“Either you have finally found the dark side and have begun eating sugar, or you are ready to get the hell out of here,” Oliver said as he cleaned the utensils he had just used. “You’re bouncy as hell.”
Was he? Keaton hadn’t even noticed. Now that Oliver had pointed that fact out, Keaton realized he was running from one task to another, trying to get the shop ready to be closed for the evening.
“I have a hot date,” Keaton said. He was only going to look at an empty store, but Oliver didn’t know that. Keaton’s love life sucked and he liked thinking that he had an actual date. The past week had gone by in a blur. Kade had inserted himself in Keaton’s life and Keaton couldn’t be happier.
Okay, he would be happier if Kade wanted to have sex, but ever since he had talked with the doctor, Kade steered clear of anything intimate. He wasn’t sure what the man had said, but whatever it was must have scared the hell out of Kade.
“Tell me, Oliver,” Keaton began as he hopped up onto the counter and had a seat. “What do you know about the drug Liquid Wrath?”
Oliver dropped the knife he had in his hand, his eyelids lowering until the blue irises were almost gone. “I know that if you plan on using that shit it will kill you. I thought you were very careful what you put into your body?”
He could hear the disdain in the man’s tone. Keaton gave Oliver a reproachful glare. “Dude, I wasn’t asking because I wanted to use the drug.”
“Then what did you ask for?”
As Keaton explained to Oliver what had happened to him and how Kade was now acting, Blair—Oliver’s brother—walked into the shop, along with his troublemaking friend, Cecil. Oliver told Keaton about how Cecil had a penchant for finding ways to cause havoc. Oliver thought the man funny and cool.
Keaton didn’t have anything against the guy, but trouble was something he tried to stay out of.
“Sounds to me like he is hesitant about changing you,” Blair said as he leaned against the glass display case. “From what I’ve heard, he spent a very long time in prison. It’s got to be hard as hell readjusting to the outside world. Maybe since he had his choices taken from him, he doesn’t want to do the same thing to you.”
Glancing between the brothers, Keaton remembered what Kade had told him. It wasn’t his place to say a word to them. He wondered if Kota was right. Were they better off not knowing how much of a monster their dad truly was? They already knew that from what Keaton had learned, but to know the man was forcing guys to have sex with him at gunpoint just might send one, or both, over the edge.
“Shifters are very stubborn,” Cecil added. “They are pushy and think they know what’s best for you. Sometimes you have to push back and demand what you want or they’ll wrap you up in cotton.”
Keaton didn’t want to be wrapped up in cotton. He could already tell that Kade was a very stubborn and reserved individual. He would probably have a fit if he knew that Keaton was talking to these men about matters Kade wouldn’t want anyone else to know about.
But the man wasn’t forthcoming with answers. Keaton had to get them from somewhere.
“I remember when I was younger,” Cecil began. “I had an uncle who had done a long stretch. When he got out, he was a very strange man. He acted as if he were still in prison.”
“How so?” Keaton asked.
Cecil grabbed a chair from one of the tables, turned it around, and then straddled it. “He still ate like he had when locked up. He basically ate noodles with weird stuff mixed in. He wouldn’t eat what my mom cooked. He also used to stay in the small bedroom my dad fixed up for him. My uncle wouldn’t come out unless one of us called him out…like we were his guards.”
Keaton had noticed that Kade spent a lot of time in his bedroom. Bishop had told him that he was welcome to come over anytime. Keaton had taken the man up on his offer, but it seemed no matter when he dropped by, Kade was shut in his room.
He just wasn’t sure how to get him past his experience. What he had noticed was that the man was more relaxed, venturing out whenever Keaton came over. Maybe he was the key to helping the guy readjust.
“I wouldn’t push him,” Blair said. “He’s had it hard enough. You have to give him time.”
Keaton had two conflicting pieces of advice. Should he tell Kade that he wanted to be claimed—even if that meant becoming a snow leopard—or should he wait until Kade was ready? Would he ever be ready?
He groaned as his head began to pound.
“Listen,” Oliver said as he leaned on the counter next to Keaton. “You do what you think is best. Maybe he needs a little push, maybe he doesn’t. Only you know him well enough to make that call.”
“Anyway,” Cecil said as he waved a hand in dismissal. “We were heading over to that new place, the Lucky Clover. They have fine dining and a dance floor.”
Somehow Keaton had a feeling Cecil wasn’t going for the fine dining. From what Oliver had told him, the man was going to cause trouble. “Have fun.”
“You don’t want to come?” Oliver asked, nudging his arm into Keaton’s leg. “It’ll be fun.”
Oh yeah, Keaton could see the devilishness in Oliver’s eyes. “No. I have to meet Kade to take a look at a building he wants to use for his shop.”
“I thought you said you had a date,” Oliver said. “Your big plans are looking at an empty building with your mate?”
“That sounds romantic,” Blair teased. “Kota and I watch paint dry when we are feeling adventurous.”
Keaton scowled at
