Page 46 of The Hunter's Empire

His gaze lands on Domenico first. Then back to me. Evaluating. The moment he sees Domenico again, his face breaks into a genuine smile.

"Lucien." The name leaves his mouth with familiarity, carried by a strong Irish accent that softens some of the sharper edges of his voice.

He reaches Domenico and pulls him into a firm handshake. "It’s been too long."

Domenico smiles in return. A real smile. Not the polite version he gives strangers. Not the dangerous one he uses when he is amused. Something easier.

"Sean." He says. "You’re looking older."

Sean snorts. "My wife says the same thing."

"And yet she keeps you around."

"Barely."

The two men laugh quietly.

I stand beside them, watching the exchange carefully. Neither of them appears to be performing. Which is exactly what unsettles me. Because Sean clearly knows this version of Domenico. Knows him well.

Sean shakes his head.

"You disappeared again. Typical."

"I was busy."

"You are always busy."

Sean glances toward me before looking back at Domenico.

"Ciara will never forgive you for missing Ben's birthday."

A strange silence settles inside me. Birthday? Not business. Not operations. A child's birthday.

Sean continues before either of us can respond. "He still talks about you, by the way."

Domenico raises an eyebrow. "That cannot be good."

"You taught him how to skip stones when he was six." Sean laughs. "The boy spent six months throwing rocks into every waterbody he could find."

For a second, I forget to breathe. Because none of this sounds fabricated. These are not rehearsed cover details. They are memories. Real ones.

Sean shakes his head fondly. "He asked last week if Lucien was finally coming back."

Something unreadable flickers through Domenico's expression before disappearing.

"Tell him I expect a rematch."

"I will."

My attention remains fixed on Domenico. Or rather, on Lucien.

The identity feels disturbingly alive. Not a passport. Not a cover story. A person. A man with friends. With history and inside jokes. Children who remember him.

The realization sends an uncomfortable feeling through my stomach. Exactly how many lives has he lived?

Sean finally turns toward me. "And you must be Vivienne." His smile softens immediately. "It is nice to finally meet you."

The comment catches me off guard. ‘Finally.’ As if he has heard about me before. As if Domenico has spoken about me.