Chapter 215: Chapter 215: Running Through the Night
Once he was dressed, he checked his reflection in the full-length mirror, adjusted his hair, and made sure everything looked perfect.
Satisfied, he headed back downstairs to rejoin Matteo.
Meanwhile, back at Mark’s house, Charles was so excited for Adrian that he immediately turned to Mark, who was seated beside him on the bed.
"Honey," Charles said, leaning in with his phone screen facing him. "Look! Matteo just got a sports car for Adrian."
Even though Mark already knew about the purchase, since Matteo had mentioned it to him beforehand, he played along, feigning mild surprise. "Wow... my brother is really taking good care of your friend."
"Seriously," Charles sighed, genuine happiness in his voice. "I’m so glad Adrian gave Matteo a chance. My friend is really being treated like royalty. I’m so happy for him."
Mark shifted his gaze, looking at Charles intently. "I take care of you too," he said. "I’ll do anything you want, so if there’s ever something you need, just tell me and I’ll get it for you."
"Thank you, babe. I’ll let you know if I want anything," Charles replied with a faint smile.
Deep down, Charles knew exactly how Mark handled things.
Mark had a simple rule: if you asked for something, you would get it without hesitation.
But Mark wasn’t like Matteo. He didn’t do spontaneous surprises or grand romantic gestures for no reason. To Mark, a partner was supposed to say what they wanted instead of expecting him to guess.
Charles secretly craved those effortless romantic surprises, but he knew better than to complain.
To Mark, bringing it up would sound like Charles was comparing their relationship to Adrian and Matteo’s.
And Mark hated that.
He had already made it clear in the past that he would not tolerate any competition or comparisons between the two brothers.
So Charles kept those thoughts to himself. As long as Mark loved him, maybe that was enough.
Still, Charles couldn’t entirely hold back. He looked at Mark and murmured, "Adrian is just so lucky. Matteo is always giving him random gifts and surprises without Adrian ever having to ask."
Mark’s expression hardened slightly at the comment. "What do you expect?" he asked. "Matteo is Adrian’s first man, and Adrian is the first person Matteo has ever truly loved. Of course, he wants to spoil him. Personally, despite Adrian’s sharp mouth, I think he’s worth every single penny Matteo spends on him. He holds himself to a high standard. He’s not like some people who keep chatting with their exes while claiming they’re ’just friends."
Charles immediately realized where the conversation was going.
"At least Matteo has never complained to me about Adrian secretly texting other people behind his back," Mark continued coldly, his voice laced with unspoken judgment. "Adrian is one hundred percent loyal to Matteo, so he gets that same loyalty and treatment in return."
His gaze remained fixed on Charles.
"The way your partner treats you often depends on your own actions."
Charles opened his mouth to defend himself, a knot forming in his throat, but Mark cut him off before he could say a word.
Reaching out, Mark grabbed him by the waist and pulled him closer. "Come play with Daddy. Come ride me."
Charles felt a wave of pain and humiliation wash over him from Mark’s words. Yet, he didn’t dare speak back. He loved Mark deeply, but he also feared him, so he chose to swallow his pride and tolerate the disrespect.
Adrian would have fought back. Adrian would have demanded respect.
But Charles wasn’t Adrian.
For better or worse, he chose to endure it.
Forcing a smile onto his face, he pushed aside the ache in his chest and focused on giving Mark what he wanted for the rest of the night.
Meanwhile, out on the open road, Matteo and Adrian finally headed into the night.
With a soft mechanical hum, the convertible roof slowly retracted, while the windows slid down, allowing the cool midnight breeze to rush through the cabin.
The wind swept through Adrian’s hair, and he couldn’t stop smiling.
For the first time in years, he was behind the wheel at night.
The city lights blurred past them, the engine purred beneath his hands, and a thrilling sense of freedom surged through his chest.
He felt alive. Truly alive.
And judging by the bright, unrestrained grin stretched across his face, Matteo could tell he was enjoying every second of it.
Behind them, a discreet line of Matteo’s security SUVs maintained a perfect distance, guarding them like a dark convoy.
Adrian tapped the sleek dashboard screen, turning up the volume as a high-energy playlist blasted through the car’s premium speakers.
The opening beat hit, and Adrian immediately grinned.
As the chorus of BTS’s Run exploded through the cabin, he drummed his fingers against the steering wheel and shouted along with a laugh.
"Run, bulletproof, run, yeah, you gotta run!"
The sports car surged forward, devouring the empty stretch of road ahead.
Matteo shook his head, amused.
"You’re enjoying this way too much."
"I waited years for this!" Adrian shot back.
The playlist shifted seamlessly into Drake’s God’s Plan. Adrian bobbed his head to the rhythm, one hand on the wheel while the city lights streaked past them in glowing blurs.
When Travis Scott’s SICKO MODE came on, the bass rattled through the cabin.
Adrian whooped and pressed harder on the accelerator.
"Oh, now we’re flying," Matteo laughed.
The wind whipped through their hair as the speed climbed.
A few songs later, the sharp opening of BTS’s MIC Drop blasted through the speakers.
Adrian immediately pointed at Matteo and yelled,
"Mic drop!"
Matteo actually joined in that time, singing the words with him before throwing his head back and laughing.
The sound was rare enough to make Adrian glance over.
For a moment, neither of them thought about anything else.
There was only the open road, the music, and the freedom of the night.
The roads were completely clear, the city sleeping under a canopy of amber streetlights. Adrian drove fast... faster than Matteo ever could have imagined. Every time a new song played, the energy in the car shifted.
During BTS’s ON, the anthem’s massive drums filled the night air, and for a few tracks, both Matteo and Adrian were shouting the lyrics together, laughing as their voices cracked against the wind. Other times, it was just Adrian soloing a verse he knew by heart, completely lost in the rhythm.
They were having the best time of their lives.
Laughing breathlessly, Adrian flashed a radiant look at the passenger seat. "I love this so much, Matteo!"
Matteo leaned back against the headrest...
