When Money Is Involved ...

Buzz.

Buzz! Buzz!

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

What the hell?

Noel shot up from under his pillow, black hair falling all over his face as he clumsily looked around for his phone under all the messy sheets until he finally brushed his fingers on it.

Yawning, the man looked opened the lock screen, seeing a number of notifications instantly. All of the notifications coming from the same person.

Annoying. He thought, clearing the notifications to reveal a picture of something white and dressed in bright yellow, instantly putting a smile on his face.

Speaking of which, I miss Nana. Throwing the phone down, Noel laid back on the bed, sighing as he remembered the night before.

Strange man. Well, he must have gone home already by now. He dismissed that thought and tried to sleep again but the buzzing coming from his phone would not stop.

Who was that man again? He thought, doing anything to ignore that phone. He said that he owned most of the city or something like that. Is he a foreigner?

Remembering his white hair and emerald green eyes that seemed to stare into Noel's soul the night before. In the car and in bed, the man never took his eyes off him.

Just remembering it is enough to send shivers up the man's body again. Reaching his hand to the ceiling, Noel could still remember the heat coming from the man in the already warm room.

Noel remembered touching the man's ear, almost getting tangled up in all the earrings he wore, every nook and cranny of the cold metal brushing against his fingers, though his ears felt warm.

I never saw someone as pretty as him before. He thought, the man's raspy voice tingling against his ears, sending another wave of shivers up his spine.

What? Was he sculpted by a sculptor or something? Not my taste, way too perfect. He scoffed, pulling a pillow to his face, trying to forget him, only to be hit with the smell of cinnamon and rain. His smell is still here.

Annoying! Noel shouted in his head, slamming the pillow on the bed once again as the buzzing from the phone refused to stop, sending vibrations throughout the bed while Noel stared at the device. One annoying thing after the other.

Grabbing the phone, Noel finally opened the messages, the same thing written on all of them.

[6:57 a.m. Kadin (Work): Noel.]

[7:00 a.m. Kadin (Work): Noel, I know you are awake.]

[7:02 a.m. Kadin (Work): Noel, are you ignoring me?]

[7:04 a.m. Kadin (Work): You aren't really still sleeping are you?]

[7:05 a.m. Kadin (Work): I knew going to that club was a bad idea. You shouldn't have gone.]

[7:08 a.m. Kadin (Work): Ok, I apologise, that was out of turn. You are a grown man and can do whatever you want to. Sorry.]

[7:12 a.m. Kadin (Work): Are you still mad at me, Noel? I am sorry. Really.]

[7:16 a.m. Kadin (Work): Noellllll!! Are you even still alive at this point? I mean, you have a gift of ignoring people but … are you ok?]

[7:20 a.m. Kadin (Work): Ok, I am too worried to even have my morning cup of coffee. Or is it that I had ten cups too much. I don't know! I will come and to your house if you don't reply.]

[7:22 a.m. Kadin (Work): Or maybe not. My guard is not letting me out of the room until I finish this project. Just text me and ease my worry.]

[7:25 a.m. Kadin (Work): Noel!! I am not even able to get any work done. Please just tell me that you are alive!!!]

[7:30 a.m. Kadin (Work): Is typing.

                  Baby Bear: What?

                  Kadin (Work): OMG! You are alive!! Thank goodness! I can put this bat away now.

                    Baby Bear: I am not going to question that. Why are you texting me so early in the morning?

                    Kadin (Work): In case sleeping beauty forgot, there was a meeting you were supposed to be at last night. Where were you anyway?

                    Baby Bear: I was out doing stuff.

                    Kadin (Work): Right, and stuff definitely isn't drinking till you passed out, right? Right??

                    Baby Bear: Yes, I did not drink a drop last night.

                    Kadin (Work): I really want to know what stuff is then, for YOU to miss a meeting.

                    Baby Bear: Either you tell me why you disturbed my sleep or I ignore you once again.

                    Kadin (Work): Stuff isn't someone is it?]

[7:35 a.m. Kadin (Work): Wait, are you ignoring me. AGAIN?? Noel, I'm sorry. I have something important to tell you! Please come back!!

                    Baby Bear: What?

                    Kadin (Work): Yay! You're back! No, don't go yet! I'm telling now!

                    Baby Bear: Ok?

                    Kadin (Work): In last night's meeting, had you been there, was a man who is looking for an untraceable hacker. I brought you up to him and he seems interested. What do you think?

                    Baby Bear: I don't know. How much is the pay? And how dangerous is it? Because it sounds …

                    Kadin (Work): It does, doesn't it? But I searched the organization up. They are known as The Aberrants and they are legit, quite a powerful group if you ask me. The pay is also 100k an hour.

                    Baby Bear: That is a lot. Why would they want someone untraceable then? I don't have a good feeling about this.

                    Kadin (Work): I knew you would be like that, that is why I asked them for protection if you decide to accept the job. They agreed. So, yes or no?]

Noel stared at the text, a slight frown coming on his face as he tried to weigh the pros and cons. His eyes darted around the room, sighing. I can't keep staying here. The rooms are ok but not the rent, and the water …

If they offer me protection, then ... could I get a lot more money from them? I wonder.

He stared at the calendar on his phone. Nana's birthday is two weeks from now. There was this gift I wanted to get her. That's why I took the job at the bar.

If I take this … I just might be able to afford it. Ok! I'll accept it.

[7:48 a.m. Baby Bear: Ok. I will take the job.

                Kadin (Work): Great! I will tell them and set up a scheduled meeting. Are you free today?

                Baby Bear: Yeah.

                Kadin (Work): Ok. Will inform you. Don't keep me on mute or ignore me, again.]

Throwing his phone to the side, Noel flopped on the bed and stretched, the sheets moving around him as the faint scent of Eden triggered his memories again.

Ok. No time for this. Noel thought, getting to his feet and putting on a pair of navy blue boxers when he began to smell something cooking from the kitchen.

Confused, he stood in his room for a few seconds, thinking. Who could be here? Wait, Nana??

Bursting out of the room, Noel was greeted by the sight of a half-naked man, covered with symmetrical tattoos on each side of his body, in his kitchen, cooking.

He's still here? Noel thought, feeling disappointed and slightly happy at the same time. Why is he still here? I thought he left.

Not making a sound, Noel stared at the man, an apron on his upper half while he cracked an egg with a single hand, tossing it into the frying pan.

Ok, he has skill. He thought, watching him chop up a tomato on the cutting board, seeing how his muscles flexed with every movement and gulping.

Get a grip, Noel! A pretty boy in your kitchen, cooking, is nothing to freak out or lose your senses about! We only met each other last night anyway.

By the way, what did he say last night in the car? Something about giving him a chance right?

Wait, does that mean we are dating now or something? Are we? After knowing each other for a day? More or less?

That was too quick. Maybe I am just overthinking this. While Noel was busy in his thoughts, a growling from his stomach pulled him out as quickly as he got sucked in. Whatever, I'm hungry.

Noel stared at the man in the kitchen, eyes falling on his tattoos, trailing them all the way down his back to his waist, an idea flicking in his mind as he approached him. Not making a sound.