When Lachlan approaches him now, Jules still clearly despises him, but there’s something new beneath it.His tone is silky, his expressions sly, and ever since the conversation in the car, he carries himself with the unsettling air of someone who knows more than he should.
Mimi is playing with Lachlan’s bootlaces while they talk in Jules’ bedroom.
When it comes to explaining what lies ahead, Lachlan chooses to be as honest with Jules as possible.It usually yields a slightly better path to walk.Jules doesn’t seem remotely surprised by the instructions he’s given.
Charming.Lachlan cannot imagine this pain in his ass being charming.
‘I know what he wants.’Jules looks at Mimi, gaze softening.‘I’ll behave.’
Lachlan has to trust that he will.
?
Over the next few weeks, Lachlan divides his time between preparing for the “party”, which increasingly resembles a royal coronation rather than a birthday, and dealing with constant demands from private security teams requesting blueprints, patrol patterns and monitoring access ahead of their arrivals.Luckily, this is one area in which Fenwick excels, and his competence smooths the tension between them considerably.Whatever else, he’sPenhalyx’sman, and these people set to arrive might be friends of the family but Lachlan and Fenwick quietly agree that they pose a potential threat, so Fenwick constructs an info-packet for their security teams that gives away nothing but temporary surface access, all of which will be swiftly changed once these people leave.
Lachlan works on tightening the East Wing.
He speaks with Jules, trying to convince him to wear the threads.It’s the first time he asked him how he knew about them.
‘I could feel it,’ Jules explains like he’s stupid for asking.‘All the extra static shocks, sometimes I could even hear the frequency whine.’
‘How did you disable your old bracelet?’Lachlan asks, sitting with Jules, Blaire and Mimi for lunch, but he needs to start normalising testing food before she eats anything at the party, so he’s trying to make a game of it.Mimi points to her sliced banana and giggles when Lachlan takes a bite.
‘Wouldn’t youloveto know,’ Jules says and Lachlan notes the slightly elongated stretch on the wordlove,the way he rarely blinks.He’s a confident kid, to the manner born, though he’d likely skin himself to be free of it.
‘Can I try?’Blaire asks Mimi who pats her hand and tells her, ‘No,’in a firm but kind way.Blaire has been trying to bond with Mimi, with mixed results.Mimi tolerates her presence and can even be friendly with Blaire in passing but Mimi Penhalyx only really trusts her brother and Lachlan, who shestillsometimes callsDaddyin a secret whisper, giggling when he corrects her.
‘Gotta go pee,’ Mimi announces proudly after a beat, and thisissomething she’ll let Blaire help with, so Lachlan waits until they’re both gone before he grasps his communicator and presses two buttons at once, creating a brief static field of oppressive radio silence for Jules and Lachlan to speak privately.
‘You know why he’s bringing her to the party?’
Jules darkens.‘I know, yeah.’
‘I need to be sure you’re going to behave.If he orders me to punish her—’
‘You won’t hurt her,’ Jules counters quickly, and it’s confident, yes, but he’s testing too.‘You love her.I see it.’
Calmly, Lachlan says, ‘I don’t love anyone.’He dislikes the strangetwistbehind his ribs.‘And Fenwick would happily carry out any punishment in my stead.Are you going to behave?’
‘Perform, you mean?’
‘Yes.’
Jules seems to be considering things eighteen-year-olds should never have to consider.‘I know better than to embarrass him in front of his friend.Just promise me you’ll keep her safe from them.’
‘From the guests?’
‘They’re fuckingvampires,’he seethes quietly.‘If you stay with her the whole time, I’ll be good.I know what he wants from me anyway.’
‘You do?’
‘Of course.’
The unpleasant niggling suspicion cannot be quashed.‘Will you tell me?’
‘Maybe.’Jules cocks his head.‘How about we trade for information?’
‘All right.You go first.’
