“Your nephew is teething, and the only thing that stops the crying are frozen washcloths. So many frozen washcloths.” Axel yawned and then he was offscreen. When he finally came back, Mikhail seemed to be looking at him from above.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to ring you back later?” It wasn’t like he had anywhere to be. He could always just casually bump into Rowan tomorrow.
“It’s fine. I’ll sleep…” Axel yawned, and Mik couldn’t help but follow suit. “I’ll sleep at some point. From everything I’ve read, that will be when Mason goes off to Uni.”
Mikhail chuckled. “Well, if Rowan and I ever…” Mik rubbed the middle of his brow, trying to figure out what he actually wanted to say.
Axel clucked his tongue before speaking. “My brother is stubborn. Ro is a typical Taurus that way. But when he falls, he falls hard. That’s what scares him.”
Mikhail nodded. “So what do I do? I’m like five seconds away from becoming a stalker. I don’t think showing up parked outside his work or your mother’s house is the way to go… unless you do?”
Yup, he was that desperate.
Axel chuckled. “Let’s put a pin in that. How about I tell you where he’s going to be, and you find a way to ‘bump’ into him.”
“Great minds,” Mik replied.
“Okay, so hold on.” Axel’s camera paused. Clearly, he’d gone off it to check something. “According to ‘Find my Phone,’ he’s on the move. I’ll just text him and see where he’s going.”
“Thank you, Axel.” Mikhail knew he probably sounded like a desperate sap, but he honestly did not care anymore.
“Actually”—Axel’s face appeared onscreen—“let me call him and then send you a text. Hopefully, he’s not going straight home.”
“Hopefully.” It occurred to Mik that maybe he hadn’t thought his plan through at all.
“I’ll let you know”—Axel sat up and held his gaze—“soon.”
“Thanks, Ax,” Mikhail said again.
“You don’t have to keep thanking.” Axel’s lips lifted in a small smile. “Not only are we family, but we will soon be more family, if that’s even a thing.” His lips curved fully. “Rowan needs you.”
That managed to get a smile out of Mik. “I’ll hold on to that.”
“Just give me a minute, swear down it’ll all work out.” Axel was using his Mason voice on him—at least that was what it felt like. “Okay?”
“Okay.”
Mik sat on the massive bed cross-legged and grabbed the remote on the side where he’d thrown it by a pillow, then turned the TV on and scrolled through Sky Sports, but nothing caught his attention. The same could be said for Sky Movies. He finally quit and turned the television off.
Mik got off the bed, feeling restless, and made his way through the bedroom to the living room and out to the balcony that wrapped around the entire outside of the suite. Leaning on the glass rail that enclosed it, he let his gaze sweep the view of Manchester City Centre and the Rochdale Canal before him. He watched the people hurrying about before sighing heavily and returning inside, where he began to pace the floor.
A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts, and he went to answer it to find the host assigned to his suite standing there with a smile on her face.
“Are you finding the room to your liking, sir?” she queried.
“Yes, thank you.” Mikhail knew his voice said he was, but he tried to give a warm smile, though it probably fell short.
“Very well, sir. My name is Jodie, and I am your Dakota host. Will there be anything you require?”
Not unless you can get my mate to accept me,he thought rather forlornly.
“No, thank you.”
“Okay, sir. If need anything, please don’t hesitate to call. There is also a champagne bar for your enjoyment and a cigar terrace if you are so inclined. We are so glad you have chosen to stay with us at the Dakota Manchester.”
With that, the young woman turned and made her way back down the hall.
Mikhail slowly closed the door and turned. As he looked over the sleek, but elegant beauty of the room, he imagined having Rowan here with him, lavishing him in the finer things… sitting on the sofa to enjoy the fire, or sipping wine while they relaxed in the sunken jacuzzi, and afterward, he could hold his mate on the large bed—of course, the thought of bed brought other things to Mik’s mind as well, and his longing for his mate only intensified.
