Chapter 1
"What exactly is it that you're looking for?" Declan looked his client up and down. Kellen wasn't exactly an ugly-looking guy. In fact, he was what Declan would consider to be a pretty normal and handsome-looking person. He was tall and sharply dressed. Everything about him seemed to scream “business professional,” but he had a look about him that said he was up to no good, and that made Declan wary.
Kellen considered the question before he answered. This was another dangerous sign, at least in Declan's experience. Most of the time, clients just blurted out what they wanted. Maybe they wanted something to protect a secret entrance to their home or maybe they wanted a private passageway installed. No matter what they wanted, the
y would just tell him. The sooner they verbalized their thoughts, the sooner Declan would be able to make their dream project become a reality.
After all, Declan was the security design expert.
But Kellen was different.
"It's very important to me that this project remain private," he said instead of answering. Kellen twisted his hands together in an awkward gesture that showed he was both nervous and untrusting. Perfect. That was just what Declan needed: a difficult client.
A wave of irritation washed over Declan. It definitely seemed as though Kellen was questioning his ability to provide security and stability for him. Whether or not that was the case, Declan wasn't sure. What he did know was that Kellen was grating to work with, and they hadn't even finalized the plans for whatever "secret" project it was that Kellen had in mind.
"We've already signed nondisclosure agreements," Declan pointed out. "And I'd like to remind you that I take my clients' privacy very seriously. I never disclose the specific details of a project to anyone who isn't directly involved in it. Even when I must disclose information required for an installation to my team, they’re all very discreet. My track record shows this.”
"I understand that," Kellen said. He paced the room, and Declan discreetly sniffed the air. Was that sweat? Nervousness? Was Kellen feeling uncomfortable?
Why the hell would he be nervous about having something installed in his home?
Especially if it was something he had personally ordered.
"You see, I’ve recently acquired a very special...pet. I don't want it to escape."
"That's understandable," Declan nodded in agreement. The Chrystolite Isles were beautiful, but there were plenty of deadly and horrible things that existed on them. The island that Declan and his brothers lived on, Sapphire Island, was one of largest and most beautiful that existed in this selection of islands. If a special pet got out of your home, there was no telling what might happen to it.
It could be eaten by another wild animal, lost, or even worse.
While many of the shifters who lived in the Chrysolite islands were dog people, Declan personally preferred cats. They were small and easy to care for. They didn’t require too much attention, and they weren’t too needy. Somehow, he doubted that was the kind of pet Kellen was considering, though. That didn’t matter. There were plenty of larger and more exotic animals that roamed the islands.
"How large is the pet?" Declan asked. He noticed that Kellen hadn't told him what kind of animal it was. Eventually, Declan would want to know, but right now, this was a sort of trust exercise. They were establishing boundaries with each other, and they were determining exactly what Declan was going to be able to offer Kellen.
"Large enough."
"Can you give me a range?" Declan raised an eyebrow. "Are we dealing with a bird or a tiger?"
"Closer to something in-between."
Another vague answer.
Perfect.
Declan took a deep breath, once more trying to stay calm. He never should have taken this meeting. He should have made Christopher or Brian do it, he thought. They were his brothers and they had equal weight in their shared company. Unfortunately, Christopher was mostly the geeky tech guy, and Brian was kind of Mr. Brains and Mr. Business and Mr. Ladykiller all rolled into one. That left Declan to come out for things like this.
"So, what boundaries do you want for your pet?" Declan asked, pulling out his tablet. He would continue the meeting as long as he could handle it, but Kellen was so jumpy that Declan had a feeling that things were going to spiral out of control very quickly.