Kayden stared at Eric in shock. He honestly hadn't been expecting that. Especially since they started off on the wrong foot.

"I won't let you go back, Eric." Kayden stated in a fierce voice. "I spent ten years of my life there wondering what was wrong with me because I couldn't get adopted. Mrs. Laje is amazing, but she's no substitute for a family."

Eric looked down before meeting Kayden's eyes. "I'm on a trial adoption. I'll be sent back with or without your consent."

Kayden frowned at that. It was true that Eric could be sent back to the orphanage. But it was also true that Kayden could intervene should it ever come to that.

"I could..." Kayden frowned when he realized what he was about to offer. He doubted if he would even pass his own criteria for becoming a legal guardian. He had high standards. His only flaw was that he couldn't provide a stable home. Not with the way his mother was acting. He'd have to move out completely and have a stable income and home for at least a year...no, it was best not to mention it.

"Nevermind. Just know that from now on I'll always be here for you despite whatever happens."

Eric frowned slightly but nodded nonetheless. He ran a hand through his short blonde hair and let out a sigh. "I'd like to go to sleep now."

Kayden let out a grin before gesturing toward the bed next to his own. When Eric raised an eyebrow at him, he merely said, "I'm taking a shower first."

Eric rolled his eyes before walking over to the dresser and yanking out a random pair of underwear, sweatpants, and a too large shirt. "I'm also taking one...downstairs."

Kayden let out a booming laugh before he turned on his heel and entered the bathroom. It would seem that it was easy to tease Eric.

Kayden was doing his best to ignore what his mother had said. Even after all these years of her caring for him like he was her own flesh and blood, he didn't approve of her morals regarding adoption.

It wasn't like Kayden could do anything if he was sent back. And since he was flagging his parents to at least caution adoption agencies, he would have a hard time keeping Eric with him.

It was a delicate process and he hated that.

His mother should also understand that a person's past is a complicated thing. Whatever Eric went through as a child, it was traumatic to say the least. He didn't even want to contemplate what might have happened. It wasn't his place to question Eric about his past.

It only seemed fair since he was keeping his own hidden.

Besides, his parents had overreacted when he was eighteen and his past caught up to him just a bit. No one was injured. It was a simple stalking issue and was resolved within weeks. His mother loved making things more dramatic than they needed to be.

After showering, Kayden stepped into his room with a frown on his face. He didn't see Eric but just assumed that he was still in the shower.

Laying down, he thought through all the different possibilities or options that he could offer Eric. It wouldn't be much but it would be something.

By the time Eric returned, Kayden was already huddled in the blankets.

"Did you enjoy your shower?" Kayden grumbled as he opened one eye and stared at Eric's still form.

Eric rolled his eyes before closing the door and climbing into his own bed. He let out a tired sigh, forcing away his angry tears.

Kayden refrained from sighing as he sat up and pushed himself backwards until he was leaning against the headboard. "Don't let her words get to you. It's okay if you have a bad past."

Eric's body tensed before he pulled his blanket closer to his body. "What if I'm not ready by the time school starts?"

"I'll take care of it." Kayden replied in a hard voice. "I've never been a fan of trial adoptions but they are necessary for some. However, my parents have only used it on me and you. My sisters were immediately adopted...partly because of their clean past."

Eric could hear the bitterness in his tone. "Is that why you created your business?"

"Yes. My job is to find families that are willing to adopt 'unwanted' children. Part of that process involves the potential family coming to whatever orphanage or adoption agency and spending time with potential family members. I never send children out on trial adoptions. If the families are serious in adopting, then taking a short trip to visit the children and spending time with them shouldn't be a problem. There are circumstances that may prevent families from traveling so I arrange for easier travel and let the children know that it isn't a guarantee." Kayden stated in a serious voice.

"Guarantees should be banned." Eric muttered under his breath. "How many children have you helped?"

Kayden bit back a chuckle before saying, "I've helped almost three thousand children get adopted over the past four and a half years I've been in business."

"Wooooow." Eric exclaimed in awe. "That's amazing! How'd you manage to help so many?"

"In the beginning I had late nights and barely any sleep. The first year I managed to help four hundred children get adopted. After that, I took two months off to create a handbook, code of ethics, and rules and regulations for future employees and managers. It was a lot of research and connection building but I managed to find five dedicated managers and hired about thirty people shortly after. It was rocky for the first few months but once I fixed all the kinks, my success rapidly increased. Since then, I've hired on about two hundred more employees and opened a few more management positions. The key to success is sharing power and letting your workers use their brain and training in order to handle situations. I'm always on call but I don't mind."

"It sounds amazing." Eric stated with the same sense of awe in his voice.

"Thank you." Kayden replied with a smile. Perhaps they'd be able to become friends again.