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Axel felt himself tense a bit, not sure of where he stood or what this day would reveal. He didn't know what to say and waited for Kieran to start the conversation. Axel drank his coffee and ate his breakfast.

"I want you to move into the main bedroom," Kieran stated as he sat back and drank his coffee.

“I’m still employed?” Axel asked without sarcasm, and Kieran smirked.

"Yes, sweetheart, you are still employed."

“What am I?” Axel asked, setting his cup down and looking directly at Kieran.

"You are my beloved. I marked you and claimed you. You are mine." He paused as his eyes did that thing again, traveling to Axel's face, cataloging expressions.

“That’s a lot to say about someone you just met. You don’t know me.”

"I know you." He said, and Axel scrambled to remember when they could have met. "I walked by the room where you were being interviewed, and I recognized you."

“We’ve met before?”

“No.”

“I’m not sure I know what you are saying.” Axel struggled to catch on. Kieran was not joking; he was deadly serious, and there was something he wasn't grasping.

"You've entered a new reality, Axel, a new life." He finished his coffee and set the cup on the table. "You saw me last night," Axel remembered vividly what he saw and what he’d dismissed. “Your understanding of my world is becoming clearer and broadening your mind. Lean into it and lean into me.”

"I'm not sure I have a firm grasp on all this, but for some unknown reason I think I can trust you, so I'll just hold onto the part of this conversation where you said I wasn't fired and slowly process the rest."

“Good idea.” He said. “If you have any questions, ask them; I will never lie to you." Axel nodded and then dropped his eyes to his hands. Kieran stood and walked toward him, pulling him from his seat and wrapping him in his arms. They stood there like that for several minutes, and Axel had the impression that Kieran never wanted to let go.

"You said you recognized me; is that why you pulled me out of the interview and then hired me?" Axel had his face pressed against Kieran’s crisp white shirt and was breathing in his natural scent. He smelled so damn good.

“Yes, I pulled you out of the interview because I wanted to meet you, but I hired you because of your qualifications. I didn’t have to hire you to pursue you, Axel. Gio will soon start to feel the consequences of letting you go.”

"I'm glad I'm away from him. It took him throwing me out because I was so brain dead. I thought he needed me and that I couldn’t abandon him.” Axel was feeling ridiculous but was also feeling free.

"He does need you; he just doesn't know it yet."

CHAPTER SIX

Gio sat at his desk and reviewed the reports handed to him that morning. The consensus was that clients were beginning to notice Axel's absence, and they were not happy. He'd placated them for now, implying that Axel was away and would be returning soon. In the meantime, he assigned them to someone else in hopes the new assignment would satisfy them.

The new assignments were not satisfying, and three large dollar purchase negotiations were on the verge of collapse. No fucking way he would call Axel and beg him to come back; that loser was gone, and he could stay gone. Gio took a file and threw it violently across the room. He had his secretary find out where Axel was and if he’d found another job. It had only been two weeks, so it was unlikely he was already working elsewhere.

Axel might come back on a contractual basis so that Gio could throw him out when the time was right. If he was desperate enough, he would do it, but he didn't look desperate last night. That vampire was treating him to dinner at the Dewberry. That might have been a hookup, as he'd thought, and not a real relationship. Axel could be desperate for cash and probably wanted Gio to take him back. He’d thank him for finding a place for him.

His secretary came in as he threw the file and cautiously took a step back. "Come in." He barked at him. The man entered but left the door open.

“We found Axel Stone." He said, and quickly continued. "He was hired yesterday by Hadden Corp in the projects division. He's part of the renovation project in the lowlands.”

"Are you fucking kidding me!" He shouted and threw his water bottle at his secretary, who successfully dodged. "It's impossible to get into Hadden Corp; their hiring process is grueling. No way Axel got on there. He’s lying.”

"It's a fact the source was from inside Hadden Corp." The man explained, and Gio tossed his desk clock at him. He didn't move quickly enough and took the hit to his left forearm.

“Is he still at that cheap hotel?”

The man hesitated before answering. "No, he spent last night at the Lumiere, and he was with someone."

“With whom!” He screamed.

"We don't know, but he was seen leaving the Lumiere earlier today with the same man."