Chapter 23 #2
“Do you want to go back now?”
“No, I want to see more.”
“What about the fun we were going to have?”
“We’ll stay up late to make up for lost time.”
Kaden laughed loudly.
Turned out Joe was fascinated by the insects but declared the reptile house the scariest thing he’d ever seen.
“They’re looking at me as if they want to get revenge for something.” Joe pressed himself a fraction closer to Kaden as a blue snake slid along the bottom of the glass.
He’d taken pictures of most animals but not these.
“You’re safe.”
“That’s what it wants you to think.”
Kaden snorted. “You’re fine with lions that could take your head off, but a noodle behind glass is where you draw the line?”
Joe leaned in, squinting. “That one blinked.”
“Snakes don’t blink. They can’t close their eyes. That’s just a protective screen called a brille.”
Joe straightened immediately. “Then it winked. Which is worse.”
“They shed the brille when they shed their skin.”
Joe gaped at him. “They can change their skin? In one go?”
“Yes. Mostly.”
“That’s amazing.”
They wandered toward the otter enclosure, where a pair of them were tumbling through the water. Kaden really liked otters. They were sleek and funny, but could be vicious little bastards.
“Why are those two holding hands?” Joe asked.
“So they don’t drift apart while they sleep.”
Joe turned to him slowly, eyes shining with what could only be described as reverence. “That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.”
Kaden hesitated to burst his bubble. “It’s…practical rather than romantic.”
“I don’t care. It’s still sweet.”
“They have favourite rocks that they use to crack shells open on their stomachs.”
“Clever.”
They moved on, slower now. The initial rush of wonder had settled into something softer. Joe still reacted to everything, but it wasn’t explosive, just more thoughtful.
Until the alarm call of a bird split the air and Joe froze mid-step. “What was that?”
“Parrot?”
Kaden glanced round and felt his lungs lock. Across the path, near a cluster of trees, the man of the pair they’d photographed stood watching them, then pretended he wasn’t.
“Joe—”
“I saw him,” Joe said quietly. “But closer than him, is another guy who’s been to see every exhibit we have. Presumably not one of Alistair’s, unless he lied.”
Kaden didn’t turn his head. “You sure?”
“Yes. The woman from earlier is here too.”
“Oh great,” Kaden muttered. “Alistair said he’d call them off and he hasn’t. So we’re being followed by people who are following a guy who’s following us. That’s not good.”
Joe’s lips twitched. “It’s getting crowded.” Then he put his arm over Kaden’s shoulder. “Right. Enough impending doom. There are still animals I haven’t emotionally imprinted on. How many more will make my eyes leak?”
Kaden stared at him. “That’s your coping strategy?”
“Yes.” Joe started walking. “If I’m going to be hunted, I’d like to do it after seeing the leafcutter ants.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“I literally am.” Joe smiled. “And it’s all thanks to you.”
Kaden let himself be pulled along, tension still humming under his skin, but threaded with the comfort of being with Joe who was still talking, still pointing things out.
The exotic—flamingos. The common—sparrows.
Still stopping every five minutes to say things like, “That animal has a better life than most humans,” about a particularly relaxed lemur reclining in a canvas hammock.
Or “did you know that hamsters were known for having sex a lot, sometimes up to seventy-five times a day?” No, he didn’t.
Well, that was going in his next routine.
Somehow, despite the watchers and the questions and the very real sense that the ground had shifted under their feet, Kaden was mostly enjoying himself.
For the time being, there was nothing they could do about their followers and acting as if they neither cared nor worried was the best thing to do.
Though occasionally, he did think about it.
Almost as if Joe sensed when Kaden’s anxiety spiked, he’d hold his hand and tighten his grip until Kaden calmed again.
They finally found the leafcutter ants and Joe was fascinated. Kaden couldn’t help but wonder if they reminded him a little of the way he used to be.
When they were too tired to look at anything else, they left the zoo and headed back through Regent’s Park.
Kaden had sent a shot of the new guy following them and asked Alistair if he was one of his too, but he’d not replied.
Kaden had thought about complaining that they still had a tail, but maybe Alistair knew about the other guy and that was why he’d left his people in place.
No one was in earshot as they walked through the park.
“Are we still being followed?” Kaden asked.
“Not sure. But if they’re assuming we’re heading back to the same Tube station, they might have circled around so we don’t notice them.”
“Do you think Blake’s behind the other guy? Just checking we are who we say we are?”
“He knows that you’re a well-known freelance journalist. That you write for prestigious national newspapers. He might be less certain of me. He didn’t ask for my surname.”
“Is it worth taking evasive manoeuvres on the way back?”
“Maybe we shouldn’t exit the park the way we came in.”
Kaden changed direction. “Let’s go around the lake to Baker Street.”
“Whereabouts does Harris live?”
Kaden shot him a look. “You want to know if they’re still inside him?”
“I’d feel better if I knew.”
“He might be at work.”
“Not if he’s still ill. It would give us distance from the followers.”
“I’ll call him. If he’s at work, he won’t answer… It’s ringing. Hey, it’s me. Just checking if the Marmite worked, because if it didn't, maybe you don’t have what I did and need help.”
Joe moved in close to listen.
“Whatever that thing was with Marmite, it made me… I’ve spent the last few days in the bathroom. I even slept in there. Everything I eat comes back up or…out in another way. Did the doctors say what the virus was?”
“No.”
“Strange treatment.”
“Maybe it was the best way to get a lot of salt inside us.”
“Purging the system makes sense.”
“Is there anything you need? Orange juice? Food?”
It was quite a time before Harris spoke. “You’re offering to bring me orange juice and food?”
“If you need it.”
“I… I do. Thank you. Orange juice without pulp.”
“I know. See you later.”
By the time Kaden pressed Harris’ buzzer, no one was following them. Kaden had no idea how Joe could tell, but he believed him.
“Yes?” Harris said into the intercom.
“Orange juice delivery.”
The door lock to the lobby clicked open.
“He’s not going to be happy to see me with you,” Joe said.
Kaden smiled. “No.”
He wasn’t. Harris opened the door and scowled at Joe. “He’s not coming in.”
“Then you don’t get your food.”
Harris’ shoulders dropped and he backed off. He looked ill, his face pale and drawn. He was wearing sleep pants and a T-shirt that needed washing and the flat was untidy. Kaden had never seen it or him looking anything other than immaculate.
“I just…” Harris stumbled quickly to the bathroom and closed the door.
Kaden turned to Joe. “Still sense them?”
“No.” Joe heaved a sigh of relief.
“Could he have puked them up or…”
“Either way, dead or alive, they’d have ended up in the sewage system. There’s no way out of that.”
“You think.”
“I looked it up. They couldn’t survive the waste treatment process.”
Kaden poured a glass of orange juice for Harris, put the food he’d bought in the fridge but left out a Marks and Spencer beef and horseradish sandwich that he knew was Harris’ favourite.
When Harris finally emerged, he staggered over to the couch and slumped down. He glared at Joe, but managed a half-smile for Kaden as he put the glass of juice in his hand.
“Thank you.”
When Kaden handed him the sandwich, he sighed.
“Do you feel any better?” Kaden asked.
“I’m definitely improving. I feel like I could eat, for a start. What the hell is this bug?”
“I don’t know,” Kaden said. “I assume you haven’t seen a doctor.”
Harris shuddered.
Kaden knew how much Harris hated doctors.
“No point. I couldn’t leave the flat, in any case.”
“I put some ready meals in your fridge.”
For once, Harris looked chastened. “Thank you.”
“You need help,” Kaden said quietly. “Not just with this virus. You hurt me.”
“Your article made fun of me.”
“Gently. Hitting me was wrong. That night, you scared me. You can’t hit people like that.”
“You hit me! So did you.” He glared at Joe.
“Only after you’d beaten me up,” Kaden said. “We’re done now. Look into anger management. I could have gone to the police. The next guy you hit might do just that. It will wreck your life.”
Harris didn’t answer. Kaden hoped that meant he was thinking about it.
When they were back on the street, Kaden asked, “Sure they’re not in him?”
“Positive. I’m relieved.”
“You’re not going to worry about it anymore?”
“No.”
“Promise?”
“Promise. Do you think Harris has been punished enough?”
“Probably not but I don’t care about him anymore.” He took hold of Joe’s hand. “I only care about you.”
When they were back at the door of the Muswell Hill flat, Kaden whispered, “If this was a film, we’d walk through into the main room and find Alistair sitting on the couch.”
Joe blinked, and gently pushing Kaden behind him, he went through first.
Alistair wasn’t there.
Kaden laughed. “Phew!”
But as he pulled Joe into his arms, the burner rang.
“Alistair,” Kaden said. “I could ignore him.”
Joe shook his head.
Kaden put it on speaker. “Hi.”
“Home again?”
Kaden shot Joe a look. “Why do you ask?”
Alistair chuckled. “I think maybe you should be offered a job. There are two pissed off agents who can’t work out how you managed to give them the slip. Where are you?”
“Don’t you know?”
“I know roughly where you are but not your exact location.”
“What about the other guy that was following us?” Joe asked.
“A private detective working for Blake. Foolish of him. But his report will signal no worries about you two. He didn’t spot he was being tailed.”
“So nothing to worry about?” Kaden asked.
“Going bowling and then visiting the zoo and taking pictures was a good idea. Fortunately for the bowling alley, Joe learned fast.” Alistair laughed. “Go about your usual business. Keep the camera for the time being.”
He ended the call.
“Usual business?” Joe widened his eyes and gave Kaden a smile that made him gulp.
“I don’t think that’s what he meant.”
But Kaden stripped him, letting Joe’s jacket fall to the floor, peeling his T-shirt over his head, his fingers fumbling with the fastenings on his jeans before tugging them down along with his boxers.
Shoes off, then socks tugged off until finally Joe was naked, his cock standing out from his body, already leaking precome. And Kaden was still wearing his jacket.
Though not for long.
Nor the rest of his clothes.
Joe’s deep moan almost undid him. Kaden kissed the left curve of Joe’s hipbone, then the right as he pressed his fingers into the seam of Joe’s arse. Joe jerked into him and Kaden chuckled.
“Shower?” Joe choked out.
“Good idea.”
“But quick.”
“Even better idea.”
Just long enough to clean what needed to be cleaned and then they were on the bed, lube and condom nearby, and Kaden was parting Joe’s legs with his knee and lowering his body over Joe’s before kissing the fuck out of his mouth until neither of them could breathe.
“Roll over,” Kaden panted. There was somewhere else he wanted to kiss.
Joe squirmed onto his stomach and Kaden rocked against him, pushing his cock against his arse, sliding it along the seam, then leaning in to kiss his neck until Joe turned his head and Kaden found his mouth again. Their tongues twisted together, gently at first as Kaden rutted against him.
“I always mean to go slow with you,” Kaden said. Kiss. Kiss. “To stretch out the pleasure.” Kiss. Kiss. “Except the moment I touch you.” Kiss. Kiss. “I can’t fucking wait.”
They were still wet from the shower as Kaden mouthed his way down Joe’s spine and pushed his thighs apart with his shoulders. Joe gasped as Kaden rubbed his fingers along the stretch of skin behind his balls. Joe lifted his hips and slid a hand under his body to his cock.
“Kaden…Kade…Kade…” Joe moaned.
Then Kaden licked over the entrance to his body and Joe cried out. Kaden had only had this done to him once. He knew how good it felt. Joe was falling to pieces beneath him, writhing, one hand fisting the sheet, groans spilling from his mouth while his other hand worked his cock.
“Please, please, please,” Joe begged.
Kaden wasn’t sure Joe even knew what he was begging for, but he wanted to drive him wild.
Kaden drew his lubed finger down the line of his backside and Joe bucked into his touch.
When Kaden slipped a finger inside him, he was rewarded by Joe whimpering.
A stroke of his prostate, and he cried out.
Kaden was forced to press his own cock hard into Joe’s leg to stop himself coming.
“Kaden, please. I need… Please…”
Getting the condom out of the packet and onto his dick with his hands slicked up wasn’t easy but he managed it.
“All of you. In me. Now,” Joe gasped.
Kaden positioned his cock and as Joe arched up, he pushed in hard. Even though he’d been rougher than he’d intended, it was Kaden who cried out with pleasure, Joe gulping and moaning beneath him.
“Yes…More…” Joe pleaded.
Kaden began to drive into him, harder and deeper, barely able to control himself.
“Joe…Joe… Oh fuck.”
“I love you,” Joe gasped.
With those words, he stole the last moment of Kaden’s control and they fell apart together. Kaden wanted to say it in return but by the time he’d recovered, Joe had fallen into a deep sleep and soon after, Kaden joined him.