Chapter 9 - Invitation

It had been just over a week since Aian's fateful encounter with Kalvin.

The businessman had taken him out for lunch twice more since then but something was going on as they were interrupted both times and Kalvin was called away.

Aian wasn’t sure if his twin flame having to leave hurriedly was a good thing or a bad thing.

He enjoyed spending time with Kalvin, which surprised him somewhat, but each time, the businessman had cornered him and kissed him senseless only to have the interruption occur as his hands were moving under his clothing.

And that growl.

Oh gosh.

A deep, rumbling growl of displeasure from Kalvin greeted the interruptions, and the sound sent heat running through him.

Aian was torn. He desperately wanted to know what was the dark promise that lurked in those gray eyes. With all the skill Kalvin had shown with a few kisses and touches, Aian was breathless to know more.

Yet he was hesitant, as he knew that whatever happened, all he would be able to do is hold on for the ride.

Did he trust this man enough to just let go?

He assumed he did because every time Kalvin got ahold of him, he would melt into him and be left aching for more.

Yet every time he could clear his head of the intoxicating presence of his twin flame, he started to doubt.

“Argh, he messes me up!” Aian groaned.

That statement was true in more than one sense.

He sprawled out on his couch at home, attempting to watch TV but getting distracted again and again by thoughts and memories of THAT man. He wondered if it would always be like this.

A beep from his phone indicated a new message, and he picked it up, glad for the distraction.

Mom : Remember, it’s your father’s birthday this weekend. You have to invite your handsome twin flame down to meet us as well.

Oh no. It had only been two weeks and already his mother was wanting to meet Kalvin.

Aian was hoping to put that meeting off for a bit longer. But he could never manage to lie to his mother; she would know straight away if he hadn’t actually asked.

Kalvin had been very busy lately, he probably wouldn’t be able to come down for a whole weekend.

They could just reschedule for another time. Hopefully.

Aian took a deep breath and found Kalvin’s number on his phone. It would be the first time he called him.

“Aian.”

“... Hi. Um, sorry if I’m calling at a bad time?” he asked hesitantly, chewing on his lip worriedly.

“It’s fine.”

“Okay, good. Um, it’s my father’s birthday this weekend and I will be staying back home for it and my mother wanted to let you know that you are invited too. But I know you’ve been busy very lately and you wouldn’t have the time to-”

“I should be able to manage that,” Kalvin interjected.

Aian winced at the acceptance as his mouth seemed frozen. He really did not expect the man to accept the invitation. Honestly, he just asked for the sake of asking because he was sure that his mom would know if he really asked his twin flame or not.

Mothers had a built- in lie detector ability. It was scary! Specially his own mom.

After a short pause, Kalvin spoke again. “I feel like that wasn’t the correct answer?” Kalvin’s voice sounded amused. “It was not the answer you were hoping to get from me, weren’t you?

“...” Aian cleared his throat. “No, it’s fine. It’s just that my Mom is… nosy? And… well, you’ll see anyway. Oh, and um, I usually just ride the bus down but I figured that you wouldn’t want to do that?”

A deep laugh met his words.

“I’ll drive.”

“We are not going down there in the limo!” he protested.

“Relax, I said I’d drive. I have other cars.”

“… are they just as flashy as the limo?”

“Possibly,” Kalvin replied, clearly amused, and he could damn well hear the smirk.

“I’m not going to win this one, am I? Fine. I’ll message you with the details.”

“I look forward to it, Aian.”

The line disconnected, and he felt heat pool in his belly at the way his name rolled off Kalvin’s tongue.

He was so screwed.

*****

It was early Saturday morning and Kalvin was due to arrive to pick Aian up any minute now.

He was worried about what kind of car the man would be showing up in. His parents lived in a sleepy suburb full of old gossips and some flashy car just showing up would attract a lot of attention.

It was a close knit community, and he really didn’t want to be the hottest gossip around. His mother would have a ball with that, though.

Please, just once, could Kalvin own something sensible and not ridiculously outrageous?

A few minutes later, he heard the deep rumble of an engine outside, then his phone flashed up with a message.

Kalvin : Outside.

Please, was it too much to hope for?

Aian took a deep breath and picked up his bag before heading outside. He stopped dead in his doorway.

“Oh, for goodness’s sake.”

There was what appeared to be a million bucks red sports car sitting outside his apartment. It was all smooth sleek lines, low to the ground, with a deep rumbling purr for the engine sound.

Kalvin got out and the freaking door opened upwards instead of outwards and Aian swore he was going to punch Kalvin in the face to remove that damn smirk once and for all.

He locked up his apartment and made his way down to the car. If he could call it that.

He should have known that a quiet, discreet trip home was far too much to hope for.

The jerk face was just leaning against the rear of the car with that infuriating smirk in place, dressed in casual slacks and a polo.

How did he look so good in everything?

“Do you own ANY THING that doesn’t look as though it cost more money than a normal person could dream of?”

“No,” Kalvin replied with a wider smirk.

He really, REALLY wanted to punch him.

“A quick Internet search of my name and your parents would find out about the money anyway, so why hide it? Just enjoy being able to ride down there in comfort.”

Aian sighed as Kalvin reached for his bag. Grumbling, he handed over his small bag packed for the weekend away.

Kalvin put it in the boot and slammed it shut before turning back around to face him and pulling him in for a quick kiss. A quick kiss Kalvin style that still left him gasping for breath.

Kalvin had to give him a brief demonstration on how to actually open the damn car door before he could slip inside and buckle the seat belt.

The interior of the vehicle was just as nice as the exterior but in a softer, classier kind of way. The leather seat was more comfortable than any of the furniture in Aian’s apartment and he could see many little flashy lights and buttons on the car’s dashboard.

Kalvin hopped in, revving the engine, then they were pulling away from the curb. Aian had to admit he didn’t know riding in a vehicle could feel so smooth.

He was used to the loud and bumpy ride of public transport or his little scooter. He settled back into his seat with a small sigh. At least it would be comfortable, although it still wouldn’t make up for the inevitable gossip.

Kalvin gave him an amused glance.

“Is it really that bad?”

“You don’t understand. My parents live in a really tight knit little community in a quiet suburb and showing up in this thing,” Aian gestured vaguely around the car, “will cause me to be the next hot gossip topic for forever.”

“And? It’s not like you live there and have to deal with it. Who cares what anyone else thinks?”

“We are still down there for the weekend. And what do I tell my parents? ‘Oh, yeah, my twin flame is some old crime lord who has so much money it doesn’t even have value to him anymore’.”

“Crime lord, huh? That’s not quite right.”

“‘Not quite right’. Not ‘that’s not right’ or ‘that’s wrong’,” he glanced at him. “So you’re not going to deny it, huh.”

“No,” Kalvin replied shortly.

“Typical. I say crime lord because you are clearly good at whatever you do in regards to the underworld and seem to have particularly high standing. Especially if no one can pin anything on you. And I have heard enough to know that you are, in fact, involved in this city’s seedy underbelly. I just don’t know how.”

“You don’t have to,” Kalvin glanced at him before returning his eyes to the road. “You’re too naive for my world.”

“Give me some credit, I’m not THAT naive.”

“You are. You’re like a shining little angel compared to me. My hands are stained with blood and sin and that is all you need to know on the matter.”

“I’ll find out. Eventually, I will find it out,” Aian crossed his arms and set his jaw in determination. “You’re my twin flame. There’s a reason for whatever this is, right? I can’t stand beside you if I don’t know ALL of you.”

When Kalvin glanced at him again, the man seemed slightly taken aback.

“It’s not going to happen straight away but you will not be able to keep me out and you damn well better not try to.”

“Is that a confession already, Aian?”

“What?!” Aian almost squeaked as he flushed red. “No! Don’t take what I’m saying out of context and twist it around, all right?”

“I’m not twisting anything; that was exactly what it sounded like.”

Aian huffed. “That’s not how I meant it.”

Kalvin hummed in response, clearly unconvinced.

After a small spell of silence, Kalvin showed Aian how to turn on the radio and alternatively, how to connect it up with the music on his smartphone.

They spent the rest of the trip playfully arguing over music choices with Kalvin being labeled as old and Aian as a brat more than once.