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They lay in bed, just enjoying the pleasure of being together, and he started asking questions. At the time, he needs answers and is compelled to force Archer to explain himself and the odd words he uses. Kevin turned to his left and glanced out the window at the morning sun and the flowering trees and wondered why he hadn't pursued the subject further. Archer had placated him and then effectively lulled him to sleep.
Now, the questions and the strangeness of some events and explanations came back to him. He would not be stupid again, not like with Ted and Emily. He let everything go, not looking too deep and not asking too many questions, and he would never be that man again. He cared for Archer, and truth be told, he trusted him, but the oddities needed to be addressed.
Kevin finished putting on his boots, grabbed the cell phone that Archer gave him off the bedside table, tucked it in his pocket, and headed downstairs for breakfast. He hadn't eaten since early yesterday and was looking forward to a hearty meal. The smell hit him first, and his mouth began to water with anticipation. Then he saw Archer. His hair was still damp from his shower, and he was looking all domesticated, standing at the stove, and Kevin's desire shifted from food to something much more carnal.
“Fuck, you are a fine-looking man.” Kevin let his thoughts bubble out. Archer turned to him with a smile and a wink.
"Good morning to you, too, baby." He handed him a slice of bacon, and Kevin savored it while letting his eyes travel Archer's gorgeous body. He was being very obvious, and he did not care.
"Come take a seat. Breakfast is ready." Archer led him over to the table and helped him get seated.
"Looks good." He said, and once Archer was seated, they began. Breakfast was pleasant, and the conversation was light until Archer mentioned that Dallas had stopped by to give a report. He shared the information, and it left Kevin feeling anxious.
“I wish whoever hired those men would get caught. This not knowing is awful.” Kevin took the cup of coffee Archer handed him and added milk and sugar before taking a long sip.
"They won't get away," Archer stated in his usual confident manner that Kevin so enjoyed.
"I honestly cannot think of anyone who would go to the trouble of hiring to have me killed. What's the motive? What will they gain since I have nothing except a cabin in the woods and this adorable little cat." He reached down and gave Johnny a rub.
"Maybe you have something that you don't know that you have." It was convoluted, but Archer had been toying with the consideration since Easton had called that morning.
"I don't have life insurance; my death would not benefit the company, considering I am no longer a part of said company; I have very little in the bank, a few thousand, probably less than what it cost them to hire the hitmen." Kevin ticked off motives for killing, and none related to him and his situation.
"Simply hate or revenge." Archer offered, and Kevin thought for several minutes as he finished his coffee.
“I’ve never done any dirty dealings or hurt anyone that I am aware of.”
"Keep thinking. Maybe something will come to you. Think broadly and consider people who weren't in your inner circle." Archer coached.
“I will.” Kevin watched as Archer poured him another cup of coffee and added the milk and sugar for him. He was very attentive without being smothering.
"Will this relationship continue once this is over, and you don't have to protect me?" Kevin asked, and Archer stared at him for a moment before speaking. His eyes seemed to burn, taking in every aspect and expression. It wasn't uncomfortable but rather gave him the sense of being cherished. The heated gaze was almost like a physical touch.
"This relationship is just getting started," Archer said with resolve. "I don't have to be here; I'm here because I want to be. I'm here because I want to be with you. I protect you not just because it is my assignment but because your health and welfare are important to me. You are important to me." Archer annunciated every syllable, making his meaning very clear on that point.
Kevin was feeling a little anxious, so he reached down, picked Johnny up, and held him on his lap. Johnny sensed his agitation and did not resist. "What did you mean when you called me your beloved? During the phone call this morning with your colleague, he called me that too, and it sounded like something more than an endearment."
"I need to explain other things first before I explain the fact that you are my Fate-chosen beloved. Beloveds are revered among my people, and the bond is eternal." Archer kept his eyes on Kevin, weighing and measuring the acceptance of each word. Kevin wanted to make it easier for him, but he didn't know how. Something serious was going to be shared, and the air between them felt heavy with anticipation.
"What do you mean by your people, and why do you use the words master and Coven? I asked you last night, but you never explained. I know what those words mean in my world, but what do they mean in yours?"
"I will explain. It won't be easy for you to understand, but I'm asking you to try." That had Kevin sitting up and paying attention. He put Johnny on the floor, and the cat walked over to the door. Archer opened it, and the cat darted outside.
"Let's go to the living room," Archer said and headed in that direction with Kevin walking behind. Kevin could almost hear the man's mind working, preparing how to present what he had to say. Kevin felt a rising tension in his gut but tried to control it. When Archer reached back and took his hand, the tension immediately let go, and he took a deep breath.
"There is nothing to be afraid of Kevin." He told him, and they both sat down. Kevin sat on the sofa, and Archer sat in the chair opposite.
"What do you know about Louis DuCane and DuCane industries? What have you read? What have you heard? Even if you thought it sounded crazy or absurd, tell me what you heard." Archer began and again held Kevin's gaze.
He thought for a few moments and recalled many things over the years. DuCane was a powerful man in the mid-west, and most people were aware of him. "I first heard of him when my father mentioned him and his business at dinner one night when I was quite young. He commented on his ability to bend people to his will but that he never went too far. My father said that if he had DuCane's capacity for manipulation, he would be running the world and not living the quiet life in Michigan." He noticed Archer nod ever so slightly and then motioned for him to go on.
Kevin had heard many things over the years, and most were outrageous, so he wasn't sure how much to share. He thought it was just jealousy and sour grapes that prompted the strange rumors surrounding Louis DuCane.
"I heard a client refer to him as the Duke of Burgundy. I looked up the name, and there actually was a Duke of Burgundy who existed centuries ago in France and was a fierce and feared warrior. He disappeared never to be heard of again right around the time colonization of the new world was in the offing."
Kevin took a breath before adding his own theory. "I think he probably came here and started a new life, but that has nothing to do with Louis DuCane." He added with a nervous smile.
Archer raised an eyebrow, and his expression left Kevin wondering where he was being led. "I have not had any business or dealings of any kind with DuCane or any of his people, so I have no first-hand information. I heard he has moved into the Toledo area recently and appears to be picking up interests throughout Ohio but remains primarily in Michigan."
