Ian's POV

My lips parted and I stared at him in awe. What he told me should explain the little girl's picture I saw on his bedside table.

"You're a family man?" I asked shutting the door behind me.

"Now you know, can you please let me leave? My daughter's life can be in danger if they find out she's my child." Ted's voice came out low and cracked.

His booger filled eyes were brimming with tears and he was trying his best to avoid my inquisitive eyes.

"Didn't you read the requirements for the job?" I gasped and messed with the curls of my short hair. "It clearly stated that you shouldn't be a family man. My boss doesn't want any distractions."

Tears began to snake down Ted's cheeks. For the past year I've worked with him, I didn't know him to be this emotional.

He sniffed loudly, dragging back his disgusting mucus into his nose.

"Look, I was running low on money and I needed to give my baby girl a better life." He moved back to his bed and dropped on it like a bomb, rumpling the sheets.

"Papa please, leave her alone."

Slice.

"Papa please."

Tear.

"Hailbuzar, watch how we devils..."

"even when..." Something heavy landed on my head and it sent waves of shock to my brain. "Ian, are you even listening to me?"

"We're you saying..."

"I knew it was worthless talking to you." Ted threw his head back in annoyance and dropped it on the bed. "God, this life sucks."

Try putting yourself in my shoes Ted, and then, you'll know the real meaning of a life that sucks.

"I really love her." His sniffs and sobs filled the room. After he was tired of stressing his tear glands, he sat up. He looked at me slowly blinking his eyes and I watched how his tears fell off his chin. "Ian, please help me talk to your boss. I'm sure he'll listen to you."

Too bad he didn't know I was his boss. Though, I knew this was all an act and I decided to play along. Ted was a cunning bastard and I needed to keep an eye on him. The fact he just lied was enough for me to know he couldn't be trusted.

I could tell he was lying from his swift heartbeats. He kept on swallowing huge gulps of smelling saliva as he stared at me with his tear filled eyes. The drop of sweat snaking down his temples weren't helping matters either.

I wanted to tell him I knew he was lying, but I needed to keep shut to make him think I was just a dumb, sassy bodyguard.

What I didn't know was, if he really had a daughter. I was not strong enough to read minds yet.

But, this was my chance to get him to shut up. I've had enough of his dog-like whimpers for a day and I would like him to shut up.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not sure my boss will be happy if you leave." I ambled towards his bed and sat down beside him. "I know how it feels to have someone you badly want to protect."

I knew how that felt and I never stopped thinking about her. She made my childhood memorable in a good way.

"I never knew my mother." I threw my gaze on the white tiles, trying not to look pathetic in front of Ted.

He stared at the side of my face, trying to find my eyes. "I never knew that."

"Well, you didn't ask."

"Must've been hard on you."

Idiot, pretending like you care.

"Yeah, really hard. But there was this woman, she was a mother figure to me. I wanted to protect her so badly cause she meant a lot to me." I sighed deeply and rubbed my hands down my face. "But I was too weak to protect her. I thought I was strong enough to protect her but clearly, I wasn't."

I couldn't believe I exposed this part of my life to Ted, a human. People like me weren't meant to look weak in the eyes of humans. But I was different, I must not live up to the expectations of my father.

Ted wiped off the tears from his eyes, with the heel of his palm and rubbed a hand soothingly on my back.

"I'm sorry man."

"It's okay Ted. I know you want to protect your daughter, but running away will make things worse. I never got to meet my mother and I won't lie to you, it made me hate her."

"Janika won't hate me. I'm doing this for her. I love her."

Why are you lying Ted, Why?

"That's what you think." I got up from the bed and headed towards his half curtained window.

The rain had stopped falling and the celestial fireball in the sky was brightening up the whole city, drying up the damage of the heavy downpour.

I opened the window, letting the sun illuminate the room with its golden touch. "Trust me, if your daughter wakes up tomorrow and finds out you ran away, she'll hate you for life."

"Why would she hate me?" He asked, yelling at the top of his voice. "I was already planning on leaving my grandma with enough cash to take care of her."

Humans and their foolish mentality.

Money wasn't everything.

"She stays with your grandma?" I asked cause I was wondering who the girl was staying with if she didn't stay with him

"Yes, you would've known if you listened to what I was saying some minutes ago."

"All I'm saying is, don't quit the job. If you want to keep your daughter safe, be there for her. Don't make the same mistake my mother did."

He picked up his luggage and started pouring his clothes on his bed. "I guess you're right."

"So does that mean you're staying?" I asked as I moved towards him.

"Yes,"

Finally.

"But, I'm still getting an increase right?" He added.

The corner of my lip twitched and I nodded my head. "Sure, my boss will be happy I pulled off the deal."

Ted threw on a lacklustre smile and headed towards the door. "Let me go get you something to..." He just stood at the doorway, immobile.

Abruptly, a strong gust of wind circulated around the room, causing Ted's clothes to fly around carelessly. I held my hand over my face trying to see what was going on.

After a while, the wind-dispersed and the clothes dropped on the floor. I looked at the doorway and saw the shadow of huge wings being cast over Ted and I, plastering itself on the mosaic wall.

I knew that presence. It reeked of evil and everything I went against. I heard the wings flap close, causing its silhouette to disappear from the wall.

He was here and I knew it. But what got me wondering was, how did he find me?

"Hello brother, did you think I won't find you?" His voice was deep and smooth as always.

Classic Albazar.