Chapter 17 Dallas
DALLAS
An alarm goes off somewhere and I gasp awake. Where the fuck am I? It takes a few seconds to remember that I’m at Kay’s place.
I’m still fully dressed and can’t remember what the fuck we did after talking to Clayton.
Kay grumbles and wiggles to turn around and stop the alarm. “Thirty more minutes,” he mumbles and settles back into my arms.
Fuck. He feels so right. He snuggles close. It’s almost hard to breathe, but I suck in his sweet scent. It’s like peaches and vanilla with a hint of chai. Why does he smell like this? I want to just bury my nose in his throat and breathe.
Again, he’s fully dressed. Granted, it’s a pale pink pj short set. The shirt rises up his stomach, putting his abs on display. He’s so soft and vulnerable like this. The chaotic energy still sleeping. I enjoy this side of Kay as much as the chaos.
My eyes droop and I must fall asleep again because the alarm goes off, startling me.
“No!” Kay says and fiddles with his phone. “Too early.” Then he looks to me. “Do you have anything going on today that we need an alarm for?”
I look to the ceiling and think. “Not that I know of? But Hayden usually keeps the schedule.”
Kay flops down on his side. “Well, he can come look for you if he needs you to wake up. I’m setting an alarm for 9am.”
I nod and pull him back into my arms. “Surprised you aren’t begging for my cock.”
“Too sleepy for that. It’s been a lot of long nights since we met.” He yawns and I just tug him closer.
“Sleep, darlin’. Just sleep.”
He rubs his head on my chest and throws a leg over mine, claiming me. “I never get to cuddle.” It’s so soft I wonder if I made the words up.
“Sleep. I’m right here.”
“I failed last night. Got too tired. Couldn’t continue on.”
I don’t even know if he realizes he’s still talking. He settles when I run my hand down his back a few times. I don’t know what he means about failing last night. Surely he was here with me?
It’s too perfect laying here with Kay in my arms. I yawn and let sleep take me again.
When I wake again, it’s alone. The sheets are cold around me. Where the fuck did Kay go and why didn’t he wake me up? I check my phone and it’s barely past 8am. Where the heck did he go?
I push to my feet and find my bag of clothes on top of a dresser that looks like a huge treasure chest. Totally fits the whole underwater vibe Kay has going on.
I grab a change of clothes and throw them over my shoulder. Should probably shower. I find Kay in the kitchen with Ken and Hayden.
“Uh, hi.” I wave for some reason.
“He lives,” Hayden says. “We’re waiting on cinnamon rolls. Still have some time, though.” He looks longingly at the oven.
“I’m gonna go hop in the shower then.”
Kay walks around the kitchen island and throws his arms around my neck. “You looked so peaceful. I hated to wake you.” He drops a kiss to my chin before letting me go. “You’re welcome to anything in the bathroom. Washrags and towels are in the cabinet behind the door. Fresh soap there too.”
I nod and head back to the bathroom. I almost wish Kay would sneak in while I’m washing up and take a little bit extra time, just to see if he does.
But Kay stays away. Maybe Hayden’s cock blocking me by being here.
Or maybe it’s Ken? Who knows, but it’s fine.
I don’t need to get freaky in the shower.
I could jerk myself off, but after having Kay’s perfect lips on me, I don’t wanna go solo again for a while if I can help it.
They’re just pulling the cinnamon rolls from the oven as I join everyone again.
“Kay says it’s a recipe he and Ken perfected over the years,” Hayden says. He’s practically bouncing in his seat like Kay does. It’s as if his fear from yesterday washed away and I have to wonder if Kay or Ken said anything to help ease his anxiety.
“So,” Kay says as he plops a huge gooey, drowning in icing, cinnamon roll on a plate in front of me. “I have a couple of leads on the roses and it should be dealt with shortly.”
Hayden goes pale. “Good to hear.”
Kay pats Hayden’s hand. “I got you.”
“It’s funny.” Hayden gives a small laugh. “I trust you. You’re a little bit of a weirdo, but not a creepy weirdo.”
Ken snorts and Kay grins, just a bit too manically.
“Anyway, our friend Braum is going to be your driver and security today while I work on the investigation.”
Hayden goes pale. “I kinda hoped we could just hide out here.” He waves his hand around.
Kay shakes his head. “I promise, Braum is a good guy. He’s basically a sniper, so you’ll be super safe.
Plus, we can’t let the stalker or stalkers know we’re in on them.
I need you to keep to your regular schedule as if you’re not scared out of your mind.
Can you do that for me?” Kay meets my eyes and I nod.
“Besides, you have shit to do today according to Dallas’s calendar. ”
“You hacked my phone?”
“You don’t hide shit when you put the pin in. I wouldn’t call it hacking. I’d call it using my superior observation skills.”
I snort and shake my head. He’s got me there.
“Braum will be here in like an hour. So you have that time to eat, shower, panic.” He wiggles his brows. “Fuck me.”
Ken shakes her head. “Just as long as you’re not too exhausted for tonight.” She kisses his cheek.
We all stand around the kitchen island and eat the cinnamon rolls. Kay moans with every other bite and I want to lick his lips clean. He does like his icing.
“I appreciate you letting me come over, too,” Hayden says as he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “I don’t mean to intrude on your relationship.”
Kay blinks back and tilts his head as if he’s examining Hayden. “Of course you’re welcome. I’ve adopted you.”
Ken nurses her cup of coffee and shakes her head. There’s a smile on her lips.
“You can’t adopt me?” Hayden looks to me for answers and I don’t have any.
Kay throws an arm around Hayden’s shoulder and walks him around the kitchen island.
“You’re part of the fam now, same as Dallas.
Well, not the same as Dallas, because he fucks me and you don’t.
I adopt people and help them. It’s what I do.
I adopted a whole ass flower shop last night. They’re cool guys.”
“But why?” Hayden asks.
Kay heads to the living room, leaving us all watching after him.
“Gather ‘round the fire,” Kay says as he plops down on the floor right in front of the couch. I guess the “fire” is the coffee table?
Just as we head towards him, he grabs something from inside the coffee table and sets it on top. It’s a campfire plushie with a smiley face. He flips a switch on the toy so it lights up and makes a soft crackling sound. What the hell? I don’t even try to fight the grin.
Ken laughs. “He’s been wanting to do that for so damn long.” She settles on one end of the couch. Hayden sits next to her and I take the other end so Kay is in the hot seat of story teller right in front of us.
“When Ken and I were very young, someone helped us. They gave us skills no child should ever have. And with those skills, we help people.”
I wait, hoping there’s more, but Kay doesn’t continue. “That doesn’t feel like the entire story.”
“It’s not,” Ken says. “But maybe we’ll tell you the rest later. My name’s Kendra, by the way, but you can still call me Ken if you want. It’s my code name.”
I turn to Kay. “Does that mean your name isn’t exactly Kay?” I asked to date a guy and I don’t even know his name.
He shrugs. “It’s the name you get for now.
” Gracefully, he pushes back to his feet and grabs the stuffed campfire.
He squeezes it to his chest. There’s melancholy in his face now and I want to wipe it away, but I also want the entire story.
Hopefully, one day, he’ll trust me with it and his name.
His grin is back. “Also, Braum is going to teach you guys some self-defense.”
Hayden pops to his feet. “What? Why? Do we need self-defense?”
“Everyone could use at least the basics,” Kendra says.
“Exactly,” Kay says. “But if you can get past me, I’ll tell Braum you don’t need it.”
“Challenge accepted.” Hayden walks around the coffee table.
I keep my trap shut, knowing Kay can throw my ass around in the bedroom. Hayden has way too much swagger in his step as he fakes a few moves. Kay just rolls his eyes and looks at his nails.
“I need a manicure soon.”
When Hayden makes a real try to get past Kay, I watch my best friend get his ass handed to him. Kay has Hayden on his back in like two seconds. He’s sitting cross-legged right on top of him.
“What the hell just happened?” Hayden bucks trying to get Kay off him, but Kay’s like deadweight, it seems.
Finally, Kay pushes to his feet and holds out his hand for Hayden.
“Braum’ll teach you when your schedule allows. He’s gonna show you how to defend yourself from your stalker if they ever get close enough. I’m not a good teacher or even patient enough to be a teacher, but Braum is.”
“Did he teach you?” I ask.
“Some,” Kendra says. “We saved his daughter like seven years ago. He’s been begging to help us however he can. So when we need a driver or security, we call him.”
I tip my head and take Kendra in. “If he’s basically a sniper, why did he need you two. Wait. Seven years ago? You were… How old were you?”
“Maybe sixteen? Seventeen? Eighteen? Dunno.” Kay shrugs.
“What do you mean, dunno?” Hayden asks.
Kay shrugs again. “I think I’m twenty-four, but I could be off by a year or two in either direction. I don’t exactly have official papers.”
“What the heck does that mean?” Hayden asks.
Kay looks at me and waves. “Didn’t I tell you we were raised in a cult?
Or did I forget that part? I know we’ve fucked a lot.
Sometimes good dick scrambles my brain. Shit, the flower shop guys know more about me than you do.
” His eyes go wide and Kendra swats him across the chest. “What? I never remember who I’ve shared that fucked up piece of trivia. ”
“Wait,” I say. “So you were raised in a cult that trained you in skills no child should ever have—”
“Oh, no...” Kay tilts his head from side to side, thinking. “Okay, technically, I think we were raised by two cults?” He looks to Kendra, who pinches her forefinger and thumb together while making a cringe face, as if to say maybe a little bit?
Kendra pushes to her feet. Her hands go to her hair and she scratches at her temples. “We were raised in one cult, ran away, lived in the wild for a bit, and the new cult gave us the skills.”
There’s a knock to the door and we all seem to tense.
Kay runs to the door and looks out the peephole. “Saved by Braum.” He opens the door and the tallest man I have ever seen in my entire life fills the doorframe. Braum is huge and tan and wears a suit that fits him perfectly somehow.
Kay moves out of the way to let the man in. He goes through introductions. Braum has and easy smile and it settles something in me. My guy tugs on Braum’s arm and waves for him to lean down.
“They’re going to be naughty and ask about our past. They know me as Kay and Ken gave them permission to call her Kendra. Don’t leak anything.”
Braum mimes locking and sealing his lips. “Got it.”
“Also, they’ll probably be stubborn about the self-defense classes, but I insist on them learning.”
“It’ll be my pleasure.” Braum looks us over. “Ready?” He tips his head towards the door.
“As I’ll ever be,” Hayden says. He wipes his hands on his jeans before joining me to leave with Braum.
“I’ll be watching you,” Kay says and finger waves.
I can’t help it and run back to him. I wrap my arms around his waist and kiss him breathless. He’s barely standing when I release him. “See you tonight.” Then I follow Braum and Hayden.