Kell

 

Since the hunters were inside working out their schedule for the day—which required zero input from him—Kell decided to wait outside in the quiet of the morning for his partner. He was glad most of his face was hidden, because when Ty stepped out of the dark SUV, Kell’s mouth dropped open before he could recover and hurry to close it. Damn, the man was fine. A tall, built, intelligent, walking Adonis. The man looked good in all black. Ty’s jeans were the color of midnight, possibly new, maybe even designer. The shiny chain he’d worn under his T-shirt yesterday was on the outside of his black turtleneck today. Now Kell knew what was attached to the necklace—a single dog tag resting between his pecs. Kell could already presume who it belonged to.

It must be nice to love your father that much.

Ty’s stoic expression softened when he got closer. His partner was tall enough to make Kell have to tilt his head all the way back when he was up close.

“Morning,” Ty said. His voice low and deep.

“Good morning.”

“How was your night?”

Kell wasn’t used to anyone caring how he felt, except his sensei. His smile was hidden when he responded. “Um. Good. Quiet, I guess.”

Ty stepped closer, so he could lean on the wall beside him. He smelled so good. Natural, as if he used a unique, manly bodywash. Not like Kell’s cheap bars of Coast. “Why was it so quiet?”

Kell huffed a laugh. “All I did was meditate, read, then sleep. Fun stuff, huh?” Kell looked at his feet, a bit nervous to ask a question he didn’t really want to know the answer to. “How about your night?”

“Alone in a hotel room studying. I think I’m good, though. I’ll take the exam tomorrow. Duke wants me to get that out the way as soon as possible. Other than that, my night was uneventful like most.”

A hotel? Kell hated hotels, having stayed in one too many in his younger years. He remembered ordering room service, breakfast, lunch and dinner while his father had been in the city having endless meetings and conferences. “You live in a hotel?”

“No. I’m just staying there until the heat settles on my block,” Ty said.

Sounds like trouble. Is this him ‘keeping it ’a’ hundred with me? Kell stood straighter. “Are you having a problem? Is someone bothering you?”

The smile Ty gave him was one of appreciation and interest. His smirk was sexy as he asked, “And if they are?”

“I can eliminate that problem for you,” Kell said with confidence.

“I’m sure you could,” Ty replied softly. Kell didn’t know what to make of the look he just received. He removed his hood and watched as Ty’s gaze went from his eyes, then lingered on his hair. The expression was far from disapproving. After a few moments, he continued, “And I appreciate the offer. But, I’d never send anyone—not even a warrior like you—to clean up a mess I made.”

Ty squinted at the sun. The collar of his oil-black knee-length, wool coat was pulled up to his ears to block the chill. That coat had to cost hundreds. This was only their third day as partners, but Kell noticed that Ty didn’t wear hats or ever cover his head. His hair was cut very short and even all the way around. It was so shiny and healthy. Yesterday, after they’d left the gym to do office work, Kell had found himself subtly trying to trace the three-hundred-sixty degrees of perfect waves in Ty’s hair.

“We’re supposed to be partners. If you have a problem, then I have a problem,” Kell replied.

This job was like a fraternity, a brotherhood. They worked and operated as one. He understood that he and Ty were still strangers, but Duke called them ‘partners’. That one word alone meant a lot to Kell. Nobody had ever trusted him enough to partner with him. He wanted to show the guys, especially Ty, that he was reliable and a team player. He’d watch his partner’s back the same way Ty had watched his as he’d walked off the mat with his back to an adversary.

“Where are you from?” Ty said, changing the subject. Kell got that guarded feeling from his partner again. “Your accent says you’re from right here in the South, but you don’t act like you are.”

Kell gave him the side-eye, wondering what Ty meant by that.

“You have loyalty. Heart. That’s rare in this neck of the woods. Do you got family close by; is that who you live with?”

Kell pulled his scarf from over his mouth. Grinning, he could see his breath when he spoke, “You’re asking an awful lot of personal questions to not like answering any yourself. Maybe I’m not ready to let you in my head either, Ty Jenkins.”

Ty watched him with those rich brown eyes, his smile turning Kell’s legs into noodles. “Well played. How about this? For every three questions you answer, I’ll answer one.”

Kell laughed loudly, surprising himself. “How is that even a little bit fair?”

With that trademark smirk, Ty winked at him, “Life ain’t fair, shorty.

Ty

 

How the hell did that just roll right off my tongue? Ty froze and so did Kell. For the first time since meeting they stood in the middle of awkwardness. Did he know ‘shorty’ was a term of endearment in Ty’s world? A man didn’t call a female, ‘shorty’ unless he was trying to push up on her, and ‘shorty’ sure as hell wasn’t a nickname he’d called his homeboy. Not unless he wanted to be looked at like he was crazy.

One of Ty’s biggest strengths was his ability to read an individual. To pick up on the little things people didn’t realize they did that gave away their intentions. Needless, to say, he was baffled he wasn’t paying attention to the light in Kell’s eyes. The way he looked—practically glared at most people—was not the same way he looked at him. He’d thought he’d seen it when he’d gotten out of the cab, but had dismissed it. Now, when he paused and really took his time, he saw it as clear as the day in those radiant eyes. Interest. Interest in him.

Question was… how did he feel about that? He thought Kell was an amazing man. He was captivating, controlled, intelligent, driven, and probably so much more. To his surprise, thinking of Kell’s many layers made Ty’s heart beat faster. He was the only one who’d made that happen.

Ford and Dana chose to walk outside at that moment, breaking the weird vibe that swirled around them. Ty gave them both a pound on their way past.

“Sup’ fellas. We’re on way to the magistrates in Fulton to do a bond. Duke will be ready for ya’ll in about an hour. There’s a slight change in the schedule today. The gym session was moved to the end of the week—probably to Quick’s dojo—because Knight-ninja-master over here got us banned from Jake’s place.” Dana pointed at Kell with a broad grin that turned into a robust laugh. One that was contagious and had him and Kell joining in as Dana mimicked Jake’s tantrum yesterday.

Kell’s smile began to fade. “You guys have been going to Jake’s for a while. Is sensei disappointed?”

“If Quick was mad… everyone would know,” Dana told him. “You’re good. Trust me. Besides. We didn’t really need to see any more of your skills and we’ve already told Duke how Ty reacts under pressure, so he and Quick pushed the hand-to-hand lessons back and decided to get to the good stuff. He said ya’ll were gonna start observing today. They got a bust at ten and a tip on another skipper this evening,” Dana informed them.

Kell’s eyes went impossibly large. “They’re gonna do a retrieval today?”

“You got it, young buck. Ya’ll about to see what this shit is really about.” Dana laughed. “And there’s always a retrieval to be done, so you guys will be watching for the first few weeks. No worries, though. It’ll be simple, non-violent offenders. I’m happy to sit this out and pull court duty today. How do I look?” Dana popped the collar on his leather coat. He looked exactly like he had the last three days. In all black with a tight black T-shirt displaying Duke’s business name.

Ford called for Dana to come on. When they were inside the large pickup, Ty watched as Ford aggressively gripped the back of Dana’s neck and damn near pulled his upper body over the center console and smashed his lips over his. Ty thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head. How in the hell had he missed that? They’re a couple? The kiss was rough and full of passion, before it turned tender. Ford ran his hand down the side of Dana’s face, murmuring something he and Kell couldn’t hear. After one more lingering peck, Ford backed his truck up. Dana looked out of the window and gave them an arrogant smile while throwing up the peace symbol as they left the parking lot.

It was silent for a while. Ty was lost in thought. He’d been caught off guard, “I had no clue they were together. Are they married?”

“No,” Kell said. He wasn’t gazing up into Ty’s eyes any more, he was staring down at his feet as if he couldn’t even look at him.

Ty was still standing beside him and he suddenly had an urge to move closer. He wasn’t sure what he’d done wrong, but Kell’s lively demeanor had nose-dived. Now he was cautious. Ty stared at the side of his face, watching him. “You knew they were together?”

“Yes. It’s hard to miss.”

“So. Dana and Ford are gay?” Ty said more to himself. “Interesting.”

Kell snapped to attention. He was no longer unsure and timid, he was the man Ty had first encountered. “That’s right. They are. So is my sensei and his partner, who is also an amazing man. A healer. The man you’re about to sign on to work for is also gay. Duke’s been with his partner—hold on to your narrow mind—Quick’s only son, for three years. Every man in there is gay… even your hero, Brian.”

Narrow minded. Ty stiffened at that, but he kept himself in check. Kell was offering up a lot of personal information in the midst of his anger, so Ty stayed silent and let him have his say. When he was done, he’d set the small ninja back in his lane. 

“You’re telling another man’s business,” Ty said casually, letting Kell know he was gonna have to give better than that if he wanted a rise out of him.

Kell squared off on him and Ty did everything he could to conceal his amusement. Kell was feisty as shit and he liked it. He wasn’t afraid to challenge Ty. “It’s not secret business. No one is in the damn closet around here. Those men are proud of their partners. Each one of them. They didn’t hide they were gay, you just didn’t see it. Maybe because you didn’t want to. Maybe because you think you’re too damn cool with your two-hundred dollar boots to associate yourself with queers. ”

“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.