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“He’ll head over right now.”
“Thank you.”
Victor closed the call and took a seat in the leather chair to the left of the bed. He didn’t want to be hovering too close in case Jaden woke. It might look creepy, and he did not want to look creepy or weird. This would be their first formal introduction, and he wanted his best foot forward. Jaden had looked at him in the hallway, but it was unlikely that he would recall since he was cold-cocked by that idiot tiger right after. Victor leaned forward and ran the backs of his fingers down the side of Jaden's face, needing the contact and the reassurance that he was okay. He was surprised to realize how much he enjoyed just being near this man and touching him.
Drakon was good to his word and Dean arrived shortly after his call. “Is he okay?” Dean always full of care and concern was immediately worried for his friend.
“Yes, but the man he was with struck him and knocked him out. He's been out for about an hour and should be waking soon." Victor showed him into the bedroom, and Dean went over to the bed and sat on the edge, taking Jaden's hand in his. "I didn't want him to be afraid when he woke. If you're here, he should be more relaxed."
“Jaden wasn’t seeing anyone when we worked together. He had dates of course but nothing serious. Who was this man who struck him?” Dean continued to rub Jaden’s hand and speak in a voice that was soft and soothing. Drakon was a very lucky man to have such a loving partner. Drakon, like himself, was a man who did not deserve such beauty but was gifted it all the same. Fate was making moves and matches that only she understood.
“He was a tiger shifter, and he was dressed well but acted like a brute. I heard the name Murphy.” That caught Dean’s attention.
“Murphy was a friend of Ryan's. He was a pig, and I can’t believe Jaden would have anything to do with him.” Dean looked at Victor with a puzzled expression then turned his attention back to Jaden.
“What was Jaden’s job?”
“He was Ryan’s secretary, and he was treated like shit most of the time.”
“Why did he stay?”
“You could ask me the same question. I don't know if the money was good, but it wasn't that good. I don't know; perhaps he was looking for something else most of us were looking for." Dean hung his head, and the sadness was welling up. Victor placed his hand on his shoulder to strengthen and assure him. He didn’t want his emotions to get the best of him and have Drakon come bursting through his doors. The man was very protective, and Victor completely understood his point.
"He's waking up," Dean announced, and his mood shifted to a smile.
CHAPTER THREE
Murphy went home and called the loan sharks letting them know that Jaden would be delivered tomorrow. “We made arrangements with you for today and now you say tomorrow. I think you’re lying Murphy maybe we should just come and take him.”
"He's not here. He'll be home tomorrow, and I will personally bring him to you." Murphy was desperately trying to make them believe and to give him the time he needed to track down Jaden. He called the restaurant, and they told him Jaden wasn’t there. He called the hospitals and clinics in the area, and he wasn’t there either.
The vampire had intervened, but they rarely got involved in the problems of others, so he probably didn’t do any more than stop Murphy from hurting the human. They sometimes had tender hearts when it came to humans. Murphy could not give a fuck, whether human or shifter. He treated everyone the same, and Jaden wouldn't have been the first human he killed.
He wouldn't have killed him there in the restaurant. He would have dragged him out to the parking lot and finished the little bastard. But no, he actually couldn't since he’d promised that twink to some loan sharks. He would have simply roughedhim up since the jackals were expecting him alive and kicking, but they would have taken his dead body and enjoyed it. Jackals were like that.
Murphy smiled at his own disgusting thoughts, wishing now that he'd simply abducted Jaden and dropped him with the loan sharks. They weren't all jackals. There were a few wolves, and he noticed a snake shifter among them, one of the large breeds, but he wasn’t sure of the species.
They were a dangerous bunch, and Murphy needed to right things soon, or he was going to be on the menu. Jaden was going to love entertaining those guys. He laughed again at his disgusting thoughts. He pulled out his phone and dialed him up, but once again, he got voicemail.
Murphy headed back to the restaurant to pick up Jaden’s scent and find out where he was hiding. There was no place in this city where he could hide, and Murphy could not find him. His cat was a hunter, and Jaden had just become his prey.
"Where am I Dean?" Jaden lifted his head and looked around the room, making eye contact with Victor and then pinning Dean with an anxious stare. “What happened?”
“You were attacked and left unconscious. Victor brought you home to his apartment, which is in the same building as mine and Drakon's. He knew that I knew you, so he asked me to be here when you woke." Dean danced nicely around the information, not lying but not being completely open.
Jaden turned and looked at Victor directly holding his gaze and donning an expression of familiarity. “I’ve seen you before.” He said and it was clear he was trying hard to remember. The moment his memory clicked his eyes blew wide.“You were there.” Victor nodded but did not speak and did not take his eyes from Jaden’s.
“You can trust Victor I know him and he’s a good man and he can help you Jaden.” Dean held Jaden’s hand and urged him to share. Jaden sat up and leaned forward toward Dean.
"I'm in one hell of a mess, but it is of my own doing, so I need to deal with myself. I can't burden others." Jaden spoke clearly but with despair, which pulled hard on Victor's heart. Jaden turned back to Victor.
“Thank you for getting me away from him and for seeing to my safety.”
“You're welcome," Victor responded.
“Stay here with Victor until things settle I know Murphy and he’s awful. He was in some ways worse than Ryan.” Dean was giving it is all and Victor appreciated every word.
“You’re welcome to stay, please stay.” Victor made his desires clear. Their eyes locked once again, and he put everything he was feeling into it, letting Jaden feel what he was feeling.
