“Are you done?” Ty asked coolly.
“Not even close,” Kell growled. “I can’t believe I didn’t see you for what you were.”
“And what am I?” Ty towered over Kell, but the fierce fighter didn’t back down and Ty knew he never would. Kell’s fiery soul reflected in his blue-green eyes and his body shook with a vibrant energy that Ty felt in his own chest. An energy that made him move in even closer.
“You’re a bigoted asshole, who fronts like he’s wise beyond his years but he’s not.”
“Is that so?” He knew he was none of those things, so the terms didn’t upset him. What upset him was the bridge he’d been trying to build with his new partner burning down. He wasn’t sure what he’d said that made Kell flip on him, but he was going to figure it out and get them back on track. Kell’s tirade was nothing more than miscommunication.
“Yes,” Kell hissed.
Ty was riveted by the intensity in Kell’s body language. He was riled up and on the defensive. He could see Kell’s muscles were tight and flexed through his thin clothing. Now wasn’t the time for Ty to escalate the argument and lose his control. No, it was the perfect time for him to see if his assumption was correct. Was there an attraction brewing between them or not? Or, did Kell truly believe the words he’d just spouted were true? There was only one way for him to find out. If Kell really thought he was a homophobic piece of crap, then there was no way he’d allow Ty to put his hands anywhere near him and especially not on him.
“Maybe you should leave.” Kell’s fury deflated like a pricked balloon. The melancholy Ty saw in those normally glowing eyes stopped him cold. A shiver of distress ran through him. A feeling he hadn’t felt in years and he felt it for this man. He’d try to understand it.
“Don’t fear the unknown, son… there’s just far too much of it. Instead embrace it and you’ll learn all you need to.”
Their bosses chose that exact moment to burst out of the front door, in mid conversation. Brian was right behind, walking past them with purpose. They were geared up, gleaming silver badges clipped to their hips, their guns holstered.
“All right you two, saddle up. We got a hit,” Duke told them.
Ty and Kell were still inches apart. He stared back down at him, getting caught once again in Kell’s powerful glare. He only had a few words to say that he knew Kell absolutely needed to hear at that moment. His voice was throaty when he told his partner, “I’m not going anywhere.” He slowly brought his hands up and touched the edges of Kell’s hood that was bunched around the back of his neck.
He let him.
Kell let out a gust of breath that drifted away on the cold breeze. Then really looked at him. Ty gave him his look right back. One of peace and honesty. He held eye contact as he brought Kell’s hood over his head and let it rest on top of his beautiful hair. Then he took his scarf between his fingers. The material was silken and warm from lying against his throat. He brought it up and placed it over Kell’s mouth like he’d seen him do. When he was satisfied he was covered, he told him, “Let’s go to work.”
Ty led them to Duke’s truck where the two hunters sat waiting, Brian revving the engine of the transport truck right beside them.
Kell followed him.
Kell
So much for his new Zen-like mentality. Everything had happened so fast, he wasn’t sure he could retell exactly where things had gone haywire. All he remembered was feeling embarrassed that he’d been so smitten with someone so self-righteous, who thought he was above all things… especially homosexuals. When Ty had said the word ‘interesting’ as if gay men were unique experiments, he’d lost it. Lately, he’d been able to rein in his temper and breathe through his disappointments, but Ty made him feel so very strongly. The man made all kinds of overwhelming feelings arise inside him, feelings that confused him and left him stunned. Next thing he knew, he was telling Ty just how he felt. He’d wanted Ty to be the man he’d built up in his mind. Magnificent. Wanted him to be as wonderful as Brian painted him to be.
Maybe he is… and I’m still a hotheaded idiot.
The whole time he’d been reading Ty the riot act, he’d been quiet and patient as if he was too decent a man to interrupt. Even if Kell was ranting from his own personal soapbox. He’d had thrown some terrible insults at him and Ty had never reacted. Because he didn’t have to, since none of its true. Damn, how did he fix this mess? If Duke felt they weren’t getting along, he’d send them packing. There was no tension amongst his hunters. They had no beef between each other. No bad blood. They were best friends… no, brothers. Kell needed this brotherhood more than ever. Needed to be a part of something huge. Kell kept his body turned toward the window—away from Ty—while Quick read off their skips rap sheet. He then went on about the protocol for violent and nonviolent offenders.