Page 46 of Laken's longing

“Who is going to be at your parent’s house?” he finally asked nervously, as they got nearer. When he said family meeting, did that mean all his brothers and his parents?

“Everyone, including Frey, Ziggy and Hollis,” Laken replied grimly.

His voice sounded strained, and with the dimness in the interior of the car, Isley couldn’t get a good look to fathom out how he felt about the PAs’ attendance. Would his presence raise questions? He wasn’t sure Laken was ready to talk about them and whatever this was between them. He needed to know how to respond so as not to put his foot in things.

“Will it be odd, me turning up when not all of the PAs will be there? What do you want me to say?” he questioned timidly.

Laken pulled into the drive, parking behind Kari’s car before he answered. “You’re my PA. The person I’m with the most. It won’t seem strange you being here.”

Isley rubbed absently at his chest at the blunt honesty. What had he been expecting? If he’d been hoping for something more, that wasn’t Laken’s fault.

Isley glanced up at the welcoming, three-story house with all its windows lit up. A Christmas wreath hung from the door, reminding Isley how time had gotten away from him.

At the engine switching off, they were thrown into a tense silence, neither moving. Laken sighed and rubbed at his eyes. In the light, Isley noted they were no longer red, just a little puffy, but the embarrassment remained in their dark depths.

“You haven’t explained what tonight’s about,” he said hesitantly. “Is it to do with what we talked about in your office?”

“Sort of,” Laken replied gruffly, reaching for the car door handle, ending any further conversation.

Only Isley wasn’t quite done and pressed a hand to the tense thigh, forcing Laken to remain seated. He squeezed reassuringly, smiling as brightly as he could manage.

“It won’t change anything between us, whatever ‘sort of’ means. Just so you know.” With that, Isley got out of the car just as Lane appeared, his smile wide and welcoming.

“Isley! Why, this is a pleasant surprise.” Isley was wrapped in a lavender and cookie scented hug. “Please don’t judge Laken harshly,” he whispered in Isley’s ear only loud enough for him to hear.

“I won’t,” he murmured back, unsure of his footing when Lane released him. Laken was watching them with guarded eyes.

Led inside, Isley inhaled the fresh scent of pine, cinnamon, and apple as Lane went to Laken, who came in last and shut the door. Isley slipped off his jacket and tugged at his damp collar, hoping that no one noticed the soggy patch at his neck. Lane hugged Laken, his gaze watchful as he pulled back, looking at his son.

“You’ve been crying,” he choked, his eyes flying to Isley, who resisted fidgeting under Lane’s seeking stare.

“Not now Popi, okay?” Laken said, kissing the side of Lane’s head. He moved stiffly, as if aged somewhat in the last hour, out of Lane’s arms. He came to Isley, taking his coat and hanging it up with a bunch of others on coat hooks by the door. Laken slipped off his suit jacket, keeping his gaze averted. “Where is everyone?”

“In the kitchen eating tacos.” Lane laughed gaily, but to Isley it sounded forced. “Don’t worry, sweet boy, I’ve enough for you and Isley.”

They were ushered into the chaotic kitchen where everyone seemed to talk at once. Isley was used to big family gatherings,so wasn’t phased by the noise or the interest when Laken’s brothers noted his appearance. There was surprise and possibly even relief when he met Jupiter’s gaze.

Ziggy pointed to the empty seat at the large table, next to him. “Come sit by me, Isley.”

Hollis and Frey gave him curious stares as he took the seat, a plate loaded with tacos quickly placed in front of him.

If the food was good Isley couldn’t have said. He was too focussed on watching Laken out the corner of his eye while nibbling on the taco. Tension radiated off him. His mouth was set in a grim line as he ignored the food in front of him and those trying to engage him in conversation.

When Derick slipped out of the room when his mobile phone rang, Laken stared after him, and Isley got a sense of growing dread.

Minutes later, Derick returned, only he wasn’t alone. Oakland, the head of security, whom Isley had met several times before, stood silently at his side. Dressed all in black, the man exuded a dangerous aura. Tiger eyes missed nothing as they swept the room and stopped on Laken. What looked like regret flitted across his attractive face before the impenetrable mask slipped back in place.

His appearance shocked the kitchen into silence. Derick obviously hadn’t told anyone Oakland was returning from Bayfield, where he’d gone to Silas’s ranch with the most vulnerable omegas from Drinkwater. As the head of Starling Enterprises' security, his being here said this situation—whatever it was—wasvery serious.

Isley cast his attention back to Laken, working to gauge his reaction, while his own pulse was beating so hard it hurt to take a deep breath. Laken wore a similar look to Oakland, hard and impossible to read.

“Oakland,” Jupiter was the first to say, “good to see you man.”

“Same.” Oakland’s gruff voice always reminded Isley of someone who hadn’t spoken for some time and whose vocal chords weren’t used to being speaking.

“Let’s move this to the family room where there’s more space and I can set up the laptop,” Derick suggested.

Laptop? Was he going to deliver a presentation?