Kev.
INS
b.
That translates intoI need Sir—boy.
Goddammit.
We haven’t texted or talked today. I know he had some errands to run regarding Lauren’s estate. I’d really hoped he’d be okay tonight, and Shae won’tbe back until close to one a.m. because of some weather between here and Chicago.
Leo could be here in fifteen minutes, but he’s with Shae. I don’t want to leave the kids alone.
Alone, relatively speaking, because I’ll have an agent up here with them. But if they should wake up and need us, I don’t like the idea of one of us not being here for them. I did it the other night, but Shae was inher study, on-site.
Kev never reaches out, however. He’ll suffer in silence to his own detriment.
That he’s reaching out means it’s bad, and he’s hurting in ways he’s not capable of dealing with.
Maybe if his father hadn’t been a narcissistic douchetard, my poor boy would have learned healthy coping skills. Shae was doing fine up until I introduced Prophet to the equation, and she’d probablystill be doing okay if it wasn’t for that. They both developed different coping skills after that, modifying their personalities to easily adapt to the new situation. I know it’s helped both of them in many ways, but it’s inadvertently created a massive fucking pain in my ass that I never foresaw.
And right now, Kev needs me, and Shae needs Kev.
Kev had planned on coming in to work tomorrow.Shae’s counting on that. If he doesn’t, I’ll have not just one, but two trainwrecks to deal with, and we have a general election coming up. Fortunately our campaign staff is amazing, but we have a country to run.
Fuck.
I carefully spin through my replies in my head, the mental code ring for the three of us. I doubt he’s been watching Shae’s schedule today. Last he heard, she wasn’t going anywheretoday, and I left word with Leo this morning to tell staff not to disturb him unless someone launches a literal nuke somewhere in the world. So Kev likely doesn’t even realize she’s not here, or he wouldn’t have reached out at all.
Which worries me.
Shae asked me the other night if I thought he’d hurt himself, and I lied and said no, I didn’t.
The truth is, I don’t know.
I hope he won’t.
I think if I’m able to help him through this, he won’t.
I can’t guarantee it, however.
The good thing is he has no access to firearms. He’s never fired one, never had a reason to—he’s always had me, and then he’s usually with me or Shae, and we have protection by default. He doesn’t have the combo for the gun safe at the townhome, where I keep my guns. Due to being First Spouse I’m not allowedto carry, since I’m no longer active duty and I’m a protectee, although I do have a special firearms license as a retired federal law enforcement officer. Once Shae’s out of office I’ll start carrying again.
I have an idea and I excuse myself to the bathroom so the kids won’t follow me. I lock myself in and call Yasmine, the kids’ nanny.
She answers on the first ring. “Good evening, Mr. Bruunt.”
“Hey, Yaz. I’m really sorry, but would it be possible for you to come stay with the kids tonight? I’ll pay you overtime for the week, obviously. Shae’s not back yet, and I’d rather not leave them with the agents for too long. They’re going to bed in less than thirty minutes, but I probably won’t be here when you get here, if you can do it.”
“Sure. I can be there in thirty.”
“Thanks. Just takethe bedroom you usually use. I won’t be back before dawn, but hopefully before they leave for school. Kev’s supposed to come back to work tomorrow, but he’s having a rough night and needs an ear.”
Yaz has signed an NDA, but we still try to be a little discreet around her. She also knows Kev’s basically part of our family and understands how rough losing Lauren’s been on him and the rest of us.
“Of course, sir. Not a problem. I’ll be there shortly.”
“Thanks. I’ll tell the kids you’re coming in case they wake up.”
