Page 39 of Primal Bonds 1
Lan nodded his head furiously. “I definitely won’t, sir.” He was bright again suddenly, just like a ray of sunshine after a storm. Leaning even farther across the desk with his face close to Nolan, he asked, “Doesn’t that mean Shiro is super safe from the institute if he’s with Master Adam?”
Nolan, distracted for a moment by that pretty face and the sensual lips inches away from his, said, “Huh? Oh, yeah. Of course.”
Lan pulled back then, his eyes bright. “Then they won’t be able to touch Shiro and they can go fuck themselves.” He laughed. Picking up the folder, he swiftly turned and then marched to the door. “All right, I’m off to see my childhood friend and protect him.”
Nolan waved, chuckling as the door shut. That boy took the meaning of protection very seriously, didn’t he?
Now then,he thought,how should I relay that new information to Adam without making him go berserk and kill a bunch of filthy rich guys?
He picked up the telephone and said, “Mark, get me intel on the red department, the lists of beastkin orphans there for the last five years, and the clients. I want the report by noon.”
“Yes, sir,” Mark replied.
After hanging up, Nolan said under his breath, “Damn, it looks like Adam is going to be very busy. Wonder if he’d let me deal with some of those filthy rich bastards.” Not that they weren’t ones themselves, of course.
13
Shiro
Iknew it was stupid of me to leave the apartment, but I couldn’t help myself. Despite that I wasn’t yet fully recovered, I just had to get out there and continue searching for Kuro and Aka. I hadn’t another day to waste. For all I knew, their very lives could be in danger, as the institute was still hunting us down.
After closing the door behind me, I headed over to the elevator, and thank goodness no one was around. I supposed this time of the day was quiet where everyone had already left for work. I understood most who could afford to live here in this building, which housed luxurious and very expensive apartments, had professional, high-paying jobs. Come to think of it, I had never asked Adam what profession he was in. Judging from his stylish and well-groomed appearance, it was probably a lawyer or one of those people who worked in a fancy office. Not to mention his sleek car.
The door of the elevator dinged open on the firstfloor, and the moment I stepped out into the foyer, I felt this intense gaze on me.
Someone was watching me.
I nervously nudged the tip of the cap a little farther down my head and then adjusted the surgical mask across the lower half of my face. I glanced about, noting the two men in dark suits again. They were watching me intensely as I headed to the door. Surely, they must be guards, right? It was probably their job to patrol the building and its perimeter.
Once outside, I breathed a sigh of relief and then made my way toward the subway station a couple of blocks down the road. Strangely enough, I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be walking in daylight hours and among so many people, of which I had never done before. I had only ever roamed about the backstreets during the day, because well, beastkin just didn’t stroll along with normal humans, especially on the main streets where hundreds of thousands of people mingled.
In the subway station, I went to the kiosk machine and bought myself a train ticket with the money Adam had left me, the money meant for my lunch. But seriously, Adam was very generous. I mean, what man gave a foxkin boy he hardly knew two hundred dollars to buy lunch? Or was it to tide me over until I was healed and could leave?
The thought of leaving Adam suddenly made me feel a little sick in the stomach. I had come to realize now that I was falling for Adam. I had never fallen in love with anyone before, but with Adam…
Adam made me feel like I belonged, a feeling I hadyearned for ever since Mom had passed away. He made me feel warm and comforted and…
My heart skipped and then raced, remembering his kisses, both the one he had given me last night and this morning.
The one last night had been passionate and intense and wild, with his tongue inside my mouth. Every time I thought about that, this beautiful, blissful sensation washed over me, and I’d feel dazed, and now was no different. And that light kiss on the forehead he had given me this morning, it was simple and sweet, like the type a loved one would give you just to tell you they cared.
He cares. Adam cares.
I sighed. Fuck, I had better stop thinking about Adam. I turned on my heel and then blended in with everyone else, heading toward the platform.
Five minutes later, keeping my head low, I popped into the train, along with other people, and then I took a lone seat at the back. Twenty minutes later, I got off and walked down the street. That was when I felt that intense gaze on my back.
I felt like I was being watched. Was someone following me? I turned and scanned around, but there were only people going about their business. There was no one that looked suspicious.
Confused, I continued walking, slow at first as my mind raced, and then my pace became faster. As I got closer to the area where there was less of a crowd, I started running.
I ran until I was in the backstreets, and once there, Istopped and checked my surroundings. I didn’t see anyone suspicious and that feeling of being watched was gone, too. The coast was clear.
Half an hour later, I came to the deeper part of the neighborhood where the homeless and beastkins roamed, carrying whatever small belongings they had. Some even had one of those shopping carts to keep their stuff in as they migrated from one spot to another.
I walked up to an elderly beastkin and got down to one knee and asked, “Excuse me. I’m looking for my brothers. Have you seen a foxkin boy with red hair?”
The woman shook her head and waved me away. “I saw no beastkin who looks like that.”