“Hey!” Mikhail frowned at his brother, but then couldn’t help the laugh that escaped.
“He’s not wrong,” Chi added. “‘What if my mate hates me? What if he never wants me?’” Even though Malachi was supposed to be doing an impression of him, it was said in a high-pitched voice that sounded absolutely nothing like him.
“I hate you both, very much.” Mikhail said.
“Love you, too, baby bro.” Malek actually patted the top of his head.
“So, do you need help with anything, or can I go back to my family?” Malek asked, brow raised.
“I think I’ve got it,” Mik replied.
“I know you have.” Malek shot him a smile. “Trust me, baby bro. It will be worth it in the end.”
Chi got on his feet too. “He’s right.” Malachi stopped for a second, and it looked like he was considering his next words. “Be patient with him, Mik. I know how hard that can be.” He shook his head. “Okay, maybe I really don’t since Alfie didn’t make me wait as long even though it felt like eons at the time. But I promise you, the day will come when he trusts you completely, and I promise you’ll realise he was worth the wait.”
Mikhail managed a small smile and nodded at his brothers while also getting to his feet. They walked towards his back door, and Malek opened it, ready to leave.
“I guess I have some packing to do.” Mik looked over at the clock on the oven, then the one above the sink. “I don’t have any meetings that cannot be rescheduled, and everything else I can handle remotely.”
“Don’t worry about work, Mik. Chi and I can cover for you. Just get everything transferred to our calendars.”
“I will make sure Robert gets them sent to Alicia.” Their personal assistants knew everything, which was why they’d all hired shifters to work for them.
“If we don’t see you before you go, may the goddess go before you.” Chi pulled him in for a hug and whispered, “Good luck,” then stepped out of his house.
Malek hugged him next. “Call me anytime. And trust me when I say Rowan needs you.”
Mik pulled back and searched his brother’s gaze. He would have asked what Malek knew, but he realised his brother wouldn’t tell.
“Kiss my nephew for me. I hope I’m home in time for easter.”
“You will be.” Malek sounded confident, and Mikhail decided he would trust in his brother’s confidence until he found some of his own.
Mikhail shut the back door and leaned against it. “I really hope he doesn’t think I’m a stalker.”
Eleven
Rowan
He was almost halfway through his shift, and Ro still couldn’t get his mind off the kiss… or the man, really.
Mikhail had haunted his dreams for the past two days. That was probably why he’d woken up so early and taken off before he could run into him. He’d snuck out on Christmas Eve just to avoid the man. Even though it was a total dick move.
Ro just knew that he would have done something stupid if he’d stuck around. He hadn’t even woken up his brothers to say goodbye, coward that he was, although his getaway hadn’t been a clean one since Malek had caught him trying to leave.
His brother-in-law—or whatever Malek was to him—had said something that echoed in his head, even now.
“Running won’t solve your problems, but when you’re done running, Mik will be there waiting.”
Rowan snorted and muttered under his breath, “So where is he?”
“Where’s who?” Jenna, a nurse he worked with and also his friend, asked.
“Huh?” Ro turned to look at the petite brunette who had started at the hospital about a year ago when she and her husband moved to Manchester to take advantage of the lower house prices and great schools.
“You said, ‘where is he?’ Sooo who?” Jenna’s eyes sparkled as she added, “Got a new man in your life? Is that who managed to get you to take a couple of days off?”
“I went to see my brothers,” Rowan replied, ignoring the first part of her question.
