“—I’m sorry about the love spell, I really am, I just need you to come back to me!”
“First off, you should know damn well that love spells won’t work on someone who hates you.” Milo mentally slapped himself, but apparently he was incapable of not arguing back, his frustration with Andrew getting the better of him.
Andrew faltered, eyes wide and pleading. “But…but you don’t hate me.”
“I loathe you. I wish to the gods that I had never touched you. Yes, my personal barrier deflected most of the spell, but the reason why it was so easy to shrug off is because I wish you were in a grave.”
Andrew lowered his eyes, and he really was crying now. “I didn’t mean to hurt you so badly.”
“You’re too self-absorbed to realize you hurt people. I blame your shitty upbringing and being spoiled. Anyway, I hate you. Let’s make that clear.”
He had no desire to sit next to this man, so he grabbed Andrew underneath the legs, and with the help of a little magic, tumbled him into the back of the cart. Andrew landed on his back with a loud smack and a cry of pain. The sound was music to Milo’s ears. Also still funny, since Andrew was frozen in a half-turned position, so his legs were up in the air.
“Milo, please, can’t we talk about this?”
Milo ignored him as he turned the cart back around. In fact, his aching head was only full of two thoughts: One, how mad and worried Rowan likely was. Two, he seriously needed to do a rebuild of his barrier talisman. The thing was a year old now and it showed. It should never have let any of Andrew’s spells through. And he’d clearly used a spell to ambush Milo, as evidenced by the damage to his barrier and his ringing head.
“He doesn’t want you, not like I do!” Andrew babbled, his desperation coating every word. “I promise I’ll cherish you this time. I know what it’s like living without you. Everything is so much harder, and I hate it. I hate it. Nothing has gone right for me ever since you left me.”
Milo got the horse going, retracing their steps, mulling over Andrew’s statement. Then little bits and pieces started floating around before snapping sharply into place.
All those people in recent months who’d stopped to yell at Milo because of Andrew’s mistakes on jobs.
Bennet had said Andrew was on probation. In danger of a demotion.
Andrew just said “nothing has gone right.”
Milo, admittedly, used to do the heavy lifting on jobs when they were still dating.
Motherfucker.
He twisted to stare down at the man. Of all the reasons why Andrew wanted him back, it was forwork? That was the reason? “You selfish asshole. Motherfucking prick! That’s why you want me back, isn’t it? Because your career is in trouble, and instead of buckling down and learning what you’re doing wrong, the only tactic you can think of is to somehow seduce me into once again doing your work for you!”
Andrew at least had the grace to look abashed.
“I cannot believe you. So you, what, kidnapped me to take me out of Rowan’s reach, then hit me with a love spell so I’d be yourwilling slave once more? Seriously? Why thefuckdid you think that would work?!”
Andrew flinched. In a small voice he whispered, “I was desperate.”
“Not desperate enough to do your own work! Or work on yourself! If you’re not able to do the job, of course you’re going to get demoted! Me suddenly working with you again isn’t going to pull your fat out of the fire, as the higher-ups will realize I’m once again covering for you. It wouldn’t have worked! And now you’ve made it so much worse by taking me.”
Tears started coursing down Andrew’s cheeks. “Are you going to press charges?”
“That’s if you even make it through the night. I promise you, Rowan really is going to feed you to the Drachifel.”
He started crying in earnest then.
How had Milo ever been attracted to this man? Seriously, how? He was such a whiny baby. Brain-eating bacteria would starve inside this man’s head. “Listen, you are not wanted. Either read between the lines or look between the bars. Swear to the gods, your nickname should have been Lantern. You’re not too bright and constantly being carried.”
“You don’t need to insult me!” he sobbed.
“You kidnapped me, asshole, you can’t complain.”
Perhaps Milo should use a gag spell, too.
They traveled in silence for several minutes before Andrew chose to speak again.
“Are you…are you really choosing him?”