Absentmindedly, Noctis ran his fingers through Isaac's hair.
He felt more than good. After all the years he had spent trying to soften Isaac's heart toward him, he had finally succeeded. Of course, they had already kissed and grown closer in other ways — but only now did Noctis truly count them as a couple.
Isaac allowed so little closeness that Noctis had had to work his way to his very core to be certain Isaac really belonged to him.
There were still some who tried to get closer to Isaac, but Noctis did not see them as a serious threat.
Except for the cop.
That guy seriously got on his nerves, and Noctis made no effort whatsoever to hide his dislike. He hoped Isaac would soon realize on his own that this man was someone he should stay away from. Not just because he was a cop, but because he was clearly interested in Isaac.
Noctis sighed quietly and pressed a kiss to Isaac's head. Isaac's hand twitched briefly on his chest, then his breathing evened out again in sleep.
If only his little idiot were capable of properly reading other people's intentions, Noctis would probably sleep more peacefully than a baby.
Noctis smiled in satisfaction. He had worked hard for this, and he was not prepared to let anything come between them. No cop, no boss, and no one else who might interfere. He was ready to eliminate anyone who tried.
Which led directly to his current problem: the cop.
He had to get rid of him — and preferably in a way that Isaac would notice nothing. Ideally, he would not even question why the cop stopped showing up after Noctis was finished with him. But how was he supposed to do it without stirring up a hornet's nest?
By now, so many cops had died in this city that the investigations had become more thorough. Noctis was certain they would scrutinize every place the cop frequented.
Including Café Noir.
Isaac's workplace.
Noctis might be able to keep the cop's murder secret for two or three days. Regardless of whether his body was found or not.
And knowing Isaac, he would not be able to lie.
He might be socially inept. That did not mean he was not intelligent — he would immediately know who was behind the murder. Noctis trusted Isaac in everything he did. However, he was more than aware that Isaac was incapable of lying convincingly. He simply lacked the subtlety for it; he was far too direct, cutting, and honest for the milieu they worked in.
Which did not mean he lacked the coldness one needed to survive in the shadows.
Noctis, on the other hand, was not worried about himself.
They would not catch him. He had been killing for far too long. He was far too good at what he did and long past the point where idiotic rookie mistakes still happened to him.
Besides, he always worked alone.
Never in pairs.
That way he could use his abilities to their full extent and did not have to keep an extra eye on anyone. He understood why Isaac hated working with Noah. Noctis liked the kid well enough, but he was so naïve and so intoxicated by the fact that he had not been caught yet that he failed to notice how many problems he actually caused.
Especially for Isaac.
However, no one could really stop any of this anymore.
They were in too deep, and if Noah and Ashe were no longer allowed to take part, Isaac would be in serious trouble. And that was something Noctis could not allow under any circumstances. The only option would be to get Isaac out of the clan, but he was far too stubborn for that.
Or let a long time pass until he could carry out the raids alone again. But the boss would never allow that.
Noctis did not think much of the boss. He was greedy and only satisfied when he got everything he wanted and people kissed his ass. Perhaps Noctis's opinion of him would be different if he truly valued his people the way he always claimed.
But Noctis knew the man's darker side all too well.
He knew which bodies were buried in his basement, who was useful to him and who was a thorn in his side. Noctis had already made so many of his enemies disappear that he had actively helped place him on his beloved pedestal.
Isaac might honor the boss's goal. But when Noctis looked at the spectacle, the old man was trying to do nothing less than seize control of the entire city — and ensure that no one but him ruled it.
With all the splintered clans, it was no wonder that this goal existed at all.
Every single one of them was like a cancer eating the city from the inside out.
If it were only about uniting the city and all its factions, it might even be a noble goal. But not under the current powers that be.
Not that he cared. There were only very few things and people that deserved his attention. He held the most important of them in his arms.
A hearty yawn escaped him, which made Isaac scrunch up his face and mumble something unintelligible. Noctis suppressed a smirk and gently stroked his head again.
"Who would have thought you'd become this cuddly one day, hm?" he murmured quietly.
Isaac was wearing a wide-collared shirt that gave him a wonderful view of all the marks he had left on his body. With pride, he looked at every trace his teeth and the marks of his kisses had left — more than generously.
His mood lifted noticeably, since they stood out clearly from the marks the cop had given him. Besides, all of these were visible proof of his love, not signs of pain.
After all, he had made sure it was pleasant for Isaac and that they could enjoy becoming intimate together. He still could not quite believe they had finally done it. Noctis could still feel what Isaac had been like — how warm he had been despite his usually rather cool demeanor.
The mere thought of all the sounds he had never heard from him before made him hard again. From now on, he would have to restrain himself from pouncing on him like a hungry wolf every time.
The corner of his mouth twitched in amusement.
Or maybe he simply wouldn't.
No one could take this from him. Besides, he was probably the only person Isaac could sleep this peacefully with.
Even the hours spent waiting until Isaac had at least roughly finished the painting of him had been pleasant. It had been so peaceful. In that moment, Noctis had wished they could simply remain like this together until the end of their days.
He was truly hopelessly in love with this block of ice of a man.
With a satisfied breath, he switched off the small nightlight and closed his eyes to get some sleep himself. It was still long before his usual bedtime, but after all the activity Isaac had put him through, his body felt pleasantly heavy.
It had been nice to wake up with him and enjoy the day together.
Fortunately, he had no assignment to complete that night and could enjoy his time with Isaac without any interruptions.
Naturally, the moment the thought crossed his mind, his damn phone vibrated.
Annoyed, he reached for it, careful not to wake Isaac. He glanced at the display and declined the call.
The phone immediately began vibrating again.
Internally, Noctis counted to three.
Then he answered.
"What do you want?" he hissed quietly, but clearly annoyed.
"Man, why are you just declining me?" Moz complained before his tone turned serious again. "You need to come. There's work."
"I'm off duty," Noctis replied dryly. "So leave me alone."
Moz let out a short laugh. "Good one. Be a good dog and get over here. The boss wants to see you."
Noctis' gaze hardened.
"Fuck you," he growled softly. Then he slowly exhaled. "I'll call you back in a minute."
He ended the call and stared up at the dark ceiling of Isaac's bedroom for a moment, as if that might undo the call. With regret, he looked down at Isaac. The room was softly illuminated by the moonlight. He should have turned off the bedside lamp earlier, because in this light Isaac looked almost ethereal.
His white hair looked hauntingly beautiful.
What he wouldn't give to be able to watch him a little longer.
"Do you have to go?" Isaac's sleepy voice sounded.
Noctis snorted quietly. "Unfortunately, yes." He leaned down and kissed Isaac's crown again, this time lingering a moment longer. "I wish I could stay here with you."
"Mhm… you're nice and warm. Shame you have to leave," Isaac murmured drowsily. Slowly, he sat up and rested his forehead against Noctis'. For a brief moment, his usually calm gaze turned unusually soft. "Take care of yourself, okay?"
"Unlike a certain someone, I always come back without injuries," Noctis teased him. "I'll hurry and be back before sunrise to wake you."
"Normally I always come back unhurt too…," Isaac pouted. "As long as you really only wake me…"
Noctis' lips curved into a lazy grin. "Of course. What else would I do?" he asked with feigned innocence.
Isaac sleepily smacked his chest.
"You know exactly what I mean. Any more and my hip's going to fall apart," he muttered, embarrassed. "Thanks to you, work tomorrow is going to be torture."
At the thought, the corner of Noctis' mouth twitched in amusement. How he would love to see that with his own eyes. Maybe after the job he would actually stop by the café for a few hours — sit down at a table, watch Isaac work, and drive him insane with nothing but his gaze — before allowing himself a few hours of sleep.
"Don't worry," he murmured in a rough voice. "I want you to get some proper rest. So we can soon pick up where we left off earlier in the shower."
His fingers slowly brushed over Isaac's lips, lingering there a moment too long.
"Besides," he added more quietly, "I want to test just how flexible you really are, my little master thief."
Isaac snorted softly, audibly flustered. "Don't think I'll always let you do whatever you want."
In that moment, Noctis actually regretted turning off the lamp. He would have bet good money that Isaac was blushing deep red right now.
Then Isaac murmured, noticeably quieter:
"That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it… and that I'm not looking forward to next time. But only once I don't feel this sore anymore."
Noctis' expression softened unusually for a brief moment. His Isaac was far too cute.
"You can do anything with me that your heart desires," he said calmly.
"Just you wait," Isaac murmured. He kissed Noctis on the lips. "Thanks for staying here all day."
Noctis gently brushed his thumb over Isaac's cheek. "You'll be alright on your own?"
"No problem. Besides, I've got enough to keep me distracted."
They kissed again — this time a moment longer. Right then his phone vibrated impatiently again.
Damn Moz!
Noctis exhaled audibly in annoyance.
"I'll see you later," he said quietly.
"Okay."
Isaac sank back into the pillow while Noctis slowly slipped out of bed. He pointedly ignored the still-vibrating phone and got dressed at an unhurried pace.
"Aren't you going to answer that?" Isaac murmured sleepily.
"Nah. He can wait until I'm ready."
He leaned down to Isaac once more and gave him one last, brief goodbye kiss.
"Don't do anything stupid and stay out of trouble, okay? Lately you've been surprisingly good at getting yourself into it."
Isaac let out a tired hum and pulled the blanket higher.
"I can take care of myself…," he murmured sleepily — yet his fingers loosely clutched Noctis' shirt for another moment, as if part of him was still reluctant to let him go.
Noctis only pulled away after a brief hesitation.
"Still let me know if anything happens," Noctis replied with a quiet sigh.
But all he heard from Isaac was a murmur of agreement before his breathing evened out again.
Noctis remained seated for a moment longer, watching him in the half-dark. The phone's vibration had stopped.
"I love you, darling," Noctis whispered softly, then left the bedroom just as quietly.
So much for the peace.
At least he had gotten over thirty wonderful hours with Isaac. He could almost count that as a vacation.
The moment the apartment door clicked shut behind him, his phone vibrated again.
Noctis' eyes narrowed.
"I swear to you, Moz, one day I'm going to kill you personally," he growled irritably as he accepted the call. "When I say I'll call back, you don't have to try a hundred times in the meantime."
"If it weren't important, I wouldn't be calling this often," Moz replied dryly. "When will you be here?"
"You're annoying." Noctis glanced briefly at his watch as he was already heading down the stairs. "Fifteen minutes."
"Perfect."
Noctis' mouth twisted thinly. "Get ready, Moz. When I see your face in a minute, I can't guarantee anything."
A short laugh sounded on the other end — a bit too high. "You do realize I'll be there, right?"
"Too bad for you," Noctis replied coolly and hung up.
For a moment he stood in the stairwell, slid the phone back into his pocket, and exhaled slowly. The pleasant warmth of the last hours was already giving way to the familiar cold inside him.
As he left the building and stepped into the night air, the corner of his mouth twitched faintly.
At least, in the meantime, he could take comfort in the thought that Moz was probably half scared out of his mind by now.
___
The headquarters lay hidden in the heart of Magnolia — right in plain sight and yet so well camouflaged that no other clan had ever discovered it. Not even the idiots from the Leviathan Cartel had stumbled across it so far. And the base had existed for over forty years without ever needing to relocate.
Noctis strolled past the figures lurking in the shadows. They knew him here; it was far from the first time he had walked this path. Without slowing, without greeting anyone, he headed straight for the boss's office.
He was more than irritated about having to leave Isaac's warm bed because of a sudden call. Not that anyone had really given him a choice.
Behind the desk, the boss's pale figure was waiting for him, with Moz standing behind him. Dressed in a dark blue suit far too formal for what the clan represented. His blond hair was styled as if he were about to walk into an office job. Just seeing his face made the anger rise in Noctis again. There was more than one reason why he couldn't stand him.
Without hesitation, Noctis drew his knife and hurled it at Moz. With an audible thud, the blade sank into the wood-paneled wall right beside Moz's head.
Moz let out a startled sound while Noctis calmly rolled his shoulders. That had felt good.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Moz snapped.
A thin smile spread across the boss's lips. His alert, intelligent eyes rested on Noctis as he gestured with his long fingers toward the knife.
"Moz, be so kind as to give Noctis his knife back," the boss said calmly.
"B-but Boss, he just—!" Moz began.
Noctis folded his arms provocatively across his chest and shot Moz a mocking look.
"Exactly, Moz. Be a dear and bring me my knife. My hand slipped, unfortunately, and without it I feel so naked."
Moz flushed red, the anger on his face impossible to miss.
"Moz," the boss repeated.
He said only his name, and yet the threat was unmistakable. Moz cursed under his breath, wrenched the knife from the wall with effort, and brought it to Noctis as ordered. But before Noctis took the knife, he grabbed Moz's wrist and yanked him closer.
Moz might have been slightly taller, but Noctis twisted his arm so skillfully that the other man dropped to his knees with a pained expression. Now Noctis could look down at him.
"What a well-behaved dog," he hissed softly. Moz's words from the phone still echoed in his head.
"Crazy bastard," Moz growled.
Noctis grinned broadly. "Go on. Keep insulting me. Maybe next time I won't miss on purpose."
"That's enough." The boss's voice sounded calm, yet firm enough that Noctis took the knife and released Moz. "Leave us alone, Moz."
Moz's eyes widened briefly, then he clenched his fist.
"Understood. Call me if you need me, Boss."
He shot Noctis one last furious glare before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.
Noctis chuckled quietly. "That little bastard will never learn."
The boss sighed softly. "You really are the only one who gets under his skin like this. Thanks to you, I'll have to listen to his whining later."
Noctis raised an amused brow. "You could always finally authorize taking him out, Vincent."
His boss's dark eyes glinted with amusement. "He's too useful for that."
Vincent wore his long black hair in a loose, slightly messy bun, several strands having slipped free. His black-painted fingernails were, as always, cut short. His shirt was open several buttons, revealing part of his pale, muscular chest.
Multiple piercings adorned his ears, and a slim ring pierced his lip.
He carried a classic elegance that made him appear older than he actually was.
If it weren't for the broad scar that extended the corner of his mouth, he would look like an entirely ordinary man from the goth scene. Vincent was probably one of the most dangerous men Noctis knew.
"I see," Noctis replied with a shrug. He walked over to the desk and sat on its edge. "So? What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to kill someone for me."
That had been expected.
Noctis sighed. "As you know, I've got quite a lot on my plate. Can't someone else handle it?"
"No," Vincent said firmly. "We will continue what we started."
The corner of Noctis' mouth twitched. "Is that so? Very well. Of course only I can handle this job." He held out his hand. "Who's the poor bastard?"
Vincent slid a photo across the desk. Noctis picked it up and memorized the man's face before placing it back down.
"My people fed him a few leads. Right now he's on his way to the docks."
"When will he be there approximately?"
"In about an hour. Good thing you got here so quickly."
"You could give me a bit more notice," Noctis sighed. "Well, thanks to your preparation, I don't have much to do."
A barely visible smile flickered across Vincent's lips. "I would never overwork you. After all, you're already quite busy." His gaze sharpened. "How is your other assignment going?"
"It's going. Not as easy as expected. Unfortunately, something keeps getting in the way," Noctis replied. "What about the others?"
"They're doing their work very well. It won't take much longer."
Noctis slid off the desk and landed silently on his feet. For a moment, he studied Vincent intently.
"Delay it a little longer," he finally said more quietly. "I need the time."
Vincent tilted his head ever so slightly. "I'll see what can be done. We'll stay in touch."
A crooked grin appeared on Noctis' lips. "Maybe next time we should meet in a café. A little sunlight would do you good."
Vincent's smile was barely perceptible. "I'll think about it. Now get going — you don't have much time left."
"Do that. I know a pretty good one — you'll like it there," Noctis said. He waved over his shoulder without looking back at him. "See you around."
He left the office, not without throwing Moz one last amused glance. However, he didn't waste any more time on the idiot and took the fastest route to the docks, where his assignment was waiting.
The wheels had been set in motion.
Fortunately, this job would be quick — he still had plenty to deal with.
For example, finding out who had tipped off the Viper Syndicate about Isaac. Someone had talked, which meant Noctis would have to find that person so he could punish them.
Because aside from him, Noah, Ashe, and the boss, only two others knew.
Or he finally managed to get Isaac to leave the cartel.
The situation in Magnolia was noticeably escalating.
It was only a matter of time before chaos broke out.