Centrepiece

Chapter
12

Yet
another short one I'm afraid

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Bryan
stepped back into the flat and dumped the last bag of groceries onto the table,
gaze sweeping toward the hallway as lavender eyes narrowed. He scowled, turning
his back on the noise and going about putting the items into their place. He had
meant to shop the day before but had gotten so deeply involved with an element
of his research and that he had lost track of the time.

He
shook his head sadly, before growling. Those two bastards had no mercy, no
sympathy, and were so wrapped up in their own little pornographic lives to
notice that the third member of their so called ‘catching-up’ sessions was
wearing down to the point that Bryan was surprised Ray hadn’t collapsed on
them yet.

Three
days ago they had come back, and since that time Bryan had only ever seen them
at meals before they headed straight back to the bedroom, dragging Ray behind
them like an obedient yet abused puppy on a chain. No one deserved to be treated
like that. No one!

Slamming
his fist down onto the table Bryan squeezed his eyes closed, memories of his
days in the Abbey bubbling back to the surface. Boris had manipulated and used
them like puppets on a string, and now Kai and Tala were doing exactly that to
Ray, and Bryan couldn’t do a friggin thing about it!

Gritting
his teeth he forced it all aside, the impassive and cold expression once more
sliding onto his face as he grabbed up another couple of cans and moved to put
them in the cupboard. It didn’t help that Bryan thought he might actually be
falling for the neko-jin, and had thought so for some time. No, that only made
things that mucre cre complicated.

Something
about Ray had always appealed to him. Maybe it was his natural innocence. Maybe
it was his foolish pride. Maybe it was his iron gut determination, or even his
reckless resolve. Whatever it was, it intrigued Bryan, and it didn’t help that
Ray was too drop dead gorgeous for his own good.

That
was the other thing, Ray’s almost feminine beauty. This was what had drawn
Tala to Ray in the first place, as it was something that the redhead shared with
his fellow peer. Ray’s catlike grace was yet another drawcard, and Bryan had a
feeling that this was what had caught Kai’s eye, the crimson-eyed blader
having always had some degree of fascination toward the neko-jin.

In
Bryan’s eyes all of the things that made Ray Ray had brought about his
downfall. All those unique qualities were killing Ray slowly in the unforgiving
hands of the two Russian bladers. Bryan growled. And may they burn in hell.

Hearing
the sound of a door opening, Bryan glanced back and spotted a blurry-eyed Tala
stepping into the kitchen. He watched as the redhead pulled open the fridge and
grinned as he spotted his favourite drink, freshly purchased, and picked it up
as Kai joined them.

Bryan
frowned. “So where’s the third point?”

“Ray?”
Tala glanced at him quickly before looking for a glass. “Not sure. He left, I
don’t know, a couple of hours ago.”

Bryan
raised an eyebrow. “So you don’t know where he is?”

“Not
really, no.” Kai ran a hand through his hair. “Why are you asking?”

“Not
like you to not know where your plaything was last seen.” Bryan shrugged,
putting away the last box before gathering up all the bags. “So he just up and
left ya’s, did he?”

“Mm.”
Tala took a sip of his drink. “Said something about needing some fresh air and
walked out. Don’t think he even grabbed a jacket or anything.”

“I
see.” Bryan’s eyes narrowed. Ray was known for walking around in his
sleeveless shirt in normally unbearable conditions, but it was so cold outside
that even Bryan had had to grab a jacket, and Bryan was born and raised in
Moscow.

Sure
enough, once they had finished their drink Kai and Tala headed back to the
bedroom, leaving Bryan to his thoughts. Grunting, he made his way toward Ray’s
bedroom and opened the door, stepping toward the desk and scooping up the jacket
that hung on the back of the chair before he made his way back out into the
corridor.

There
was really no debate about it: he was going after Ray. And he had a fair idea
where the Tiger had gone…

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I
know you hate short ones, but they can't be helped.