**Chapter 4: Ryder's Bratty Behavior**

Ryder sauntered into the room, a mischievous glint in his eye as he flopped down onto the couch beside Elijah. "Hey, sweetheart," he said, nudging Elijah with his elbow. "What's going on?" Elijah smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Just Kael being Kael," he replied, his voice low and soothing. Ryder snorted, rolling his eyes. "Oh, joy. How's he being today?" Elijah's expression turned sympathetic. "He's on edge, Ryder. Let's just leave him alone, okay?" But Ryder was having none of it. He loved pushing Kael's buttons, loved watching him squirm and react. It was like a game to him, a way to pass the time and have a little fun. And besides, Kael was always so serious, so brooding and intense. Ryder loved to see him lose his cool, loved to see him crack. "Come on, Elijah," Ryder said, tugging on his arm. "Let's go tease Kael a little bit. It'll be fun, I promise." Elijah sighed, but Ryder could see the amusement in his eyes. "Ryder, don't. You're going to get us into trouble." But Ryder just grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "That's the best part," he said, pulling Elijah out of the room and towards Kael. Kael was sitting in a chair, his eyes fixed on some point in front of him. He looked up as Ryder and Elijah approached, his expression darkening as he saw Ryder's grin. "What do you want, Ryder?" he growled, his voice low and menacing. Ryder just chuckled, sauntering over to stand in front of Kael. "Oh, I don't know," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I just thought I'd come and see if I could get a rise out of you." Kael's eyes narrowed, his face twisting in a scowl. "You think you're funny, don't you?" he spat, his voice venomous. Ryder just shrugged, his grin still plastered on his face. "Maybe a little," he said, his voice light and airy. But Kael wasn't having it. He stood up, his eyes blazing with anger, and took a step closer to Ryder. "You're not funny, Ryder," he said, his voice low and deadly. "You're just a brat who thinks he can push people's buttons and get away with it." Ryder's grin faltered for a moment, but then he just laughed. "Oh, Kael," he said, his voice teasing. "You're so easy to push." But before Ryder could react, Kael's hand shot out and grabbed his arm, his fingers digging deep into Ryder's skin. Ryder yelped, his eyes widening in surprise, as Kael pulled him close. "You're playing with fire, Ryder," Kael whispered, his breath hot against Ryder's ear. "And you're going to get burned." Alessandro's voice cut through the tension, his tone firm and commanding. "Kael, let him go." Kael's grip on Ryder's arm relaxed, and he stepped back, his eyes never leaving Ryder's face. Ryder took a deep breath, his heart still racing from the sudden confrontation. "Thanks, Alessandro," he said, rubbing his arm. Alessandro's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing as he watched Kael. "Kael, you need to get your emotions under control," he said, his voice firm. "You're not going to hurt anyone else today." Kael's face twisted in a scowl, but he nodded, his eyes dropping to the floor. Ryder felt a surge of fear, mixed with a little bit of pity. Kael was a complex, messed-up guy, and Ryder wasn't sure if he was ready to deal with him. But as he looked over at Elijah, he saw the concern in his eyes, and he knew that he had to be there for him, for all of them. They were in this together, and they would face whatever came their way, as a team. As the tension in the room dissipated, Ryder grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Well, that was fun," he said, his voice light and airy. But Elijah just shook his head, his eyes rolling. "You're a menace, Ryder," he said, his voice exasperated. Ryder just chuckled, pulling Elijah into a hug. "That's why you love me," he said, his voice happy and carefree. But as they hugged, Ryder couldn't shake the feeling that they were all playing with fire, and that it was only a matter of time before they got burned.