us? What?”

Isaac’s smile grew. “Well, me, but now you’re here. So we’re both going.”

“We are?” Daniel’s desire fled under the weight of his panic.

A knock sounded beside his head. Isaac couldn’t have looked smugger. Before Daniel could make a run for it, Isaac dipped his head and stole another kiss. While he reeled from the power of the man’s touch, Isaac answered the door. A mocha-skinned woman with Isaac’s beautiful smile stepped inside. Her outfit looked familiar. The memory hit Daniel. Isaac had said she was a black jack dealer at one of the casinos. She must be working.

She eyed him. If she was confused over Daniel’s presence, she didn’t show it. “You must be Daniel,” she said, holding her hand out for him to shake. He accepted. She didn’t release it right away. “Isaac said he wasn’t sure if you’d make it. I’m glad you did.”

Even to him, Daniel’s smile felt strained. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Jones.”

“Please call me Pam.”

“Pam,” he repeated while still trying to gather his thoughts.

“You must be jetlagged,” she said, supplying him with an excuse.

He nodded. “Yes, ma’am. My flight landed an hour ago. I slept on the plane, but I’m still adjusting to the time change.”

She moved so fast he almost took a step back and ruined the moment. Pam hugged him. “I’m just so thrilled to finally meet you,” she said, explaining the abrupt gesture. “Isaac has been telling me about you for months, but we keep missing each other. I’m sure your job keeps you busy, but here you are. Did you really fly all night to be here?”

Daniel’s gaze flickered between Isaac and her. He’d never expected Isaac had been talking to his family about him. “I did.”

“That’s so sweet.” Her gushing words had him blushing.

“We have a surprise for you,” Isaac said, stealing his mom’s focus.

Daniel’s eyebrows rose. He was as clueless as Pam, especially since he knew next to nothing about her and hadn’t been expecting to meet her today.

She danced in place. “What? I love surprises.”

Isaac moved to Daniel’s side, took his hand, and pulled him closer. “Well, really it was my surprise too. Daniel bought us a house in Key Largo. We’re moving in together.” As Pam squealed and hugged them, Daniel smiled while trying to decide if he would kill Isaac later or fuck him senseless.

“I never expected my baby would settle down. You’re such a miracle maker. I can’t believe this is happening.”

That made two of them.