Chapter 9

This week's two-hour business lecture was as entertaining as last week's. Thanks to a certain thick-headed dumbass' second attempt to beat Aiden Kesley in a verbal battle, Darren had a rather enjoyable time watching the latter absolutely annihilate poor Eddie. Without batting an eye or stooping down to the inmate's level, which was, in part, regrettable. Or maybe lucky, seeing as Darren's dick really appreciated it when the warden let dirty words slip through those full lips.

After class ended, Darren stayed behind, scribbling additional notes in the textbook. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Nyle sway his pert ass to the teacher's desk, lean in and smile. He said something to Aiden, whose response was a low, sexy chuckle.

And, boy, did that rumbly sound make Darren's cock even harder.

He was sure sweet Nyle wasn't after Aiden; after all, the little thing seemed to prefer bad boys more so than the collected, intellectual type. Still, Darren couldn't deny the curiosity pulling at his gut. Later, he'd pin Nyle in the restroom, maybe give him a fun time too, while extracting exactly what sort of scheme he was up to now. After their rather pleasant—and enlightening—exchange in the library last week, Darren knew exactly how cunning the twink was. Unlike what most men seemed to think, Nyle was not a frail lamb that needed protection, but more of a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Lost in thought, Darren didn't notice Aiden approaching until the man's long fingers were tapping against the desk's scratched surface. Lifting his gaze, Darren scoured the room, finding it empty save for the two of them. He suppressed a smile as his pulse elevated slightly. Nyle must have left without him realizing.

"Mr. Howe? Can I help you with something?" Aiden said, his hazel eyes inquisitive as they roamed Darren's face.

He liked them on him, maybe more than he should. In fact, he was letting this whole thing get to him a little too much. It was probably in his best interest to slow down, to figure out what Aiden Kesley's deal really was, where he'd come from and why now, but at the same time, he didn't want to wait. He felt like a dog that had been thrown a bone and didn't want to let it go now that its taste was flooding his mouth.

And what if that was exactly what Aiden Kesley was hoping for? That Darren would throw caution to the wind and go headfirst? That he was so desperate for a change from his sad prison life, that he'd forget the ghosts haunting him from his past and let them trick him?

"Ah, no. I was just making sure that I noted down everything," Darren said with a little delay.

Aiden retracted his hand, massaging his wrist. "How very diligent of you."

There was something enticing in that little show of smooth ivory skin beneath the sleeve, just a peek enough to spark an avalanche of indecent images inside Darren's mind. He wanted to be the one rubbing those circular motions… and not just there, but all over Aiden's body. Perhaps he was a little obsessed with the man, but could anyone blame him? Fantasizing about Aiden Kesley sure beat some of the other stuff that plagued his mind.

"I do try…" Darren replied, running his tongue over his lip piercing.

Aiden's attention snapped to it immediately, his eyes narrowing slightly. Following the movement of Darren's tongue like they just couldn't help it. When he finally looked up, a knowing smile replaced his hard look, transforming it into a half-scowl. "If there is anything you don't quite understand, please feel free to ask me anytime."

Oh?Arching an eyebrow, Darren reveled in the pleasant tingle that raced down his spine. Was this a slip up or had it been intentional? "I will."

"Very well then. Since there seems to be nothing I can help you with today, I will see you on Friday, Mr. Howe. Make sure you are well prepared for the test at the start of class." Aiden strode back to the desk, picked his things up, and left the classroom.

Darren stayed in his seat for a while longer, mulling over their interaction. Aiden Kesley was interested, he was certain of it. Testing the waters, getting a feel for him… instead of going for it. Surely, Aiden would've done just that already if he'd been sent here to mess with Darren. Because Darren liked the aggressive type. Normally.

Aiden's approach was unusual compared to what Darren was used to, slow but also thrilling, making him want to bend the man over even more. Or get to know him, which was a wild thought Darren wasn't about to examine right now.

He gathered his textbooks and left the classroom. He stopped by the library on his way back, picking a book about writing a business plan, and ran into Nyle, who, going by the few extra texts in his hands, had a similar idea. Together, they walked back to the mess hall, though Darren decided to leave his intended interrogation for another time, deeming the issue of Nyle's friendliness to Aiden not an urgent one. Besides, if Nyle caught wind of his interest in Aiden, he'd never hear the end of it.

After lunch, where fruit made an appearance again just as promised, Darren played cards with Matt and Nyle's cellmate, Mika, a tall broad-shouldered but otherwise narrow-framed man. He was as pale-skinned and light-haired as Nyle, making the two the target of rumors about the incestuous nature of their relationship just because they shared some characteristics. Except, they weren't related, or even from the same planet. Nyle was Earth-born, as was Darren, while Mika's birthplace was Mars.

The red planet had become sufficiently colonized only a few decades ago, the next logical step in humankind's space expansion after the Moon. Asteroid harvesting and cargo and goods transport were the two most lucrative trades now, with corporations racing against each other for the biggest cut of the pie. It made sense, of course, since whoever had the resources and manpower was the one likeliest to first step beyond Jupiter and its network of moons and thousands of orbiting satellites.

Darren had been on the frontline once too, a shipping mercenary with a respectable reputation that ensured a steady supply of high-end clients who paid extremely well for the privacy he offered. But that one miscalculation on Mars had changed everything, set his world crumbling until everything had just simply gone to shit. He thought about it from time to time, but revisiting the sequence of events after Claudia DuLaurent's death often just irritated him needlessly, so he avoided it as much as he could. The whole thing had been a mistake that had cost him whatever chance he had had of a normal life and one he was not going to dwell on just like he didn't dwell on the reasons behind it.

With most of the afternoon and evening lost to games of poker and blackjack, Darren didn't get a chance to study until midnight. The recessed lights that lined the ceiling in the halls of G Block were nowhere near enough to allow for comfortable reading though, so he sighed and left that task for the morning, opting to get some sleep instead as he warred with himself not to fixate on Aiden's ambiguous words.

On the next day, Matt didn't put much of a fuss at Darren's rejection to hang out.

"Fine, whatever, Darren. You can be a nerd for all I care," he said over a snort and left once he'd finished his workout, granting the peace and quiet Darren needed in order to study.

But his focus only lasted until about midafternoon, when his head was suddenly invaded by Aiden Kesley's words from yesterday. Particularly the part about giving him help whenever Darren needed it.

The insinuation had sort of slipped Darren at the time, his mind too busy reveling in the flirtatious tone of the warden's voice and the reaction it elicited in him. ‘Feel free to ask meanytime.' That was what Aiden had said, and now that Darren could analyze it, it became obvious that it had been an invitation.

Making an amused sound at himself, Darren unfolded his legs and hopped from the bed to the floor. He bunched up his notes and strode over to the guards posted at the gate, anticipation stirring in his stomach. The opportunity Aiden had presented to him… Yeah, he wasn't about to waste it even if it turned out that he read the warden's advances wrong. But he was confident he hadn't.

"Louis, Mike, how's it going?" Darren greeted the two guards, both of whom he knew and was on good terms with. He actually needed to pull them aside and tell them about the upcoming delivery Nyle had arranged, but there was still time for that, so he wasn't going to do it now. It could wait until later.

"Well, if it isn't Howe himself!" Mike, the wider of the two, said, his copper buzz cut appearing red under the artificial lighting.

"What's up, Howe?" The other guard sniggered, his massive biceps bumping into Darren as he stepped in closer. "Need us to make sure the restroom is out of order for an hour?"

Darren joined in on the laughing. "No. Actually, I need to see the warden." He flashed them one of his charming smiles even if both of them were immune to it.

"That's a new one. Last time I checked, the warden was the one requesting audiences, not the other way around," Mike jibed at him.

Darren waved the notes he held. "He said if I needed help with my studies, he'd be available."

Mike scoffed. "Probably meant after class, don't you think?"

"Just tell him I insist on seeing him today since he offered to help me anytime I needed it."

The two giants looked at each other. "Fine. But don't blame me if he gets pissed off," Mike said and marched off. When he returned shortly after, his grin was ear-wide. Lifting his wrist, he scanned his bracelet and the gates slid open. "The warden said he'll see you."

Darren smirked triumphantly and swished past the two still dumbfounded men. He could understand their confusion; he himself had not been sure his cheeky move would be enough to get Aiden to agree to see him. But it had worked and now he was standing in front of the warden's office, knocking on the door.

"Come in."

Darren entered the office and looked around, finding not even a trace of the heavily cluttered mess the previous warden had kept. Walls in white and beige, gray furniture in simple shapes, empty shelves, a few potted plants. Not much, but enough to make the place feel fresh and modern.

"So, Mr. Howe, how can I help you?" Aiden asked, indicating the cushioned couch to the side of the desk.

Darren sat there, draping an arm over the backrest. "It seems I've got some gaps in my notes. I'm worried I might fail the test on Friday."

"Really?" Aiden leaned back into his chair and crossed his arms, quirking an eyebrow. It had more of his natural color than his hair, but the dimly illuminated room prevented Darren from narrowing it down to anything beyond a reddish hue. "Something tells me that's not why you're here."

Darren shrugged. "You got me there, warden. It's only part of the reason. I'm actually quite smart."

The side of Aiden's lips trembled as if he was fighting off a smile. "I've got an hour before I head home. I can help you fill in those gaps. And…" He paused there awkwardly and studied Darren's face as a few barely-noticeable lines marred his own. "Perhaps I could entertain that other reason of yours, if we have time."

Aiden dragged his chair over and, using Darren's notes, the two went over some of the key concepts from last week's lesson, taking an extra few minutes to expand on interdependence. Questions followed, and Darren used the opportunity to examine Aiden's face from up close, trying to place his familiarity again. The way his muscles moved when he talked, the height of his cheekbones and that particular golden tint of his hazel eyes, the haunted quality of them that tugged at something in Darren's chest… He would've remembered a face like that had they shared a night together, so that wasn't it. The shipping gigs were out of the question too considering the extensive background checks wardens, even substitute ones, underwent before being appointed, so that left very few possibilities out of which military service seemed the likeliest.

Once all his questions were answered, Darren put down his notes and shot the warden a contemplative look.

"Go ahead then, Mr. Howe. What other reason did you have to request to see me?" Aiden encouraged, reclaiming his position behind his desk.

Darren propped his elbows on his knees. "May I speak freely?"

Aiden's lips pressed in a line as he glared at his holoscreen. "I suppose you could," he said after a few seconds of charged silence, training his gaze back on Darren.

Goosebumps rose all over Darren's arms from the intensity in those hazel depths. "Where did you serve?" he posed, the question seeming to catch Aiden off-guard as he tensed a little. Maybe Darren had guessed right then, and they'd been part of the same division without him ever taking proper notice.

Since the forming of the Global Nations, all registered citizens, regardless of their biological gender, were required to do two years of military training between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five. They could usually pick which division they joined unless they happened to have an aptitude in a skill valuable to the GN's Special Forces, in which case they were automatically enlisted to the corresponding division. It was an exception to the rule rather than a regular occurrence, but Darren was sure that if anyone would have been recruited by one of the military's prestigious corps like he himself had been, it would have been Aiden Kesley.

"Anti-terrorism and homeland security," Aiden replied, arching an eyebrow expectantly.

Darren had been right about Aiden being a specially appointed recruit. Just not the division. "Figures."

"What's that supposed to mean, Mr. Howe?" Aiden shot back, a hint of a challenge lurking in his tone.

"Well, I thought we might've served in the same division since you kind of look familiar. Guess I was wrong… but it makes sense." He gave the warden a once-over accompanied by a sultry curve of his lips on one side.

"How so?" Aiden demanded, keeping his expression almost neutral. If not for the slight wrinkling of his nose, he'd have pulled it off.

Darren thought about his next words. He wanted to press some buttons, to see the way the warden responded so he could get a better idea of how to play this. "You don't strike me as someone who has seen much field action," he settled for, maintaining a casual and friendly tone. He considered adding a ‘no offense' but left it out.

"Your presumptions are incorrect," Aiden clipped, clearly not impressed by the indirect jibe. He hadn't raised his voice though, or thrown Darren out, which gave Darren the confidence to push a bit more.

"So, you have then?"

Aiden angled his chair a bit to the side, as if to face Darren more properly despite the desk in his way. "Perhaps not as much as you," he conceded with a scrutinizing once-over that lingered on Darren's mouth for longer than was necessary. "But that doesn't mean I can't kick your ass if I wanted to."

"Oh? You sure have confidence for someone who just confessed he hasn't spent a lot of time in the field."

"Are you purposely picking a fight, Mr. Howe?" Aiden posed sharply.

Darren pulled on his piercing, squinting as he held Aiden's stern gaze. "I'm just curious how you'd kick my ass."

Aiden's attention dipped to Darren's lips again. "Hard."

The low voice Aiden pulled on him went straight to Darren's cock. It gave an approving twitch just in time as sparks crawled down his spine, ushering him to get up and bend Aiden over that desk. "Mhm."

"I am not sure there is any point to this conversation. If this is all, feel free to head back," Aiden said, breaking eye contact to stare at something on his screen.

Darren wasn't about to let him off the hook so easily, not when he could tell he was getting under the warden's skin. He wasn't sure if it was the flirting or if he'd hit a nerve by bringing up the Nations' Special Forces, but whatever it was, he was going to make the most of it. This kind of back-and-forth was one of Darren's favorite games, a staple of his persona that got him what he wanted nine out of ten times.

"I just find it hard to believe." He drummed his fingers against his cheek. "But it would be easy enough to find out…"

Aiden shifted in his chair, now frowning at the screen. "I'm not falling for your silly game," he said preemptively, clearly catching Darren's drift.

"A quick demonstration won't hurt anyone."

"I won't get in a fight with you, Mr. Howe, just to prove you wrong." Oh, Aiden really thought he could win, didn't he? "If that's what you came for, I suggest you take your leave before I have you pay a visit to the isolation chambers."

"How about arm wrestling then? It's harmless," Darren reasoned, holding back a chuckle at the glowering look Aiden threw him.

"Have we reverted back to grade schoolers, Mr. Howe?"

"Backing off?" he challenged, hoping he wasn't overstepping yet because he was having a lot of fun teasing the stuck-up warden.

Aiden folded his arms, a muscle jumping along his sharp jaw. "What's in it for me?"

Darren couldn't help the smirk, didn't really want to. He crossed his legs, leaning back into the couch, and draped an arm over the backrest again. "I didn't think about that. What do you want?"

Aiden stood up, his brows bunched up in concentrated thinking as he paced over to the window. For a few heartbeats, neither of them said anything, Aiden staring out into the darkness of space and Darren observing him with anticipation fluttering in his stomach.

"You'll be my secretary, part-time. Help me out with reports. Run errands for me," Aiden said when he turned around. He circled his desk and perched his ass on the edge, his gaze pinned on the wall above Darren's head.

Was Aiden serious about that? Surely not. "And if I win in arm—"

"Who said you are getting anything?" Aiden cut in with a little scoff. Dismissive or mocking perhaps, but totally okay either way when an impish smile was challenging Darren to back out now. "And the secretary work is my requirement if you want me to consider your arm-wrestling request."

"If I win, you'll let me off the upcoming exam," Darren said the first thing that came to mind.

It didn't really matter what he won; he was in so he could get away from his cell and enjoy the challenge of conquering the first man in a while who could resist his killer smile. This kind of cat and mouse was exactly what he needed right now. It was the buildup before the dirty fucking, and then he would move on like he always did and wait for the next distraction to come along after Aiden Kesley's term at Horizons finished. It was how life had always worked for Darren, even before his ass had landed in prison, and he liked it this way because he knew the rules of the game and how to play it.

"I don't give my students preferential treatment just because they don't know when they are overstepping. Besides, I haven't agreed to your childish challenge," Aiden argued as if he'd not even noticed Darren spacing out.

"You haven't?"

"No."

Darren squinted, wondering where Aiden was going with this. Because, clearly, he was going somewhere or else he wouldn't have humored Darren so far. Did it matter what motive was behind it though? If Darren could get close to the warden, he and his smuggling gig could only benefit from it. Granted, this wasn't some kind of long-winded trap.

"How can I convince you then?"

Aiden donned an amused expression, as if Darren saying that had been his goal all along. Perhaps Darren had underestimated the man and single-handedly driven himself right into the viper-tongued fox's trap. "Like I said, do some secretary work for me. If you survive long enough, I might consider your silly request."

"You were serious about the secretary work?" Darren asked, replaying their conversation in his mind.

There really was no downside to agreeing. He got to spend time outside his cell and the opportunity to make an ally or accomplice out of the warden. It was almost too good to be true and part of him was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Could Management be behind it? Because of the inspection? Were they trying to fish out the kingpins and shut down any potential issues before they became a problem?

But they hadn't bothered in the two years he'd been here, so surely they weren't suddenly going to turn smart. He was probably just overthinking it.

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't," Aiden all but scoffed. "Think about it and let me know if you want the job."

Like he needed to even think about it.

"I'll take it," Darren rushed to say, shooting up to his feet. He needed this, trick or not. The distraction, the opportunity to be closer to the warden. The chance to seduce him. "Where do I sign?"

Aiden's lips curled upward in a stifled smirk. "I'll get the paperwork sorted out by the end of next week."

Darren nodded, grinning like an idiot as Aiden shooed him out of the office so he could go home. This was an unexpected development. GN Special Forces Intelligence background or not, Darren had fallen right for the bait. Played like a fly to a honey trap. Except, he smirked to himself as he left the warden's office behind, this turn of events was even better than what he could've hoped for.