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Lucas clenched his teeth against the swell of pain that threatened to overwhelm him. There were so many things he wanted to say, but he couldn’t get the words out. And now was not the time. They needed to make plans, protect Ian, and finally take care of Jagger. His own guilt and failure could be handled later.
“Okay.” His voice was rough as if from lack of use.
Pulling back, Rowe stared up at him, frowning. No, his friend didn’t believe him for a second, but it could wait. Giving his neck one last squeeze, Rowe released him and retreated to where he had been standing next to the chair that held Noah.
Lucas straightened and started to look for Andrei, but his eyes immediately snagged on Snow, standing no more than three feet away. A scowl darkened his features. The surgeon wasn’t buying his “okay” either. Snow grabbed him and pulled him into a quick hug. He could feel the barely reined-in tension humming through Snow’s frame. He probably wanted to shout at Lucas for a while too, but they had bigger problems on their plate. And in truth, calming the minds of his best friends wasn’t even at the top of his list. He needed to find Andrei. Needed to see him, touch him, hold him. Had to know that he hadn’t lost the best thing to walk into his life since he’d found Snow, Rowe, and Ian.
Snow released him and returned to where Jude was sitting on the couch. Ian had gotten up and approached while Snow had held Lucas. They stared at each other. Of all the people who’d been calling Lucas over the past few weeks, Ian had been the most determined and most vehement about Lucas’s need to return home. He’d ranted, cajoled, teased, and pleaded. In the end, it hadn’t been the damn picture that drew Lucas back. In truth, he’d already been on the plane home when that had rolled in.
Lifting his right hand, he pulled the collar of Ian’s button-down shirt to the side, giving him a better view of the bruises that darkened his pale skin. It looked horrible, and it had Lucas grinding his teeth. He should have been home, protecting his family.
His gaze shifted back to meet Ian’s and the younger man lifted both eyebrows, almost as if he was daring Lucas to say anything. And…he couldn’t. One word and Lucas knew that Ian would unleash his own tirade about Lucas’s absence and stupidity.
With a small smirk, Lucas grabbed Ian’s shoulder and pulled him against him, hugging him tightly as he rested his cheek against Ian’s head. “Missed you.”
Ian wrapped his arms around Lucas’s waist, hugging him as if he wanted to sink inside of Lucas. “You’re an idiot,” he said, his voice muffled against Lucas’s suit jacket. “But I still love you.”
When Ian stepped away from Lucas, he finally searched the room for the one person he’d wanted to see since his private jet had touched down at Lunken Airport. He turned and finally spotted Andrei hanging back in the shadows of the dining room as if he were not quite part of the group.
Their eyes met and for a breath, everything stopped as Lucas saw…nothing. Andrei had shuttered his emotions, his face completely unreadable. Lucas opened his mouth to say his name, but Andrei gave a small shake of his head before breaking eye contact as he walked over to stand by the windows. A little closer to the group but still apart.
Closing his mouth, Lucas cleared his throat. He had to focus. Make sure Ian was safe. Form a plan. Stop Jagger. All important things even if his heart was screaming for him to put everything on hold for one hour, even just one minute, so he could haul Andrei off to some private spot and talk to him, explain why he had to leave. But what he wanted had to wait.
“What’s going on? Ian was attacked by one of Jagger’s men?” he demanded as he slid off his coat and tossed it onto the kitchen island. He stepped the rest of the way into the living room, standing directly behind the sofa with his hands in his pockets. “Jagger has never had a problem with Ian.”
“But he’s got a big problem with us,” Rowe countered. He shrugged, sitting on the arm of the chair that Noah was relaxing in. “Maybe he’s ready to take us all out. Ian included.”
“He promised he would leave Ian alone,” Snow snarled, earning a bitter chuckle from Rowe.
“You really think he cares about a promise made years ago?” Rowe snorted. “I’m fucking surprised he waited this long considering what’s locked up in Ian’s head about the douchebag’s operations.”
“Lovely thought, Rowan,” Ian muttered, sinking down onto the couch. The angle put him closer to Snow, who was now glaring at Rowe in warning. Ian leaned against him.
