Author's Note:
The story is a little slow for the first few chapters, but it picks up speed after a couple more chapters. I want to better develop the characters of the novel so the characters aren't one dimensional.
Hope you enjoy <3
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Adren was left along with the badge.
He pulled it towards him and studied it. The golden badge had the image of a lion which was the iconic Kylmia sign. Legend said that the lion represented the Fallen who founded the Kylmia to represent the pride that caused the deaths of their family and friends.
He knew that sound all too well. He had been too prideful to take the first step at talking with his brother.
As he continued to stare at the badge another image flashed in his mind. For once is wasn't any of the horrors he had experienced. It was the image of the beautiful blond angel that tasted like honey. Even though Adren knew that it was impossible for anything to happen between them, he was worthy of someone untainted like her, but it didn't stop his fantasies to torture him when they could.
Woman like Rebecca would always get with people like his brother. Confident leaders who were respected by the people.
Arthur was everything a mother could want in a son. Respected, confident, successful. He was the bloody admiral of the Ybowen army. There was no better honor for a male. Him on the other hand was a spoiled drunk who spent his days fooling around. He had watched his family be killed and did nothing to stop it.
His sins were too much to be forgiven.
Horrible life. Bad decisions. Unforgivable sins.
Like Eren had once said, people like him were meant to die alone and wither away in hell.
He reached for the bottle, but stopped himself. Any more and he'd be wasted. What followed would usually be and fight and eventually lock up. At least that's how it was in his experiences.
Not anymore.
Adren capped the bottle, got up, shoved the badge into his pocket. With one last scan over the crowded bar, he header back to his pathetic accommodations and went to bed so that he could wake up early and get ready for his new job.
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Knock Knock Knock
Adren frozen when he heard the knocking on his door. Keeping the shower head on he quietly made his way to his weapons. Enforcers and assassins never knock. They attack.
Still, why would anyone visit him. He didn't remember making any friends…
"Adren?"
His heart sped up at the sound of Rebecca's voice. This was probably worse than being attacked by grim.
Growling, "Be there is a second," he went back to the shower to turn it off and got his gear on. Before he opened the door double checked that his erection wasn't too obvious.
"Hi." She stood there holding a bag in her arms, smiling at him.
It took a second for his brain to focus, "Morning." Frowning at her, "What are you doing here?"
Rebecca was stunned, "I came over to give you a little welcome gift. Thought some new cloths would make you fit in better at your new job. I didn't know your size, but the clerk assured me that if they didn't fit you could exchange them."
A gift… it's been a while since he got one of those. "You didn't have to do that."
"Don't worry about it. Put it on let's see how they fit."
Adren began to take off his clothes to try on the new one, "Have you had breakfast yet?"
A frown appeared on his face. "Why are you being so nice to me. You've already repaid whatever debt there was when you saved me and brought me to this base."
Rebecca snorted, "What, can I not like you?"
Baffled, "You have nothing to gain from me."
"Come on Adren, your telling me no one has liked you for who you are?"
He scratched his head is a gesture of discomfort. "Everyone that has been around me only did so to gain something…"
"No one has been your true friend?" Surely he was teasing her.
He shrugged not knowing how to respond. He couldn't remember anyone who actually had been a friend. Maybe Chris, be even he back stabbed him.
She leaned forward, and whispered. "Then I'll be your first true friend. Come on join me for breakfast."
Baffled and amazed, and as hard as he has ever been, he got the rest of his new clothing on. They were slightly baggy, but they fit well otherwise. Sliding his knives and hand cannon into their sheathes he shrugged his coat on and left the small room.
Maybe it won't be so bad to have a friend.
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Rebecca froze when she saw Adren in clean clothes. She never really focused on his features, but damn, he was edible. He had sharp masculine features, but maintained a hint of elegance. Though the baggy clothes gave him a boyish quality, he would still be able to turn heads no matter where they went.
She found him completely delectable.
Before she could hold herself back she stepped forward and adjusted his scarf and coat.
A blush blossomed on his cheeks. "Am I presentable now, mom?"
Laughing at his tease, "Sorry, I can't help it. Having four brothers that do the same thing made it a habit." Her hand brush his chest and the dense muscle as she adjusted the scarf. She had been completely unprepared for the wave of desire. Coughing to clear her throat, "The clothes are a little big, sorry."
"Don't be, they are just the way I like them. It's been a long time since I had anything other than from a charity bin."
Damn, must have been really hard those past couple years. "The restaurant is this way." She lead him more inland. "Your lucky, a really good restaurant is close to where you live."
Adren didn't speak, but just trail behind her with his head down and his thumb on his belt where a few knives were hidden. He blended into the crowd if you weren't focused, but he missed nothing around him.
He reminded her of a predator. Especially given his size stand over a foot over herself, made her feel tiny in comparison.
Something that she liked more than she should.
In true gentlemen fashion Adren stepped around her to open the door so that she could enter.
"Thank you."
Inclining his head they heading inside.
Rebecca greeted the hostess and made her way to the back of the restaurant. Seems the pirate life had made her keen about her surroundings. Back to the wall with a clear view of the entire restaurant, but no one can see you. Clear path for both exits and a wall to use for cover if any gun fights take place.
"Hi Tushie." Rebecca smiled warmly at the waiter.
"First shift again?"
"Indeed. Missed a month of work, Tyren has been on my ass. This a my friend Adren. He's new, I trust that he'll be treated well here."
"Any friend of yours is a friend of ours. The usually then?" Rebecca nodded, "Then how about you Adren."
"I'll have the same thing she has."
Tushie winked at Rebecca before she gathered the menus and left them.
"You should eat more, breakfast is my treat today."
"It's more than enough. Plus this way I know they won't poison the food since we have the same meal."
Adren received a wide-eyed stare from Rebecca. "What?"
"Your paranoid."
"I'm alive. I'm not going to lets some random person before a millionaire of my mistakes.
Tushie brought their drinks and food and set them down for them.
"Thank you." Adren quickly took one of the plates and begun to inspect it. Taking out some white powder and sprinkling it on top.
"What's that? Salt?"
"It turns purple is there is poison. Blue for paralytic. Yellow for hallucinogens."
"Like I said paranoid."
"Alive."
"You didn't do this on my ship."
"I was too hungry to care. Plus I already in your custody and mercy. If you had wanted to kill me you wouldn't need poison.
He had a point but still…
Adren pulled out some cutlery and utensils from his jacket. "Afraid if a poison knife?"
"What got me to you was it not?"
Another fairpoint.
The meal continued with Adren being paranoid over every little thing. It was quite comedic if you put aside that everything he said had actually occurred to him before.
"Thank you."
Inclining her head, "Your welcome, I had a good time."
The smile on Adren's face died as he looked past her and his gaze fastned on someone behind her.
She turned to see what he had been looking at. Shit… Her cousin Barh was heading towards them with his crew. From the looks of it he wasn't particularly happy.
Barh stopped beside her and eyed Adren. With his thumb rubbing the neck of his repeater crystal gun.
Something that was quite flashy, but didn't have much penetrating power. Probably wouldn't make it past Adren's armored jacket.
"Hey couz," he greeted Rebecca. "Who's the slave?"