Chapter One
Theacresofwoodedland where the Bosi property was located sometimes felt secluded as hell. For years, Clay had trailed through every inch, checking for security breaches. Those strolls had always been one of his favorite assignments in the day. Since the Agafonov family combined their lives with the Bosi family, his walks had been shortened, if he got to go at all. One Agafonov brother, Tracker, was a god of technology. He had installed the most badass of high-tech security equipment that money could buy and ran it all with ease. Truthfully, he had rendered most of Beau’s live-in staff useless. Now they simply served as an army slash personal bodyguards. While his job still wasn’t a bad one, he missed the solitude and peace of zigzagging through nature half of the day. Now Clay felt like he had to look busy most of the day. It was kind of stressful.
As part of his new daily routine, Clay cut through the back hallways of the main house. He did what he always did—he prayed for a few hours of no one else bursting into the kitchen.Chef Fabrice was the master of his domain. He wouldn’t let just anyone sit with him while he worked. While there was a kitchen table for people to sit, Fabrice quickly shuffled most people toward the formal dining room. He didn’t like people in his space. Clay and barely a handful of others were the only exceptions. Since Fabrice and Clay had grown up together inside the Bosi home, and they were the same age, they had naturally been glued at the hip since day one. Clay enjoyed spending his shift in Fabrice’s bubble. Maybe he was just lazy, but his job was kind of boring.
Clay peeked inside the kitchen, ensuring it was empty, before slipping inside. There were other kitchen staff members always bouncing around, working on baked goods and whatnot. They paid no mind to Clay. Fabrice was their boss. If he said Clay could come in and do whatever he wanted, then that was what happened.
The opulent kitchen had every toy a true chef would kill to have. Black stainless steel appliances littered every space. A huge flow of gorgeously patterned backsplash made the entire place easier for the cleaning staff to keep sparkling. Delicious smells wafted all around him. Fresh bread and apple pie smelled like coming home. The luminous smile that greeted him warmed the air. Fabrice’s jet-black hair and light-blue eyes were as familiar to Clay as his own reflection.
“At last. I saved you pie.”
“Hey.” Clay raced Fabrice's way and lifted him off his feet. “It’s my friend.” He loudly kissed Fabrice's cheek while Fabrice fought to get away and wipe his cheek.
“Brute.”
Clay’s face hurt from how big he smiled as he set Fabrice aside. “You love me. Where’s the pie?” He rubbed his hands together. Clay really wasn’t hungry. One of these days, he would be as big as a house with the way Fabrice spoiled him, especially now that they had shortened his daily walks.
The way Fabrice glowed with happiness proved how fake his struggles had been as he brought a small plate and fork to the table. “Limoncello?”
Clay clutched his chest dramatically. “It’s like you don’t even know me.” He dropped his hands. “That stuff tastes like floor cleaner. I’ll grab some tea.”
A snort burst from Fabrice as he moved to make the tea. “Drunk a lot of floor cleaner in your life, have you?”
Clay really would have made his own tea, but it was Fabrice’s kitchen. He didn’t like his things being touched. “Probably. You were there. I was a terror.”
“Were?” Fabrice looked his way with raised eyebrows and shock sketching his features. “You’re a menace now.”
Clay chuckled as he shoved a bite of apple pie in his mouth.
Fabrice set the glass of tea next to Clay’s plate on the counter. “You—”
Henry strolled into the kitchen, cutting off Fabrice and catching Clay mid-bite. “Why am I not surprised to find you here?”
Damn. Henry was Beau Bosi’s partner and Clay’s boss. A groan rang through Clay’s head. The guy had an uncanny ability to always bust Clay every time he went to visit Fabrice. “I’m on—”
Henry swiped a hand through the air. His brown eyes practically glowed with impatience. “Yeah. I don’t care. Go pack a bag. You’re heading to Hawaii ahead of the family. I need you to sweep the property before the rest of us join you next week. You know what to look for. It’s your responsibility to make sure the place is one hundred percent secure before Beau and Kylo get there. Understood?”
Clay gave him a sharp nod. “On it.” Like he would complain about a week longer at the compound in Hawaii. He had never been sent to handle security ahead of time.
Henry’s gaze swept Fabrice’s way. “You’re still needed here. You’ll leave with the family next week.”
“Oui, Monsieur.”
Henry focused on Clay again. “The plane will be ready in an hour.”
Damn. That gave him barely any time to pack. Thankfully, he had already started since he had to be prepared for six weeks in the tropics. Seven now. “I’ll be there.”
Henry smiled. If Clay wasn’t mistaken, the gesture had a devilish edge. “Have fun.”
Clay didn’t know how to respond. While he planned to make some time for fun, he didn’t think he should admit that to his boss. He ended up just nodding and hoping that was enough.
Henry strolled out without another word.
Clay and Fabrice exchanged a glance.
Fabrice broke first. “You should hurry. It’s at least half an hour to get to the airstrip.”
A smile exploded across Clay’s face. He couldn’t help it. Clay was going to Hawaii for a whole week alone. He hadn’t truly had a vacation in years. “I’m gone.” He shoveled the last of the pie into his mouth and chugged the tea. Clay gave Fabrice another messy kiss on his cheek.
