Chapter: 1
***** Asher's heart was racing as he scooped Emily into his arms, whispering a hurried "shh" before shoving her into the cupboard. It was a game they played, one that kept her safe and him alive… somewhat. The door creaked, and he froze, holding his breath. The sound echoed through the dimly lit house like a warning bell. "Mily, stay quiet," he whispered, his voice trembling. "Don't make a sound." His eyes fell into Emily's who clung to him like a second skin, the fear in her eyes mirrored his. “It'll be alright, Mily, I promise.” She nodded but her body shook in fear as he held her in that tight space. Just a little more and he will have to get out to confront their father. “Make it stop, Sasha…” she hiccuped and Asher's heart broke for his sister. The bedroom door creaked, and Asher's heart sank. He had to protect her as the big brother, and he always did his best to shield her from this hell. Suddenly, the room began to spin, and Asher's vision blurred as he slowly crawled out of the cupboard. He stumbled backward, his legs giving out beneath him. The sound of their father's footsteps grew louder, and he knew he was running out of time. “Asher!” His father bellowed, the same time a hand grasped his shoulder, and his eyes snapped open. He sat up with a jolt, his eyes wandered around the unfamiliar room first before landing on an equally unfamiliar face, chiseled features, piercing blue eyes, a messy mop of black hair, and a large scar embedded into the right side of his face. A flaw to what would have otherwise been the most perfect face he had ever seen. "Hey, you okay?" the stranger asked with raised brows, “you were shaking a lot, and sweating bullets,” he added, his voice laced with concern. Asher's mind reeled as he struggled to scramble out of bed, he was still confused, shaken from that nightmare, he needed a moment to recollect his emotions before he tackled his present situation with this strange man, but first, he had to find Emily. “Mily?!” He called and started to pace around the space. He immediately ran toward the closet and yanked the doors open. “Mily!” He called again as he ran around the room. The man who sat and watched on the bed couldn't take it anymore and so he got out of bed and approached Asher, he embraced the man from the back and held him so tightly that Asher couldn't move a muscle. “Shh,” he cooed into Asher's ears. “You're with me… just me…” He continued to soothe into his ears. Asher began to calm down and then a sob took over, shaking his frame strongly as the man held him in place. Once he had calmed down enough, he pulled away from the man and looked around the room again… the room was unfamiliar, and the events of the previous night were hazy. Then he remembered celebrating his graduation from the academy, and meeting someone at a bar...but the details were sketchy. “Shit!” He snapped and turned to look at the man who stood naked before him, and slowly he took sight of his own nakedness. With a surge of adrenaline, Asher ran further away from the man. He doesn't for the life of him remember the details of last night but with their nudity, he certainly doesn't need a soothsayer to tell him what they had indulged in the previous night. His gaze fell into the stranger's once again, the man watched him with an intensity that made Asher's skin crawl. "Who are you?" Asher demanded, trying to keep his voice steady despite the turmoil raging within his mind. The man’s expression softened, and he extended a hand. "I'm Kaidën. We met last night." He said, his voice cold just like the sea blue of his eyes. “Don't you remember?” He asked. Asher's gaze lingered on Kaidën's hand before he turned away, his mind racing with too many questions. What had happened last night? And why did he have the feeling that his life was about to take a drastic turn? He swallowed, his hand moving in drastic motions as he tried to speak, “Did-” he swallowed again, whenever he became so nervous he began to stutter. “Did… Did we have se-sex?” The man's eyes seem to hold a glint now, one that sent a chill down Asher's spine. “So you don't remember?” He repeated, completely ignoring Asher's question. Knowing the man wasn't going to answer him, not like he even needed to, the evidence was clear in the way they had woken up in the same bed, completely in the nudes. He shouldn't have even asked that question. Asher's gaze wandered around the unfamiliar room, taking in the sleek, modern furniture and the city skyline visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows. He had no recollection of how he got there or what had happened the night before. "Wh-where are my clothes?" Asher demanded, trying to keep his tone neutral. Kaidën nodded toward a chair in the corner of the room, where Asher's clothes were neatly folded. "You might want to take a shower first. You're not exactly...fresh." The man said as if he was mocking him. Asher's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing, this man doesn't seem to be the type who listens to people. He placed his hand on his crotch and walked over to the chair to retrieve his clothes. “Ba-Bathroom?” He asked, his gaze glued to the rug at his feet. “Door on your left,” the man replied as he casually walked over to the other side of the room. Asher nodded and headed to the bathroom, locking the door behind him. The shower was hot and refreshing, but it did little to clear his foggy mind. As he dressed, he caught glimpses of himself in the mirror. His eyes looked sunken, and his skin was pale. He seemed...haunted. ‘Just what had he done last night?’ The question loomed large in his mind as he stood before the mirror. A thought came to mind and he gently took his hand and placed it on his ass, then he massaged it, hoping to feel any form of pain or soreness, it was his first time after all, so shouldn't it have hurt or be hurting still? He wondered, as he rubbed his entrance for any sign of whatever it was he had foolishly indulged in last night, but there was nothing, not a slightest of pain. ‘Maybe they didn't do it?’ He thought as he took his first step away from the mirror. When he emerged from the bathroom, Kaidën was sitting on the couch, sipping a cup of coffee. He looked up at Asher and smiled, but it seemed forced. "Feel better?" Kaidën asked. Asher shrugged, unsure how to respond. He felt like he was walking on eggshells, what should he say, what should he do? He can't ask any more questions, because the man before him wouldn't answer and with that, he kept his suspicious gaze on the man. Kaidën set his coffee cup down and stood up. "I'll make you some breakfast. You must be starving… or at least a hangover soup, you were pretty wasted last night.” ‘Who fucks a drunk person?’ Asher wanted to snap at him, but instead he bit the inside of his cheek and stayed put. He had to get out of there, yet his stomach growled at the mention of food, but he hesitated. He didn't know this man, and he didn't know what he wanted with him. As Kaidën got up and headed for the kitchen, Asher took the opportunity to glance around the room again, and once his gaze landed on the door, he made a mad dash for it. With one last glance at the door the man had disappeared into, his mind racing, he turned and rushed out of the room, leaving Kaidën calling behind him. "Asher, wait!" Kaidën's voice echoed through the hallway, but Asher didn't look back. He had to get out of there. He stumbled through the unfamiliar apartment, desperate to find the elevator or any means to get out of there. His heart pounded in his chest, and his head spun with questions. What had happened last night? And who was Kaidën, really? ***** Finally, Asher saw the elevator and made a beeline for it. His fingers shaky as they pounded into the buttons and when it opened, he got in. Pacing back and forth all the way until the elevator doors opened and he got out and rushed out the front door, gasping for air. He stood there for a second, breathing heavily and trying to call his mind back into focus. Who in the world forgets their first time? Unless nothing had happened between them, Asher didn't wish to be the first man who experienced his first only to wake up the next day and completely forget about it. “Fuck!” He groaned and straightened his posture. He needed to get to the station. He was already running late for his first day, the day he was supposed to mark his first as a sworn officer. He glanced around the bustling streets, looking for a taxi. He turned around to take in the apartment building he had rushed out from as if the hounds of hell were after him. For a moment he thought the man would come bounding after him, but he didn't and Asher appreciated that. He hailed a cab and jumped in, giving the driver the address of the police station. As the cab sped through the streets, Asher fell back into the seat and shut his eyes, his mind replaying the events of the morning. He had to push aside his confusion and focus on his new role. Today is an important day, one he had worked hard for. “Is everything alright, sir?” The cab driver asked and Asher met his gaze through the rearview mirror. “What?” He asked, confused. “You keep grunting,” the man said, and Asher, who didn't even realise it, forced a smile. “Ah, I'm sorry, I'm fine, thank you.” He told the man, looking out the window shyly as he brushed his fingers into his hair. “The police station, yes.” The man said and without looking Asher nodded. “Yeah, yeah…” As the ride went on, and his eyes chased taillights of passing vehicles, his mind wandered back to the previous night. He remembered walking into the bar with his colleagues, celebrating his graduation from the police academy. The music was loud, and the drinks were flowing. Asher had let loose, laughing and joking with his friends. But then, he saw him–Kaidën. Tall, dark, and handsome, with piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through him. The first thing that attracted his gaze was the large scar on the man's face. Was it a deformity? Asher had remembered wondering, but of course he wasn't going to ask. The man met his gaze then from across the room and Asher felt a jolt of electricity run through his body.Chapter: 2 ******Kaidën had raised an eyebrow, a sly smile spreading across his face. He had just finished his usual night hunt and was on his merry way home when his gaze landed on the young officer. For years he has watched him, followed him, Kaidën has planned the man's life from the very day he met him, and made sure that each step Asher took, he would be there a few steps behind, watching him closely. But, tonight was a temptation that Kaidën couldn't resist, and for one who had endured for the past years, Kaidën knew he must take his chances now that he had it and with that, he parked his car and got out. At first he leaned against his car and watched Asher's colleagues who surrounded him, although Kaidën hated the sight of anyone been that close to him, but he knew he had to hold his cool.He couldn't afford to draw attention to himself and make a bad first impression on the young officer and so he waited until they had entered the bar. Kaidën followed a few minutes later. H
Chapter: 3 *****Asher walked into the police station, feeling the buzz of activity wrap around him like a warm blanket. After getting cleaned up and changed in the locker room, he was pumped to kick off this new chapter of his life. He made his way to the front desk, nodding at the officer on duty. Just as he was about to head to his desk, he noticed a bright smile across the room. It was Rachel, a fellow academy grad and one of his closest friends, waving him over.Rachel rushed up to Asher and pulled him into a big hug, her eyes shining with happiness. "Asher, congrats again on making it through the academy!" Asher laughed, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. Rachel had been his rock during the tough times at the academy."Thanks, Rachel! I feel like I'm on top of the world," Asher replied, his smile wide. But then Rachel's expression changed. Her eyes sparkled with a mix of excitement and concern."I’ve got some news for you," she said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "I go
Chapter: 4 *****Asher squinted, his mind racing back to what happened the night before, and he felt his cheeks heat up. For a moment, he almost asked Kaidën if he was okay, you know, down there, but instead, he snapped, "What do you want?" He tried to sound calm, even though he was a mess inside.Kaidën's grin was annoyingly playful, like he was enjoying Asher's irritation. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an old, brown wallet. Asher's eyes went wide when he realized it was his. He hadn’t even noticed it was gone! He remembered just casually reaching into his pocket to pay for the cab, never thinking he’d lost the one thing that had the only picture of his sister in it.Asher reached out to grab it, but Kaidën held it just out of reach. Frustration bubbled up in Asher, and he lunged for it, but Kaidën was too fast. He pulled his hand back, making Asher stumble forward and bump into him. Asher’s face turned bright red as he quickly steadied himself, glancing around to see i
Chapter: 5 ***** The massive gates swung open, and Kaidën's sleek car glided through the entrance, making its way up the winding driveway to the grand mansion he shared with his brother and ‘wife’. The sprawling estate loomed ahead, a proof of the family's vast wealth. Kaidën pulled into the garage, where a collection of exotic cars gleamed in the dim light. He stepped out of the vehicle, his movements fluid and confident. With a swift motion, he opened the trunk and retrieved a large, black duffel bag, slinging it effortlessly over his shoulder. He should have returned home the previous night, but the opportunity to spend a night with the man he had yearned for years had been too great to resist. As he entered the mansion, a slender, blonde woman rushed to greet him, her elegant dress and sparkling diamonds a stark contrast to Kaidën's casual all black outfit. Her face lit up with a warm smile as she attempted to envelop Kaidën in a hug. However, he gently deflected her affect
Chapter: 6 ****** Car horns blared and echoed around him as he rode along the bike lane. It had been a day of unrelenting chaos, a series of mishaps that had left him reeling. First, he'd awoken in a stranger's bed, the memories of the previous night hazy and indistinct. The realization that he'd given himself to this man, surrendering his innocence without even recalling it, was a bitter pill to swallow. Their chance encounter at the station had only served to further unravel his composure, as the enigmatic Kaidën had expertly provoked him by pushing all his buttons with reckless abandon leaving him feeling raw and exposed. Asher had foolishly allowed him that power. What was even more galling was that Asher didn't even remember giving Kaidën his name, yet the man seemed to know everything about him. Meanwhile, Asher knew nothing about Kaidën, except his name. Asher's frown deepened as he arrived at his tiny home. And when he said tiny, he meant it—his house was scarcely larger t
Chapter: 7 ***** Little hands tapped persistently on Asher's shirt, accompanied by small fingers pulling at the fabric. Her small smacks were insistent, and it didn't matter whether he was ready to wake up or not - she wouldn't stop until he responded. Her voice was low and laced with unshed tears when she spoke. A soft moan escaped her parted lips as her stomach growled again, twisting painfully. For a brief moment, she stopped tapping on Asher to clutch her stomach. She crumpled down, groaning in discomfort, and waited for the pain to subside. Eventually, it did, and she got back to her feet. This time, she approached Asher's face and smacked it as hard as she could. "Wake up, Sasha, pwease!" she cried. Asher began to stir awake, his swollen eyes greeting the morning light. He groaned in pain from his aching ribs and battered hands. With great difficulty, Asher managed to sit up on the bed. He tried to pretend he was alright to avoid frightening his little sister further. "Wha
Chapter: 8 ****** The day flew by in a blur, with Asher immersed in the case files, searching for any link or pattern to crack the case. However, despite his best efforts, his mind kept drifting back to Kaidën. For reasons he couldn't fathom, Asher found himself longing to see the man again. He was half-expecting someone to inform him of a visitor waiting outside the station. The feelings were inexplicable, but they lingered, refusing to be shaken off, no matter how deeply he buried himself in work. Just then, Rachel stumbled toward him, and Asher smiled, rising to his feet to welcome her warm hug. They held each other briefly before parting. "Look at you, sir busy," Rachel teased, and Asher chuckled warmly. "Got time?" she asked, and Asher nodded, quickly gathering the scattered files on his desk. "I do now," he replied, finishing the arrangement. "Just give me a second to drop this off with the captain." Rachel nodded, watching as he hurried toward Captain Lewis's office.
Chapter: 9*****As soon as Asher arrived at the meeting point to discuss the traffickers, Captain Lewis waved him over. Her eyes gleamed brightly as she clasped him on the shoulder, her fingers squeezing gently as she shook him. "You did it, Fishman," she said, clearly thrilled. "I told you your skills would come in handy. Look at this masterpiece!" She pointed to the area he had marked out on the map, surrounding the areas where the kids had gone missing."The camp we found is just a few miles away from Ravenwood," Captain Lewis explained. "So, you see, you broke this one, Asher." Asher forced a smile, pleased that his hunch about the location had proven correct. He hoped they would find the missing children upon arrival.Captain Lewis called out to the team, "Listen up, everyone! Gear up and get ready. We leave for Ravenwood in five. Asher, you're leading the team on this mission." Asher felt self-aware, glancing around to see if anyone showed signs of disapproval. As the youngest
Chapter: 38*****“You've lost him, and this time, there is no coming back from this one,” the mirror taunted, and Kaidën groaned, his fingers bleeding as he pressed against the cracked surface.“He hates you, just like Mom and Dad did,” the voice of his younger self slithered through, urging Kaidën to push against the mirror.Why does he end up replacing these mirrors each time? He kept leaning into this torment like it was his salvation? Did he enjoy this torture? The way they taunted and haunted him? Was this his own version of hell?“There is nothing left for you, Kaidën. You should walk away… he will never remember who you are, nor will he ever return the feelings your damned soul holds for him,” they continued.Asher couldn't bear it anymore. The scent of blood had grown stronger, both from the bruises he had inflicted on Kaidën and those he was now inflicting on himself. His head began to ache once more, painfully replaying Emily’s cries as they dragged her away, the way she ha
Chapter: 37 ****** “Welcome back, my heart,” Kaidën smiled when he recognized the familiar eyes staring back at him. The hatred and disgust were evident; clearly, he wasn't the one Asher wanted to see, not by a long shot. “You've been gone a while,” he attempted to say, pushing himself off the wall and striding smoothly toward Asher, who remained silent and unmoving. Once he was close enough, Kaidën placed a hand on Asher’s cheek and gently caressed his face. Asher's tense muscles relaxed slightly, but then he recoiled from Kaidën’s touch as if fire had erupted from where his fingers grazed. “What am I doing here with you?” Asher demanded, a sudden bitterness in his voice. Kaidën observed him, noting how he clenched and unclenched his fists, as if debating whether to beat Kaidën into the ground or push his way out of wherever they were. “I brought you somewhere safe. You were back there in the old shed; I had to bring you home,” Kaidën finally replied, a rip starting to tear with
Chapter: 36 ***** Years later, Kaidën saw him again. This time, he was homeless, sleeping on the streets. His father hadn’t been locked up in jail for long for the murder of his wife; because her body was never found, and whatever had happened didn’t matter much to Kaidën. As soon as he left the camp, he sought Asher out once more, this time as a man on a mission: to find Asher, to keep him, to protect him. Kaidën would do anything for him. Kaidën secured a flyer and laid it out where Asher would stumble upon it the next morning, and he did. Kaidën looked after him, kept him safe, and even went so far as to keep an eye on his sister. During a brief visit to Father, while taking a break from the hellish camp, Nine took him to an auction. There, he spotted the small, frightened girl. The birthmark on her neck was unforgettable, identical to the one on his Heart's. Elis noticed him shift in his chair and tried to stop him, but Kaidën wouldn’t give up. He rose from his seat, leap
Chapter: 35 ******* That night, the clouds gathered as if to mourn with the boy who had just lost his sister, the one reason he had endured this torturous world at the hands of cruel people. Night after night, he sat with sagging shoulders hunched over the little picket fence, tears streaming down his face, blending seamlessly with the rain droplets as he cried with the clouds. It ached Kaidën’s heart to watch him suffer in this way. If he must cry, then it should be him who made Asher cry—not them, and certainly not over Emily. Kaidën knew that Asher loved his sister; after all, she was his family, the only one who didn’t hate him, who didn’t beat him, the one who didn’t starve him. From the very first day Kaidën had set his eyes on Asher, hugging his sister tightly in that little shed, he knew his life had altered forever. Asher had invaded his heart without even knowing it, pushing away all the ache, all the pain, the years of fear and torment, and then Asher had gone and settle
Chapter: 34*****The salty air of the harbor felt heavy against Kaidën's skin as he approached his private boat, the sleek vessel glinting under the waning sun. Waves lapped gently at the hull, but the atmosphere felt charged, with something sickening. Ross, his bodyguard, the one idiot who was meant to look after Nox, instead dared to call to inform him that he had knocked his Heart out cold. Ross paced back and forth on the deck, his brow furrowed, eyes darting nervously as if expecting an unseen predator to pounce.Kaidën's face was a mask of calm, betraying nothing of the storm brewing within. He climbed aboard, his boots thudding softly against the polished wood. The boat smelled of leather and the faint, salty tang of the ocean. But something foul lingered beneath, a reminder of chaos that had unfolded just hours before.There was a clear sign of struggle. Knowing Nox, he must have put up the fight of a lifetime, still, Ross had no reason to lay hands on Nox.As he stepped furt
Chapter: 33 ***** Tonight would be no quiet night, he knew, but the voices refused to silence. They taunted him, pushing him to the edge, driving him to madness. "Stop fighting it!" they sneered. He winced, their venomous words seeping into his veins like a snake's bite, poisoning his last shred of control and unleashing chaos. Kaidën groaned, turning toward the shattered mirror, its broken pieces mocking him on the dirty floor. "You can't even keep him safe!" they jeered. He groaned again, turning away. "Lies!" he retorted, his hand clenched around a knife, the blade digging into his palm. Blood spilled, droplets rolling off the self-inflicted cut, slowly falling into the dirt. "I will keep him safe!" he seethed, his breathing ragged, eyes darkening. "He's mine to protect; I won't let any harm come to him!" The voices erupted into laughter, their mocking tones piercing his ears like a bluster of jingling bells. "If that were true," they echoed, "why do you keep letting F
Chapter: 32*****With renewed fury, the boy charged, wielding the axe like a seasoned fighter. Kaidën met him head-on, ducking and weaving as he danced around the swings that came harder and faster. Each strike resonated with the energy of countless battles—they were fighting not just for survival but for dominance.Suddenly, Kaidën found himself on the defensive, barely dodging the lethal swipes of the axe. He felt the icy sting of fear creeping in; sweat dripped down the side of his face, mixing with the cold and the chaos around him. The boy advanced relentlessly, his aggression evident. Kaidën retaliated with a series of swift cuts, each one narrowly missing its mark as the boy twisted and ducked beneath them.Just how many people has this boy killed to be this good? Kaidën wondered. As far as he knew, he might just be the toughest opponent the boy had ever faced.Breathing heavily, anxiety simmering beneath the surface, Kaidën realized that he needed to end this. The boy’s focus
Chapter: 31*****Kaidën jolted awake, an icy cascade of water drenching him in an instant. His heart raced as the cold clung to his skin like a shockwave. Disoriented, he blinked away the remnants of sleep, shivering as he wrestled with lingering dreams that faded into the dark corners of his mind. The clamor of a loudspeaker cut through the morning chill, a mechanical voice barking orders that made his blood run even colder.“Get up! Outside! Now!”With panic gripping him, he scrambled off the cot, his soaked clothes feeling like a second skin. The air was frigid, biting into his exposed flesh as he stumbled through the narrow, dimly lit corridors of the camp. The sharp crunch of frost underfoot signaled the change in weather; snowflakes swirled lazily as Kaidën burst through the heavy door, propelled by disorientation and unsettled dreams.The vast open field sprawled before him, white and blinding under the low morning sun. Just yesterday, it had been a warm, unforgiving landscape
Chapter: 30******Having decided to drive down to the seaside mansion, Kaidën groaned as he got out of the vehicle and swiftly made his way to the back door. Soon after, he had Nox cradled calmly in his arms as he carried him inside. The mansion was dark, save for the chandelier that hung with a dim glow. Although he hadn’t been here in a long time, Kaidën knew his way around. This was a place he often came to escape the chaos of his regular life. Here, listening to the sound of the sea, often served as a balm for his aching heart.It was also the first gift given to him by Father, right after he completed his program at the Belly of the Beast.The thought made him groan again as he kicked open the bedroom door and entered. Gently, he laid Nox down and leaned forward to watch his sleeping features, so peaceful and carefree. Kaidën pressed his lips to Nox's forehead, then tucked him under the covers before turning away and exiting the bedroom. He secured the front door with a passcode