Chapter 10 #2
Kellan adjusted his watch and nodded. “I’ll expect frequent updates.”
“Why?” Wren demanded.
Kellan flicked his eyes up, hands still on his watch. “Call it professional curiosity.”
“I’ll call it what it is. Shady,” Wren growled.
Kellan chuckled. “You’re lucky you’re not still in my class.”
Teddy was reading his face though, mind working. “You want to take credit.”
“Credit is such a passé word,” Kellan said. “There’ve been a lot of interesting cases circulating lately. I simply would like to lend some insight.”
“To get your name attached to the case.”
“Let’s just say Nexus owes me. And you should be careful with your words, Damir,” Kellan said, looking pointedly at Wren. “I think you forget your circumstances here. One word from me and he disappears again.”
Wren gnashed his teeth, but there was nothing he could do.
“I expect the reports to be timely.”
Teddy glanced at Wren helplessly before nodding.
Kellan grinned. “Wonderful. Oh…and there’s one more thing.”
“What?”
“Wren might be able to help me out with this.”
“I’d rather shove needles into my eyes than help you.”
Kellan rolled his eyes. “Unnecessarily dramatic and overdone. But I wasn’t asking.”
Wren pursed his lips. “Spit it out.”
“There seems to be something of a reoccurring group in Slatehollow. I think you’re familiar?”
Teddy had no idea who he was referencing, but Wren stilled very noticeably. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You always were a terrible liar.” Kellan stepped forward. “I want the information you have on this group of individuals.”
Teddy moved to intercept him. “Why can’t you go through Nexus for the information you want?”
Kellan gave him a sidelong look, daring Teddy to stop him. What he hadn’t worked out, still, after all this time, was that Teddy would do anything to protect Wren. “It’s highly classified information. Lots of red tape.”
“And you want me to cut through it for you.” Wren scoffed.
“You understand. I’ll expect updates on both.” He walked toward the door where he paused without waiting for a confirmation. “I would rethink making the same mistakes twice if I were you, boys. I was generous last time, but I’ve used up the last of my charity. Damir, see me to the door?”
He exited with that barely concealed threat and Wren grasped Teddy’s wrist as he moved to follow.
No, he mouthed.
Teddy gave him a reassuring smile that was all fake. “It’s okay.”
He tugged his wrist free and walked confidently to the door, only dropping his act as he rounded the corner, falling into Kellan’s shadow.
They walked through the doorway of the house, Kellan pulling some black leather driving gloves on as it swung shut behind them, blocking them from sight.
In a flash he had Teddy by the throat, slamming him into the wall next to the door behind a planter.
Hot breath washed over his face and fear coursed through his veins as his vision whited out for a split second.
“Lesson number one,” Kellan drawled, his eyes black pits of malice. “A refresher course.”
His hand squeezed and Teddy gasped for air, black spots blinking in and out as his ears rang.
Teddy was an adult now, able to push back, but there was still a scared, traumatized child within him who couldn’t move. Who just held still and wished for it to be over.
When Kellan finally released the pressure Teddy gasped for air.
“You take my kindness for granted. I helped you out over and over, keeping your disgusting little secrets. Shielding you from Nexus finding out. And this is how you repay me? Making the same mistakes again as soon as that thing is in eyeshot.”
Kellan sent a searing punch straight into his ribs, making him choke and gag and fall to his knees at Kellan’s feet.
“You’re weak, Damir, and I won’t protect you any longer if you get yourself into another situation.
You have one chance to correct your mistake before I correct it for you.
” He leaned down and yanked Teddy’s face up by the chin.
“Don’t be disobedient and stubborn. I wouldn’t want to have to punish him as well. ”
And there it was. His leverage. The thing that petrified Teddy. That made it impossible to act. To risk.
He couldn’t touch Wren. He didn’t want an ounce of Kellan’s filth near him.
“Don’t. Please,” he begged.
Kellan snorted, shoving his face away in disgust. “Get me the information I want. Before I come back and get it myself.”
He walked across the gravel, got into a sleek black car, and pulled out past the gate.
Teddy took a second to breathe and take stock of himself, cupping his ribs as he pushed back to his feet.
He glanced into the window to see his reflection. Haunted. Pained.
He buttoned his collar over the redness on his neck and ran his fingers through his messy hair. He practiced a smile; bright, with teeth. “I’m fine,” he said to himself. “I’m fine.”
He repeated it until the words didn’t shake.
Only then did he step back inside to find Wren sitting on the bottom step of the stairs, waiting for him. Teddy worried what he might have heard, but he knew Wren wouldn’t be sitting there so calmly if he had.
Teddy used that practiced smile. “He’s gone.”
Wren popped to his feet, glancing right through his facade. “What did he say to you?”
“I’ll take you back to the shower and show you how it works,” Teddy said, pushing past him to climb the stairs.
“Teddy.”
“Also, where did you stash Sable and Blu? We should get them.”
“TEDDY!”
Teddy paused and looked back. “Wren…it’s fine.”
“Why are you lying to me? You never used to lie to me,” Wren said in a hurt voice that speared Teddy’s heart.
“I never want to lie to you, Little Bird,” Teddy whispered.
“So tell me.”
Teddy knew he couldn’t say everything. Too ashamed. Too fearful. Too guilty. Kellan had tied a string around his throat a long time ago and Teddy still didn’t know how to unknot it, despite searching. Despite moments of bravery that were swiftly and systematically shut down and stamped out.
Kellan made sure to keep him right under his boot, holding what Teddy held most dear over his head and flexing a power Teddy had no hope of beating.
“He’s threatening me, isn’t he?” Wren guessed.
Teddy met his gaze. “Yes.”
“You don’t need to protect me, Teddy. I can fight them myself.”
“I’m not doing it because I think you need protecting, Wren.” Teddy sighed. “You’re more resilient than anyone I’ve ever met. You’re strong and brave.”
“Then what is it?”
“I’m…not.”
The shame had him looking down.
Wren stepped closer and fisted a hand in his shirt, ducking to meet his eyes. “How can you say that? You’ve always been brave.”
The words hurt.
“I can’t fight them, Wren.” Teddy’s voice was hoarse and exhausted. “I’ve tried. I…I thought I could but…”
Wren was looking at him now like he was seeing everything Teddy wanted to hide.
This version of him that had been jaded and worn down to a shell of his former self.
He was scared Wren wouldn’t recognize him.
Would pick up the foreign pieces of him and find him lacking all the grooves and edges he’d fallen in love with.
“I think we should keep things buried to avoid any complications,” he said, feeling like he was swallowing glass. “Friends.”
Those beautiful blue eyes began to fill with tears, but Teddy didn’t know if they were grief or mourning and he was scared to ask.
“Friends,” he repeated. It sounded dead.
Teddy desperately wanted to cup his cheeks and swipe the wetness away, one, and then the other. But he couldn’t. “We just found each other again. I don’t…I don’t want to lose you from my life again.”
“They’re punishing us. And you’re letting them,” Wren said flatly.
“Better torture than death. If they rip you away again it’ll kill me, Wren. And they will. Kellan already knows. He holds all the cards. He’s giving us one chance.”
I can’t let him hurt you.
Wren screwed up his face, then pushed past him and out of the house.
“Wren!” Teddy called after him, but he knew he wouldn’t stop.
Teddy let his own tears fall.