Chapter 4

Keldin sighed then took a sip of his coffee. He had spent most of the night coming up with a plan to keep Skander safe. His only option was to bring his team in to live in his home.

He had a four bedroom house. Abby would want her own room, Landen and Cougar would share and Deuce would either share with Keldin or Skander. The younger man was so skittish that Deuce wouldn't be able to stay. That left Keldin bunking with Skander in his room and Deuce in Skander's old room.

He looked at the young man at his side. He was holding his bag tightly as they walked to the office. He was even scared to walk down the sidewalk alone or even with someone else. He had no idea hour he was going to survive.

They walked into the reception area and straight to Minnie's desk. Keldin collected his messages and reviews. He talked briefly and introduced Skander to the woman. When the young man looked uncomfortable, he excused them and headed to the elevator. Once again, Skander was uncomfortable alone in a small metal container with him. This wasn't going to end well.

Keldin could feel his emotions roil everywhere. He wanted to be calm to show that he was fine, but deep down he was panicking. Skander had moved to the other side of the country because some innate feeling inside him knew he was trustworthy. But on the exterior, he wasn't sure.

The older man knew it was going to take time. It was a good thing he was patient. He'd spent half his life casually working towards a goal he had barely seen come to fruition when this job landed in his lap. He didn't want it to be another job. He wanted it to save some kid from losing what little sanity he had left.

With gentle hands he grabbed Skander by the collar of his shirt and steered him to the left. He opened the door and pushed the young man in. He should be comfortable enough with the team and Austin. Tyler might be a different story.

He sat down and waited until Skander did as well. The boy was so skittish it wasn't even funny. He watched them carefully, especially since his hands were shaking under the table. Knowing his family would see, and really not caring, he took his hand gently. He ran his thumb over the back of the smaller hand until it was minor tremors.

"Let's get started," Tyler started. He turned his attention to the newcomer. "I just want to welcome you. I'm Tyler James. I've known Austin and Keldin since we were teenagers."

Keldin squeezed his hand so he knew it was the truth. "Nice to meet you. I'm Skander Giles. Why have you brought me here?"

Austin looked at his brother. "Did you tell him?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I told him. You don't want to know his reaction."

Tyler understood and nodded. "Understood. Skander, you must know we only want to help you."

"Help me? From what? What's going on? What did my father do?" Skander asked. He was squeezing Keldin's hand for support as he asked for a health explanation. He looked between everyone sitting around the table. Someone had to tell him something before he completely exploded.

Looking at Keldin for assistance and finding none, Tyler sighed. "Your father is trying to pass a piece of legislation that would force a certain type of people to make themselves known to the public. A there are people the rest of the world has no business knowing about. They will kill anyone who stands in their way, and as long as they get what they want, it doesn't matter who it is. Since it's your father who's doing this, they decided to target you."

It was vague. That's how he normally treated the cases where the people involved had no idea who they were. If they told him the entire story, he would either laugh hysterically and go off the deep end, or he would embrace everything. With his mental state right now, he didn't want to chance it.

He looked to the boy's guardian. "We did some more searching. His attack is linked to those men."

Skander watched as Keldin's face darkened and his hand tightened around his. "Keldin?" On the other side of the room a potted plant exploded. "Keldin, what's wrong?"

"Kel, calm down," Austin said stonily.

"Listen to your brother, boss," Deuce said. He was leaned back in his chair, but the way he sat he could easily burst into action.

"Get me the names of the men. I will personally see to them," Keldin ground out. The smell of freshly mowed glass filled the room.

"They're in jail," Tyler replied. He sighed when Keldin suddenly stood and walked out, leaving Skander alone with his team. The young man looked between the slamming door and the rest sitting at the table. Tyler waved him off. "Just let him go. He gets angry when he can't help someone who's been abused."

"I thought he was a level-headed guy," Landen said.

"He typically is but he hates that fact that sometimes he can't help someone," Austin replied. He leaned back and scratched his head. "You may think I'm passionate and that my temper is bad. Kel's is worse. He takes everything to heart and tries to save everyone."

He turned his blue gaze to Skander. The look in them caused the young man to stare at him despite wanting to look away. "You're the only one who can calm him. For some reason, he's attached to you only after two days. I don't know why but it really doesn't matter as long as he's happy. He needs someone to connect to. He's chosen you, whether he knows it or not."

Abby smiled from across the table. "His office is at the other end of the hall. Go to him."

Skander didn't waste any time. He grabbed his bag and left. The door didn't slam as loudly as it did with Keldin, but they both had the same personality. They had one track minds when it came to things they were passionate about.

When the door closed, she leaned back to look at everyone. "What should we do? We can't tell him that we're being targeted for that list his father is trying to put together. We may be out to the public." She paused and looked at Tyler. "Well some of us, but the rest wouldn't want to be humiliated because they're something else."

"It'll have to be Keldin who tells him," Tyler said. "He'll make it easier on the kid. I'll call Ace just to check. She's been handling all this with some type of ease that I didn't know she had."

~~~~~

While they were discussing everything, Skander knocked hesitantly on Keldin's office door. When there wasn't an answer, he opened the door and stuck his head in. Keldin was sitting at his desk with his head down on the surface. He didn't move even when he walked in and shut the door.

As he walked across the room, he noticed the design. It was done in earth tones. Greens, browns and some other cool tones popped. It gave him a little more insight to who the man was on the inside.

"Keldin?" he whispered into the quiet room. When there wasn't an answer, he crept closer. He laid a hand on his elbow. "Keldin?"

Suddenly his wrist was grabbed. His eyes widened in shock and some fear. Keldin didn't let him break away when he tugged gently to free his arm. Then something clicked in his head. Two days. They had only known each other for two days and yet there was an instant connection. Something in him knew this man was trustworthy and loyal. He had been honest when didn't have to be.

Skander leaned forward. He made eye contact as he got closer. He was surprised Keldin allowed him to touch him this way. He touched his lips gently to his forehead for a brief five seconds. When he stepped back a bit, his heart was beating a strong tempo in his chest.

Keldin stared up at him, mouth slightly ajar. They stared at each other for a few moments. Their hearts were pounding in their chests, and they thought what if the other heard it.

"Shit," Keldin whispered. He ran his hand through his hair as the other rubbed his eyes brusquely.

Skander frowned. "What…"

His question was silenced as Keldin yanked him to straddle his lap. Skander gripped his face, staring into the pair of mismatched eyes. This felt right. This was what he wanted. He had never wanted anything more, and he wasn't scared.

The young man pulled the face in his hands closer and kissed him gently. Keldin responded in kind, mouth working slowly over his. He let Skander control it to make sure he didn't scare him.

Keldin pushed him back then ran his hands through his hair. He looked in the young man's face expectantly. "Do you remember what I said?" Skander nodded, gripping his arms for support. "You're mine. No arguments about it."

"No arguments," he replied. It was the fastest he had agreed to be with someone, but something inside said he couldn't walk away even if he wanted to. But he would have to take it painfully slow.

After a few minutes, he slid from his lap and sat on the desk. "Why are you so mad?"

Keldin turned on the tablet by his hip. "People who abuse others piss me off. There's no reason for it and it is really absurd."

Skander crossed his legs and rest one elbow on his knee so he could hold his head up. "So if they weren't in jail, you'll kill them?"

Keldin nodded. "Damn skippy." He watched as Skander smiled and shook his head. Something in him twitched. "We're having some house guests."

That smile fell just as he thought it would. More people? How many people did he really know? "Who?"

"My team. It's the best idea. It'll help us keep you in the dark while here." A panicked look came over him quickly. Keldin rubbed his calf soothingly. He didn't have to look at him to know what he was feeling. "Nothing's going to happen to you."

"How do you know?"

"They're my team. Abby's single and loving it, Cougar and Landen keep to themselves, and Deuce is as straight as they come. All four of them have younger siblings and have protective streaks that stretch across the world five times. They won't do anything."

He took his face in his hands. "You said you'd trust me. I'm holding you to that."

Skander watched him with wariness. He wanted to trust his team but he didn't know them. He could trust Keldin. That wasn't hard but his team was a different matter. They were three guys and one woman who he didn't know besides their names.

"I've got some work to do so if you'd like to sit over there and do your work that's fine," Keldin said as he turned away from him.

Skander walked around the desk and grabbed his bag. After setting his computer up, he began to work. That engulfed him once he started. It had been a day and half since he had worked on his project and today was his deadline. So he worked hard to finish it.

As he was making the final adjustments, he felt pressure along his back. Keldin was leaning against him as he worked. It would have bothered Skander because the last person to do that had tried to steal his design, but Keldin wasn't a graphic designer. He was a financial advisor.

"It's five and I'm ready to go home," he said in his ear.

"Okay. Let me send this to my boss and I'll be ready," Skander replied. He hit a few keys and it was gone. Then he started packing up. "I'm ready."

They left his office and headed for the elevator. Keldin was somewhat quiet as he waited to go down to the first floor. Skander wasn't sure what was on his mind, but it was written on his face. He wanted to ask, but he didn't want to pry.

'Austin,' he called. These were the moments he was truly happy he could talk telepathically to his people.

There was a slight stirring to his mind as his brother's mind flared to life with electricity. 'What's up, brother?'

'I need someone to track Skander's project. Make sure no one can track it back here.'

'Why did you let him send it?'

'It's his job. I can't force him to stop that. Please just do as I ask.'

Austin sighed. Keldin was never this spontaneous. There was something about this kid that was making him act differently. 'All right. I'll get Tyler on it.'

'Thanks.'

When they got down to the first floor, they ran into his team. Skander slid behind him and eyed them warily from over his shoulder. Keldin glanced at him momentarily then looked at his friends.

"Hey, Boss. We made a grocery list that we'll pick up before heading over," Deuce said.

"Okay. Bring all you'll need to survive my place," he replied.

He mock saluted him. "Will do. See ya in a bit."

Skander watched them walk away before coming to stand beside Keldin. His face was drawn and lines crisscrossed on his forehead. He was taking all this on his shoulders and stressing himself out. Gently, he took his hand. Keldin looked at him in shock.

"Let's go home. I can move my stuff into your room so someone can have mine," he said.

When Keldin nodded, he tugged him out of the building. Maybe there was something at home that would ease his nerves.