Bas let out a sigh before he headed for the garage. His brother’s love life wasn’t any of his business, but he hated seeing his bright, confident sunspot so upset all the time.
Val was also miserable, and Cosimo had gone to Florence to hunt down another possible lead on an ancient manuscript because that was just what he did. They were all grown men who could look after themselves.
At least that was what Bas tried to tell himself when it seemed like he was the only one who ever worried about everyone all the time.
No matter how much he tried to convince himself not to do it, he was still the one who fussed, cooked comfort meals, and doled out hugs and advice. He was a nurturer. He couldn’t helpit. He was the one most like their mother in nature, and after she died... Bas broke off the thought. He wouldn’t go down that rabbit hole in his mind.
Bas grabbed the keys to the black Audi and tried to distract himself by thinking about Bridget’s rum-colored eyes and crooked smile.
That only reminded him of how her scent had hit him in the face the night before and how he’d had to walk away from her before he did something that would completely fuck up the fragile thing growing between them.
His dragon side wanted to draw her under the protection of his wings and growl at anyone who got too close.
Stupid response. Stupid dragon. That kind of behavior would get him kicked in the nuts for sure.
Worth it, his dragon grumbled.
Go back to sleep, Bas responded and turned the car on. He needed to find out what was wrong with Kenna because if Kenna was worried, they all should be.
8
The Ironwood estate never failed to impress. It had been built in a time when having high stone walls and a forest meant you were rich and had enemies who wanted you dead. It was nothing short of a small castle, surrounded by training grounds.
Kenna ruled the estate and her family with a firm hand because it would be impossible to hold them together otherwise. David, her husband, was the one who tempered Kenna’s fire and made sure whoever they trained had a good moral center and a sense of honor.
With so much magic and new creatures becoming known to the world, there could be no place for racists, speciesists, or otherwise. This was a lesson that the Ironwood family had to learn themselves after being passed down generations of hatred for the fae in particular.
Bas pulled up in the visitor’s parking spots and was barely out of the car before Lachlan came striding across the training fields, sword strapped to his back. He was drenched in sweat, his shirt clinging to him, his dark hair in disheveled waves. Because Bas was a good brother, he took a photo to send to Apollo later.
“Hey, Bas, lovely day,” Lachlan greeted as he drew nearer. His blue eyes searched the car, and his smile dimmed a bit. “All by yourself?”
“Don’t act so disappointed that I didn’t bring Apollo. I tried, but he wasn’t feeling well,” Bas said, trying for tact.
Don’t get involved. Don’t get involved.
Lachlan went on full alert. “What do you mean he’s unwell? Is he okay? Has been to a doctor at least?”
“Not something a doctor can fix, unfortunately.”
“What!What does that even mean?” Lachlan began to rant, and Bas sighed inwardly.
Lachlan was generally more intelligent than this, but everything was an emergency when it came to Apollo. Bas broke his interfering rule because Lachlan started to rant about cancer and special treatments in Switzerland.
“He saw you on a date last night. Fuck. He doesn’t have cancer, Lachie. Take a breath,” Bas burst out.
Lachlan breathed and ran a hand through his sweaty curls. “Fuck. I knew that date would backfire on me. It wasn’t a real one, Bas. She was just a friend. I wanted to see if Apollo would get mad enough to talk to me. We need to have it out. But he just walked away, and I couldn’t find him after.”
“Lachlan, as a dear friend, I am only going to say this once.” Bas looked him dead in the eye. “You are a fucking idiot. Parading other people around Apollo will push him in the opposite direction. I’m not getting involved in your relationship, but I am giving you this advice for free. Are you ready? Focused?”
Lachlan growled. “Spit it out, Bas. I am at my wits’ end trying to figure out what your brother wants from me.”
I’m going to regret this one day, Bas thought, but he had to say something. Apollo never would. “You probably don’t know this, but Apollo was the one that was in the car when my motherdied. He was trapped and had to watch her die as people tried to get her out.”
“Fuck,” Lachlan whispered. He, too, had seen his parents die violently when he was a small boy, so if anyone could understand Apollo, it was him.
“Apollo is scared to love anyone that much again—anyone who isn’t Cosimo or his brothers,” Bas continued. “Stop trying to make him jealous. This game of cockblocking each other is over. If you want him, fight for him. If you just want to fuck him, leave him alone and find another blond to scratch your itch.”
Bas had never stepped in and threatened anyone on his brother’s behalf before, but nothing was worse than seeing Apollo sad.
