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We’re all standing in Alex’s dining room, staring at the small black kitten currently occupying the middle of the dinner table like she owns the place.
Tiny, all-black fur, and huge glassy eyes that seem to size each of us up. She’s watching us the way we’re watching her—like neither party knows quite what to do with the other.
“She’s very pretty, though.” Lucas says.
His voice goes even softer than usual, the way it always does around anything small and helpless. Milo is tucked securely in his arms, a squirming little corgi-shaped disaster with his ears perked and his entire body vibrating with excitement. His eyes are locked on the kitten like Lucas is holding him back from meeting the love of his life.
Milo gives a tiny, impatient whine.
The kitten blinks at him once.
Then turns her head away.
Rude.
I respect it.
“So Viktor just dumped her on you and went back to Russia?” I ask Tyler.
Tyler shoots me a look from across the table. “He did not dump her on me.”
“Mm.”
“He said he needed someone to look after her while he was away.”
“And the person he chose was you.”
“Yes?”
“Because you’re so nurturing?”
“Fuck you.”
Lucas’s mouth twitches, and I have to bite back a smile.
Tyler folds his arms, glaring at the kitten as though she personally orchestrated this conversation. “She was a stray. Viktor found her outside some restaurant, and apparently he couldn’t just leave her there like a normal person.”
“Like a normal person?” Lucas repeats gently.
“You know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t think I do.”
Tyler rolls his eyes so hard I’m surprised they don’t get stuck. “He brought her to me and said I should keep her until he gets back.”
“And?” I prompt.
“And he said she reminded him of me.”
That gets a beat of silence.
Lucas looks down at Milo, presumably to hide his smile. I don’t bother.
“Aw,” I say. “That’s kind of sweet.”
“It’s stupid.”
“It is sweet.”
