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Aiden broke off the kiss and smiled up at Ronan.
“You’re not angry?” Ronan stated the obvious because it was all his poor brain was capable of. “Why aren’t you angry about this?”
The king lifted his hand and cupped Ronan’s cheek. “I knew about the paintings. I might be hated by the European Ministry, but I do have a few friends in London. In particular, I have one who works at Christie’s. She contacted me two days ago about a set of paintings that looked remarkably like me. She asked if I’d been crazy enough to do some modeling in my younger years. When she described where they were found and the signature, I guessed that you’d done them.”
“What?” Ronan released Aiden and stumbled back a couple of steps. “Two days? You’ve known fortwo daysand didn’t say anything to me.”
Aiden blushed and dropped his gaze to the floor. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to worry you. I figured you’d forgotten all about them. I planned to tell you after she’d taken care of the troublesome paintings, which she did just a few minutes ago.”
“You arranged it already? Your portraits have been destroyed?”
His lover’s bright eyes rose to his face again. “There were sixteen portraits discovered in total. Not all of me. I told her to destroy all but one of the portraits of me.” His smile turned a little lopsided. “She’s stolen the surviving portrait as well as one of the landscapes. They’re being sent here for our private collection.”
“One of the landscapes…” he started to say but stopped when he realized which one Aiden had selected. “You told her to take the riverbank scene, didn’t you?”
The smile grew sweeter and a touch sadder. “How could I not want the painting of the riverbank we fished at when we were children? We spent so many lazy, happy afternoons there.”
Aiden closed the distance between them, and the longer he stared at Ronan, the sadder his expression grew.
“What’s wrong? What’s that face for?” he asked, pulling Aiden into his arms for comfort and protection.
“She sent me pictures of the portraits before they were destroyed,” Aiden replied, his voice growing rough. His molten gold eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “Not only are you an amazing artist, but you captured my likeness perfectly. How, my love? We hadn’t seen each other in over six hundred years. How were you able to do that?”
Ronan smiled, a lump growing in his throat. Ronan ached for him, for their years of separation. He slid his hand around the back of Aiden’s neck and guided their lips together for a sweet kiss. “Because I spent my entire human lifetime memorizing everything about you, Aiden. I knew the tilt of your lips when you were amused. I knew the strength of your jaw, the brightness of your eyes, even the fall of your hair. Every memory of you was carved deep into my brain. I never felt alone, because I could call forth my memories of you whenever I wanted. You are my light. My hope.”
“You will never be without me ever again.”
Rafe’s New Bed
Philippe leaned on the bar of Rafe’s nightclub, watching the crowd of people dancing to the thumping music, drinking the expensive beverages, and having a good time. He’d agreed to monitor the place while Rafe saw to some unexpected work in their penthouse.
His mate had been bubbling over with ill-concealed excitement from the moment they woke this evening.
Rafe had a surprise.
Since falling for the interesting vampire, Philippe had learned that he could never anticipate what his lover would come up with next.
Considering he was already more than a couple of centuries old, Rafe surprising him was a spectacular feat. Until he’d met Rafe, he’d thought nothing could surprise him any longer. But his Rafe was constantly proving him so very wrong.
“Still no idea what that lunatic has planned?”
Philippe’s head popped up, and he smiled at his oldest friend, Jullien, who slid onto the empty stool beside him.
“I don’t. He said he wanted it to be a surprise, and Rafe is very good at his surprises.”
“Have you reminded him that King Aidenfinallyhas the domain under control? That we’re all enjoying the peace. We’d very much like it if hedidn’tdestroy it with his nonsense.”
“Why are you so sour tonight? Rafe isn’t going to destroy anything.” Philippe’s eyes traveled down the bar, and he spotted just the person he needed. With a wicked grin, Philippe waved a hand to catch Lola’s attention and motioned for her to come join them at their end of the bar. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Jullien dropping his head and almost shrinking his body at the approach of the very sexy vampire.
Jullien would never admit such a thing, but he was smitten with the woman, and Philippe was determined to keep placing them within each other’s vicinity until Jullien cracked.
“Evening, Philippe, Jullien,” Lola murmured, her voice barely reaching above the music as she joined them.
“Do you know anything about Rafe’s surprise?” Philippe inquired.
She lifted a sculpted eyebrow at him. “Do you really think I’d ruin Rafe’s surprise if I knew something?”
Philippe chuckled and shook his head. “No, I don’t.”
