Broken Bond: Between Vices and Virtues (BL)
Chapter 38: Enslaving Knox Arden

Chapter 38: Enslaving Knox Arden

As expected, the car was useless. The battery was dead and the brakes were a bit rusted, only proving more that Azrael never even bothered to have it maintained. Knox was even surprised that not a single rodent was squeaking inside the damned car.

The man standing by the garage entrance with folded arms was looking at Knox with an innocent face. He tilted his head and showed befuddlement after seeing the car die seconds after the engine revved.

"His surprised face is award-winning," Knox sarcastically uttered inside the car. He punched the horn and the car honked once. He quickly stepped out because the unpleasant and musty smell inside the car was hurting his nose.

It would have been satisfying to see Azrael’s face distort with disappointment and irritation after he succeeded in igniting the engine and driving it around for him to see. But who was he kidding? The man already knew the result, yet made him try and waste his effort.

"So, what now? How are you going to drive me to work? You still have an hour left," Azrael asked mischievously, waving the watch on his wrist to Knox.

Knox ignored him and dialed a number on his phone. The call went through and Knox turned his back to Azrael, so he didn’t notice the scowl in Azrael’s face.

He walked to Knox to snatch the phone away, as he couldn’t help but think that Knox was calling another man to send him a car, and that upset him.

"Yes, please, thank you," Knox murmured and ended the call. He turned to Azrael and almost shouted in surprise after seeing him inches away from him. He almost bumped into his broad chest. Knox stepped back and looked up at Azrael with questioning eyes.

Azrael spoke, "Who did you call?"

Knox, "...I booked a taxi...? What, I can’t even do that? How are we going to go to work then?"

Azrael’s face relaxed, "Tsk."

He rolled his eyes and went out. Knox followed him, "Hey, you have to unlock the gates so the taxi can soon come up here. Let’s go back inside the house first."

Azrael just continued to walk down the long pathway under the morning sun. His long strides are quick and Knox had to half run to catch up with him. Then, halfway through, Azrael stopped. He searched with his pockets for quite a while.

He even searched the pockets inside his black coat. Then, his head spun hastily toward Knox showing him a shocked expression. Azrael mumbled, disbelief etched on his face, "It’s not here."

Knox’s chest pounded, and with brows knitted, he asked carefully, "...what is?"

Azrael, "The gate’s remote control. I always remember to put it in my pocket whenever I leave the house. I wonder what made me forget today?"

Knox, "Damn you."

Azrael raised his brows, his confused look erased and the corner of his lips slightly curved upward, "Instead of damning me, why don’t you start heading back? The taxi will soon be here. You wouldn’t want to waste time, would you?"

Knox stood motionless. He glared at Azrael with hands balled into fists.

"Time is running, Mr. Arden."

With a loud sigh, Knox turned back and ran to the mansion. He flipped the whole ground floor but couldn’t find the remote. He even started to think that it might have been lost or misplaced since it wasn’t in the holder next to the screen monitor.

He went back to the foyer, searched the cabinets, and lifted the displays. However, it was nowhere to be seen. Until he heard a beep from the screen. He looked up and saw the cab already steering in through the gates.

His mouth hung open in disbelief. He was fooled! And he hated himself for falling to it. He grabbed his hair and pulled it out of frustration, stomping his feet on the floor.

"He’s f*cking playing with me!" He screamed. Instinctively, his hands flew and cupped his mouth. He used to curse freely without getting conscious when he was younger, but after having Knoa, his speech mellowed and became softer. But now, after meeting Azrael again, it seemed that the old short-tempered Knox was crawling out.

But there was no time to rethink the past. They can’t be late. Azrael will take even his Sundays when that’s the only day he can spend wholly with his child. His schedule was to make breakfast and dinner for Azrael on weekdays; and clean, cook, or do errands for him on Saturdays.

For five months, he needs to endure that routine, to finally be free from Azrael’s clutches.

He waited by the entrance door for the taxi, but he forgot how annoying his employer was. The cab stopped and stayed in the middle of the road, where Azrael stood before. He had hoped the driver would at least come to him, but he waved his hand instead, urging him to come already.

With a disgruntled expression, he ran to the cab, and almost slammed its hood after he reached it, even though he knew it was probably Azrael who ordered the driver to stop. He opened the passenger’s seat and hopped in, then he mentioned the DV Group’s building address.

Throughout the drive, Knox never spared the man in the backseat a single glance. He quietly watched the passing cars and stores. The time on his phone was thirty minutes before eight. He sighed in relief. Thirty minutes is more than enough to drop Azrael on his work, before his turn.

However, the pestiferous sorry of a man sitting by the backseat spoke again, "Stop by at that café. Buy me coffee and a cake. I’ll have that for breakfast—

Slam!

The car that stopped at the red light almost shook from the impact. Knox already went out and crossed the lanes to the other side. He reached the café Azrael was pointing out, and hurriedly ordered, "One americano with a spit and a slice of chocolate cake with a cockroach inside, to go, please."

The crew looked at Knox with a dumbfounded expression. Knox tapped the counter and said in haste, "Hurry, please. I’ll be late to work."

The crew panicked hearing his impatient tone. Knox felt bad and gave her an apologetic look as he gave a bill, then he bolted out as soon as he grabbed the box.

"Sir, your change!"

Knox shouted without looking, "Keep it!"

At the same time he stepped out of the café, the car was already parked at the front. He hopped in and gave the boxes of coffee and cake to Azrael.

Azrael took it with a frown and parted his lips to complain but Knox beat him to it, "An americano without cream, and a slice of chocolate cake. That’s what you like, right?"

Azrael froze. His eyes shook ever slightly and a subtle smile formed across his face. His mood became lighter and he even hummed a song. Knox looked back as he couldn’t believe him whistling, but when he met Azrael’s twinkling grey eyes, he realized the cause.

Knox averted his gaze and sat properly. His heart pounding from that small smile he witnessed on Azrael’s face. It was subtle, yet it was the same smile he always gave Knox back when he was having fun bickering with him.

It was unlike the smiles full of malicious intent, sarcastic insults, and smiles laced with restrained anger Knox received after meeting him again.

They arrived at the DV Group’s company building. Knox went out and opened the door for Azrael who, unlike he expected, stepped out of the car without so many complaints and orders. Some people who recognized Azrael gaped and incredulously gave him glances.

Murmuring to their companions, "Did you see that? Why would the CEO be riding a cab here?"

"Oh my god, he’s so humble!"

Knox scrunched his face at that last one. He turned away and was about to sit back inside the cab when Azrael called out to him.

Knox, "What?"

Azrael, "Don’t forget about dinner later. So, pick me up. I’ll message you when."

With that, he went ahead, ignoring the murmurs and even Luis who came and greeted him.

Knox sighed wearily. His day was already just starting, and yet he felt exhausted already. Aside from that, his mood gradually became worse after the cab got into traffic and he arrived twenty minutes late in the office.

Rona, who just walked out of the president’s office bumped into Knox who was running in haste. The papers she held fell and scattered on the floor, and her heart-shaped eyes were replaced with scornful looks after seeing that it was Knox whom she bumped into.

"My god, you’re not just late, you’re even clumsy and a bother," Rona grumbled. She remained standing and just folded her arms while looking down at Knox who crouched and picked the papers alone.

Knox couldn’t refute that. He was indeed late, and it was his fault that they bumped into each other since he was rushing without looking at whoever was at the corners taking a turn.

Knox mumbled, "I’m sorry. I was caught in traffic so I—

"Everyone here is waking up early so they won’t be late to work even if they get stuck in the traffic. If your way to work is congested, then you should wake up earlier than you used to. You’re just making excuses, Mr. Arden," Rona snatched the papers to Knox with an angry look and walked away, mumbling the last words to herself, "...he thinks he could do what he wants just because Sir Athan is fond of him, hmph."

Knox did not know it she intended to let him hear it, but if she did, then she succeeded. His shoulders drooped and he lowered his head. It seemed that Athan’s behavior toward him was already catching attention within the office.

Knox sighed and massaged his temple. He hadn’t even started working, yet his head was already aching.