The Darkness Inside Me

14 - Change of Heart

With a slam, Shades shut the front door behind him. Damn it. This was the last thing he needed. Putting his brother in a cell with Isaiah had been a deliberate choice: the man was kind, assertive, and exuded confidence. He had no major crimes on his record, and he looked well-groomed. That sometimes helped in earning someone's trust.

And it had worked. Isaiah had pulled Juice – Joaquin – through the last few weeks.

It had gone exactly as planned.

But what he hadn't planned for was that the two were still in contact. That they had become friends. That this guy was now standing in his house.

Sure, Joaquin needed people around him. People who didn't make him feel so miserable. People who could give him a bit of life back, some spark. Esrin was perfect for that. She had only made his plan easier.

But Isaiah... Isaiah didn't fit into his plan at all. He would have his doubts, he'd make sure Joaquin acted on more than just his emotions.

Shades clenched his hand into a fist. At the last moment, he stopped himself from slamming it into the door. He needed to pull himself together. When one door closes, another opens. He regretted reacting so harshly. He should have taken more time to figure out how to turn this situation in his favor.

Isaiah's comment echoed in his head. That he had fantasies about him.

Bold, to say the least. And Shades wasn't blind–Isaiah was the kind of man with whom he'd be willing to act on such fantasies. Just for a night. Maybe a few more, as long as no one found out.

He placed his hand on the door handle. Hesitated.

Maybe he could weave this man into the same web as his brother. As long as he could turn against his plan, Isaiah was an enemy. And what did they say about enemies? Keep them close. Maybe he would be just as easy to manipulate as his brother. It was worth a try.

Shades opened the door again. Took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The two men looked at him, assessing. There was distrust in Joaquin's eyes, maybe even fear. And in Isaiah's... still something like admiration. Curiosity.

"I've changed my mind." He shot a glance at his brother and then focused on Isaiah. "My apologies. I don't often have guests, especially not unexpected ones."

Something between a grin and a smile tugged at Isaiah's lips. "Interesting. You didn't strike me as the type to make sincere apologies."

That glimmer in his eyes... Shades couldn't immediately pull his gaze away. There was something calculating, something challenging about this man. Something dangerous, maybe. He smiled coolly in return. "Maybe I'll surprise you in more ways than one."

Isaiah held his gaze. "I'm already up for it."

Fuck. Shades wasn't used to being openly flirted with. Not by men. It was something he'd stayed far away from. Yet, in prison, something had happened with his best friend–something that had found its way outside, something that had changed their friendship forever–and not for the better.

But Isaiah... Isaiah meant nothing to him. He could use him without a guilty conscience. How, he wasn't quite sure yet. But an opportunity would surely present itself. And even if he only helped him deal with that failure of a brother, that would be worth something. Quite a lot, in fact. In the end, Joaquin had to trust him for his plan to succeed. And if Isaiah did, his newfound friend might follow suit.

. . .

Shades' sudden change of heart was abrupt. Isaiah was certain there was something behind it, more than simple goodwill. But would he complain? Not at all. There was a tension in the room that Isaiah could only have dreamed of. Of course, he would be cautious–that was inevitable with a man like Shades. He had learned from the past, after all. But he had also learned to enjoy the moment. That there wasn't always a tomorrow.

And that freedom wasn't guaranteed either.

"Well, how about I cook tonight? The food I had to prepare in prison was an insult to any chef, so I can't wait to go all out."

Shades raised an eyebrow. "You were a chef?"

Isaiah chuckled. "Did you really miss that detail?"

He thought Shades had done some research on him before putting his brother in the same cell. Then again, maybe his profession didn't matter much.

Shades didn't respond, though their eyes did meet.

Isaiah smirked. Something warm stirred inside him.

Shades' presence filled the entire room, and it was hard to remind himself that Joaquin was still there–and the guy didn't seem to know what to make of the whole situation. Isaiah nudged his friend. "Wanna go shopping with me? You'll see that cooking is pretty relaxing."

"Uh... yeah." Joaquin rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah... that's fine."

He cast a tense glance at his brother.

Isaiah wondered if the two had ever sat at a table together before, having dinner. He had his doubts.