Kael and Ezra stumbled into the safehouse just past midnight, the remnants of the chaos on the bridge still weighing on them. Kael kicked the door shut, feeling the loss of his communication device swallowed by the river. The cramped room was filled with the musty odor of mildew and old leather, illuminated by a single flickering bulb that cast jagged shadows on the peeling walls. Kael breathed heavily, tossing his drenched trench coat into a corner and running his fingers through his hair as he paced, muttering, "They'll pay—every last one."
His wild eyes met Ezra's, a fierce intensity igniting as he closed the gap between them, slamming a hand against the wall beside Ezra's head. "Why didn't you stop me," he said, his voice low and shaky, his body pressing against Ezra's, warm and intense. Ezra's back hit the wall, his heart racing; the unprocessed data from the crate faded from his mind as Kael's lips brushed against his jaw, a possessive tenderness in the gesture. "I don't want to" he replied softly, voice trembling, his hands finding their way up Kael's damp shirt, fingers gripping the fabric tightly. The kiss that erupted between them was raw and desperate, teeth clashing and breaths mingling. Kael's growl reverberated against Ezra's mouth as he pressed him harder against the wall, his thigh nestled between Ezra's legs. A soft moan escaped Ezra, the mission slipping away under the heat of Kael's passion, their bodies merging in the dim light. Kael's hand slipped beneath Ezra's shirt, fingers digging into his skin as he murmured, "You belong to me, Kane," his voice a dark and soothing caress. The tension between them remained unbroken until Kael pulled back slightly, his eyes fierce. "Tomorrow, we face them—my office, no distractions."
**The Next Day**
As dawn broke, sunlight streamed through the tall windows of Kael's sleek office on September 24, casting sharp reflections off the glass desk where he sat, a new comms device in hand—replaced after the incident in the river. The air buzzed with the hum of technology, mingling with the faint scent of leather and Kael's distinctive cologne. He drummed an erratic beat on the desk while holding a holographic meeting with a secretive tech mogul. His eyes, still charged from the previous night, darted over to Ezra Kane, who leaned against the wall, his data pad shaking in his grip. "Focus," Kael smoothly said, although his gaze lingered on Ezra, a possessive hunger darkening his features.
Ezra's heart raced, the untouched data from the crate taunting him while a secure message from his handler intruded—"Deliver or disappear." His mission felt fragile, overshadowed by the memory of Kael's touch as his entire being longed to close the distance between them. Kael moved across the room with a predator's grace, his hand finding Ezra's neck, thumb pressing firmly against his pulse. "You seem distracted, Kitten," he murmured, his lips brushing against Ezra's ear, sending a shiver through both of them—until the new comms device chirped, interrupting them with Nico's urgent voice, "Boss, Veyra's hacked the deal—act now!"
Kael's jaw tightened, a flash of manic rage flickering across his face, but he didn't let go, his grip becoming even firmer as alerts pinged about rumors of their recent rendezvous, especially following Talia's chaos.