Lachlan doesn’t argue.
Hot, salty, flavourful and nourishing.
It’s so good he could cry.
‘Does Vasily know?’Lachlan asks Blaire.
Blaire nods sadly.‘He knows.Danya called ahead and told us.I was the one who told him.He asked to be left alone.I respected it.’Then much lower, she says to Lachlan, ‘We need to speak privately soon.’
Lachlan understands even if hedoesn’t.
They need Zaitsev to create a wraparound.
‘Sure.’
He finishes his soup and then walks around the other side of the table to Jules who reaches for him like a lover, boyfriend, no thought to hide anything.Trauma will do that, Lachlan knows.
He pulls Lachlan down around him like a cloak.Lachlan drops a kiss to Jules’ shoulder, eyes closed for one indulgent moment, but no more.
‘Danny, bring Zaitsev here.’
He gives a brisk nod.‘Heard.’
They have several hours before dawn.
Lachlan needs to get things straight in his head.
Jules almost finishes his soup.Lachlan sits beside him.The boy looks so tired, but he taps his ring finger to Lachlan’s bruised knuckle three times.
Lachlan looks at him for a beat and then whispers, ‘I love you too.’
Zaitsev arrives with Nina Belova who stands guard outside after speaking briefly with Danya.He tracks the bare bones of their conversation, surprised to learn she knew about Roman because she uses the wordbrother.
It reminds Lachlan of what Sorrenko said to Penhalyx.
I have seen enough, mladshiy brat.
Lachlan looks at Zaitsev, makes a motion with two fingers circling.Wraparound.Zaitsev compresses the buttons of his handset, and his eyes go a little unfocused.He gives the signal for clear.
‘Sorrenko told me,’ Lachlan informs Danya without preamble.
‘What did he tell you?’
‘That you’re his son.’
Jules looks at Lachlan sharply.‘Whose son?’
Danya exhales slowly, seems a little unwilling but ultimately resigned.
‘I was Mikhail’s firstborn outside of marriage.He kept my connection to him a secret, but he looked in on me.Helped escalate my training, got me into private sector.I came to work for him a few years ago.Outer circle, of course.It is not uncommon.I never spoke to the boys.It was forbidden and anyway, I didn’t want to upset them.’
‘Sorrenko didn’t just send you here to help me, did he?’
Danya rubs his eyes.‘Hedidsend me for that.’
‘But not only that.’
‘We were sent to protect Vasily.Mikhail knew his days were numbered.’
