Kael
Night fell over the city like a thick veil. The lights of the newly renovated workshop shine brightly, illuminating the sidewalk and attracting guests like moths.
I pace back and forth, like a beast in its cage. The smell of grease mixed with the expensive perfume of the guests bothers me. No face catches my attention. Until...
I see the boy from earlier entering, the same one I grabbed by the collar earlier today. He's with a weary-looking man, probably his father. The kid sees me and automatically adjusts his glasses, his face turning red. I can almost feel the dread oozing from his skin. I smile slightly — he remembers.
But then... everything around me silences.
My eyes are pulled like magnets to the entrance of the hall. And there they are. First, I see the man: erect posture, dark suit, stern look. The same as before. Beside him, an elegant woman, who carries within her the same refined coldness of a jewel that never leaves the box. And then...
Maria.
She walks a step behind the woman, her shoulders hunched, her eyes glued to the floor as if carrying the world on her back. There's something broken in her... and yet, it's as if each crack shines brighter than any other presence here. She doesn't try to stand out — and maybe that's why it's impossible to ignore her.
"Look at that. Seems like he really is the mayor," says Dylan, appearing beside me, his hands stuck in his pants pockets, his expression as cautious as ever.
I nod, without taking my eyes off her.
"Let's welcome our host and his... charming family." My voice comes out low.
Dylan looks at me sideways, his brow furrowed.
"Kael, Kael... I know you. Don't even start with your antics." His voice is firm. "We need to be cautious. Observe first. Find out how this mayor thinks, what his secrets are. And the girl... Maria... she's clearly under some kind of pressure. It's not time for impulses."
But I'm already taking the first step.
"Relax, Dylan," I say over my shoulder, with a sly smile. "You think too much, brother."
And I walk towards them.
Each step is calculated, although I pretend to be carefree. I know I'm about to enter a minefield — but it's here, tonight, that I know with every cell in my body: Maria is not just a connection, a mark of destiny. She is an enigma... and I intend to decipher it.
Even if it takes us straight into the heart of danger.
My steps echo on the polished cement floor of the workshop, now transformed into an improvised reception hall. Each click of my combat boot is like a warning: we're coming. Dylan comes right behind, silent as a shadow — but I know his eyes are analyzing every detail.
The mayor is talking to a small group of local businessmen. His posture is rigid, his smile too rehearsed to be sincere. The woman beside him remains composed, watching everything with the eyes of someone who judges in silence. And Maria... she doesn't seem exactly present. She seems trapped. Trapped inside herself.
We approach, and when he finally notices our presence, his expression changes subtly. His eyes land on me with something between suspicion and recognition.
"Mr. Mayor," I say, forcing a cordiality that almost tears my skin off. I extend my hand. "Kael. It's a pleasure to have you at the opening of our workshop."
He shakes my hand firmly, his gaze fixed on mine as if he wants to decipher an enigma.
"Emiliano Duarte. The pleasure is mine," he replies in a deep, calculated voice. "This is my wife, Marta. And our daughter, Maria."
Dylan also extends his hand, his voice controlled, precise:
"Dylan. We are the Moraes brothers. We came from afar, but we decided to invest around here."
"A good choice," says Emiliano, narrowing his eyes. "This city may be small, but it has a lot of potential... as long as you know where you're stepping."
The disguised threat is as clear as day. I smile wider, with the calmness of someone who has seen this kind of game before.
"Ah, we know exactly where to step, Mr. Mayor. And, with all due respect, we know how to recognize what is really worth it."
That's when my eyes meet hers.
She raises her gaze slowly, as if each movement were an effort. And when our eyes meet, something pulses — like an electric current, alive, raw.
Then she looks at Dylan. And I feel the same energy passing through them. But soon her eyes lower again, as if an invisible force were pushing her down.
"Well, excuse us... we need to greet Pastor Paulo," says Emiliano, ending the conversation.
We nod. They start to walk away. But I can't help it. The voice escapes, even low, even contained.
"Hey... Maria..."
She barely has time to react. Her mother squeezes her hand tightly and pulls her, almost like an invisible leash.
"But you really are an ass, aren't you, Kael? What the hell do you think you're doing? Want to stir up trouble right away?" says Dylan, scolding me in his low tone full of controlled anger.
I feel the irritation rising like fire in my chest. I turn to him, my voice low, but cutting:
"What the hell, Dylan. It's obvious that this mayor is a dangerous son of a bitch. You know what I think? I think that connection thing didn't happen at all with you. You're too calm, brother, for someone who found their own mate."
His eyes darken, and he takes a step forward. The anger overflows, raw and hot. He stares at me as if he wants to pierce me with his gaze.
"Shut your damn mouth! Do you think I'm calm? Do you think I don't realize what's happening? That I don't feel this connection burning inside me?" He gives a light tap on his own chest. "I feel it, Kael. The difference is that I know how to control myself, you idiot. I'm not going to screw everything up just because I can't keep my dick in my pants for five minutes."
We stand here, face to face, for a moment that seems to stretch too long. The world around us continues, the music plays, people talk — but for me, for him, everything is suspended. Because deep down, we both know...
This mess is just beginning.
***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***
Updated 71 Episodes
Download
Like this story? Download the app to keep your reading history.
Comments