5. Kyan
Chapter 5
Kyan
Kyan woke up the morning after the whole online poker disaster determined to move on from the sorry mess. He might have lost his stake, and the chance of winning too, but Kyan was ready to think optimistically and put all thoughts of the horrible threat out of his mind.
As he walked around the living area of his cute little apartment, Kyan felt lucky to live in such a nice place. Yes, it might have been expensive but that didn’t matter. Kyan’s apartment was the kind of sweet and stylish place that he had always dreamed of living in when he was older.
And the fact that Kyan had been able to afford his own place for him and Gambit made it all the better…
‘Hey, Gambit, you don’t think I’m being na?ve, do you?’ Kyan asked, walking around his apartment in nothing but a pair of pajama shorts. ‘I mean, online can be a horrible place. And it’s not like I have any actual enemies out there. Come on, this is me !’
Kyan picked Gambit up for a reassuring cuddle.
There was something about the feeling of Gambit’s soft furry body pressing against his naked upper half that felt so comforting. For a moment at least, Kyan was even able to put to one side his frustration at having ended the card game down on his money, rather than in the position of being able to cover his rent for an extended period of time.
‘ Grrrrr . I’m more annoyed than worried,’ Kyan said. ‘I had that game by the balls. I was locked in and showing them all just how good a player I am. Urgh . I don’t suppose it’s going to help if I keep going on about it, right?’
Kyan shrugged his shoulders and then wrapped himself in his favorite red blanket. Feeling more and more convinced that the threat had been nothing more than some horrible jerk trying – and succeeding – to put him off his game, Kyan decided that from this point onward, he would reregister his poker accounts under a different username. And he would utilize some of Benjamin’s online skills to make sure that his internet security was also beefed up.
Feeling more determined than ever, Kyan ran his fingers over Gambit’s silky-soft ears and felt a wave of optimism wash over him.
I won’t let this ruin my life.
No way. No chance.
I’m called Kyan Full House Coole for a reason…
Kyan was now feeling much better than he had yesterday evening. And with the morning sun breaking through the blinds of his apartment, it was time to get showered, eat some breakfast, and then take his daily walk in the park with a cup of hot coffee.
‘I think I’ll see what Benjamin and Reece are doing,’ Kyan said, the idea of a morning meetup with his friends sounding very appealing.
KYAN: Morning guys! Are you two up yet? Or are you a pair of snoozers? Because I’m thinking some coffee and a walk in the park might be good. You know, from my regular spot. Anyway, I’m going to shower and then head out. So let me know! XoXoXo
And Kyan didn’t have to wait too long before the replies came flooding in either…
BENJAMIN: Ooooh, I’d love to. But… I have an appointment with my personal trainer. I’ll come and hang out later though? XoXo
REECE: Same! Well, I don’t mean I have fitness training. I mean that I’m busy this morning. But I definitely want to do something after. Does that work? Xxxx
KYAN: Looks like it’s just me, Gambit, and my coffee. Booooo! No, only kidding. I’ll still have a nice time. And YES OF COURSE, I want to do something later today. I’ll be in touch XoXo.
While Kyan might have enjoyed having his Little buddies with him for his morning walk and coffee, it wasn’t the end of the world. And it would be nice to get some solo time too. The weather was looking like it was going to be nice, and Kyan could almost smell the hot coffee beans wafting into his apartment from over in the park.
It was time to get showered, changed, and ready for some much needed caffeine.
Suddenly yesterday was very much in Kyan’s rearview mirror.
It was time to move on with his life and get back on track.
And where better to do that than at the city’s most wonderful park…
With Gambit’s floppy ears poking out the top of his backpack and a smile on his face, Kyan strode into the park and immediately set his sights on the coffee stand in the distance.
Kyan loved all the typical Little drinks like juice and hot chocolate, but there was no denying that he was a big coffee fan too. Growing up, some of Kyan’s favorite times had been sitting in his grandparent’s kitchen and smelling the perfectly roasted coffee beans that his Grandmother and Grandpoppy were sipping on. And even though he was a little bit too young for coffee at the time, Kyan’s Grandpoppy would often let him have a little taster of his coffee.
‘Those were the days,’ Kyan said, a smile on his face as all the nostalgic feelings came back to him.
As Kyan walked over the park’s perfectly maintained grass, he found his mind wandering all the way back to his very first poker tournament win. In the days leading up to it, he had been full of nerves. There had been a few close calls and narrow misses in the months before hand, and Kyan had been wondering whether he simply wasn’t cut out to be a true championship level player.
The reality was that poker was a tough game at the best of times and winning tournaments was something that only the very few best players could experience. Kyan knew that he was good, but as his wait to win a big tournament went on, doubts crept into his mind.
But with some wise words from his Grandpoppy, Kyan had finally managed to truly believe in himself and go all the way to his first title. And to do it in such style was the cherry on top of the cake too. Kyan played a high risk game and took some major risks – and it paid off in the best way.
Kyan knew that his youthful appearance and fun loving energy could be used to unsettle rival players. Even if it was an online tournament, Kyan’s sweet bunny avatar and reputation for making bold calls and big bluffs was enough to see him get an edge on plenty of much older and more experienced players.
Kyan smiled once more as he recalled his Grandpoppy’s words…
Give them the full Kyan Coole. They won’t know what hit them.
And it was with these words ringing in his ears that Kyan marched across the park’s ornate Japanese style bridge and toward his favorite coffee spot in the whole city.
‘Your usual?’ the barista asked, a kind smile on his face as he saw Kyan approach.
‘Yes please,’ Kyan answered, happy to wait and watch as the barista worked his magic.
Kyan loved watching the barista work his magic. And although the barista was handsome and cute too, it really wasn’t a romantic thing as far as Kyan was concerned. What Kyan loved to see was someone who was passionate about their work and took care and pride in everything they did. And judging by how tasty the coffee was every morning, this was certainly true of the barista.
‘Here, I’ve made a special rabbit stencil for the foam,’ the barista chuckled, smiling kindly as he handed Kyan the coffee. ‘Enjoy!’
‘That’s so cute. Almost too cute to drink!’ Kyan giggled. ‘Thank you. Have a great day.’
With his heart full of joy, Kyan took his coffee and began the remainder of his morning walk. And with the first sips of coffee hitting his taste buds, Kyan felt a surge of perfectly rich caffeine hit his system.
Today’s going to be a good day.
I’m getting back on the poker trail.
And to hell with the asshole who messaged me yesterday…
Kyan began by walking up the long, winding path toward the most densely covered part of the park. The sun might have been high in the sky, but Kyan didn’t mind a little shade as long as it came with the vast array of squirrels that he was sure to see gathering nuts and having fun along the branches and treetops.
‘Let’s see if we can spot a red squirrel, Gambit,’ Kyan said, the caffeine now coursing through his veins as he walked amongst the tall trees and vibrant wildflowers.
To have a space like this in the city was a real treat, and Kyan was truly in his element – it was almost like being back home in the country.
However just as Kyan was about to take his phone out to capture the wonderful sight of two squirrels playing tag on a large overhanging branch, he felt the sudden presence of someone standing directly behind him.
‘Relax,’ came the deep, masculine voice. ‘Relax and stay still. This doesn’t need to be difficult.’
Kyan froze. It was clear from the voice that this was someone who wasn’t fooling around. And as scary as it was, Kyan didn’t feel like his life was in danger or he was about to be mugged.
‘W-w-w-w-w-who are you?’ Kyan stammered, still facing away from the stranger behind him.
‘Turn around,’ the man said. ‘My name is Matteo Fendi. And if you want to live, you’ll come with me right this second.’
As Kyan turned around, he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. Or for that matter, what he was seeing right in front of him…
Holy hell.
He’s hot like the sun.
But… did I hear him right?
‘You’re in a lot of danger, Kyan,’ Matteo said, his hand now placed over Kyan’s arm. ‘Don’t try to run. Don’t make a noise or act in any way that could draw attention to us.’
‘This is crazy!’ Kyan spat, stomping his foot on the soft ground beneath him. ‘You think I’m going to listen to a total stranger? Get the hell off me!’
‘Quiet, boy!’ Matteo snapped back, his voice full of controlled anger. ‘Believe it or not, I was sent here to kill you. You’ve somehow made a very dangerous enemy. And no amount of brattish foot stomping is going to change that. Now do as your told and come with me.’
Kyan’s mind was racing so fast that he felt dizzy.
In fact, Kyan was so overwhelmed that he dropped his takeaway coffee on the floor and felt his legs wobble.
‘I don’t feel so… good,’ Kyan said, the color draining out of his face as he started to collapse.
Fortunately for Kyan, he fell into Matteo’s strong chest and Matteo was able to hold him up with ease. As insane as the situation sounded, Kyan knew at the bottom of his heart that Matteo was telling the truth. There was something about the sincerity in his voice and the deep, soulful look in his dark eyes that felt so authentic.
Kyan knew a bluffer when he saw one. And Matteo was most definitely not bluffing.
‘B-b-b-but, what am I supposed to do? Go to the police?’ Kyan asked, his face pushing up against Matteo’s strong chest.
‘Out of the question,’ Matteo replied. ‘I was sent to kill you. There’s no going to the police. We’ll have to work something out. You’ll need to trust me. And you’ll need to do as I say from here on out. Got it?’
Kyan nodded and felt a tear roll down his cheek.
This was all too real now.
There was something about the way that Matteo rebuffed the very idea of going to the police that made Kyan very aware that this wasn’t an ordinary man – and that was even without considering the fact that Matteo had apparently been sent to kill him. If that was true, then that opened up the possibility that he had done this before…
‘I… I… I don’t know you,’ Kyan said, his bottom lip wobbling as he spoke.
‘You don’t,’ Matteo replied, holding Kyan a little tighter and closer to his body. ‘I understand why you feel scared. But trust me, if my intention was to do what was instructed of me, I would have done it already. You’re safe with me, boy. Daddy is going to protect you. And that’s a promise.’
Kyan gasped as he heard Matteo utter the word Daddy .
Could Matteo really be…
Was he…
And even if he was, Kyan wondered whether he would live long enough to tell the tale…