Folk nodded, folding his hands, his thumbs massaging his palms, subtle tension creeping into his sinewy frame. “Rocco was my oldest friend. I was never going to let his boys get eaten up by the system. You have any idea what happens to kids no one cares about?”
Pain hazed in Cam’s eyes. Of course he knew. Because of Saint. Because of me. “So what did you do? I’m guessingyoudon’t have them, right? Please tell me I haven’t missed something that fucking huge all over again?”
Folk shook his head. “My parents have them. On our family farm. They’re trying to adopt them, but it takes forever, even when you have as much foster experience as they do. When Alexei asked me to stay and help him with... some things, my price was that he’d hurry it along. Make them safe as fast as we could.”
“You know about this?” Cam jerked around, spearing Alexei with a glare that only amused his lover. “Does Saint? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Alexei pushed his chair back from the table. I thought for a moment he might go to Cam or leave without answering his questions. Over the last year or so I’d seen him do both in equal measure. Alexei was a nicer man than he ever cared to admit, but he wasn’t a fan of explaining himself.
This time, though, he didn’t leave or distract Cam with an infrequent display of affection. He stayed in his seat and gave it to Cam straight. “Saint does not know. He is aware Rocco’s children were a priority of mine—of us all—but this was something I kept to myself. The things I have asked of Folk, it was important that he trusted me. And that I could trust him in return.”
Despite Cam’s best efforts, we were heading into territory that usually sent me striding for the door. But the compulsion to leave was absent from my bones, overwhelmed by a primal need to stay with Folk until this was over. My thigh shifted to brush against his. Later, I’d blame it on a muscle twitch, but I didn’t move it back.
“I did not tellyoufor the same reason,” Alexei continued. “And also because you cannot hold the secrets of every man, moya lyubov. Not even your heart is big enough.”
A wry smile softened Cam’s fearsome glower. “As long as you catch me up when it matters, eh?”
“You are learning.”
Alexei smiled too, and something passed between them that made me look away, but the only place for my gaze to land was on Folk.
He was still twisting his hands, and it lanced my heart to know how out of character that was for him. How stressed he was, even if his tells were as subtle as Saint’s.
It near killed me not to reach for him.
And do what? Pull him into your arms as if you’re anything more than vague mates who nearly boned in the back of a club a million years ago?
Silence fell while I argued with myself. It took me far too long to realise all eyes were on me. “Sorry. What?”
“We’re saying that whether Folk stays with you or not, it’s probably best he doesn’t ride home as often as he’s used to.” Cam cast an apologetic glance in Folk’s direction. “It’s a big reach to think someone would come for your parents for whatever Ranger’s up to, but you kept this a secret for a reason, and you were probably right.”
Folk stilled his hands and let out a low sigh. “I don’t go that much anyway. No offence, but you keep me pretty busy.”
“All you ever had to do was say, brother. Family trumps everything around here.”
“I know.”
“Do you, though? You might trust Alexei in the context of whatever else you’re up to, but what about the rest of us? What aboutme? I’m the one who makes the decisions that affect your life so much. You believe I give a shit about you?”
It was Folk’s turn to let a rueful shadow of a smile warm his face. “I’m not a liar, Cam. Ask me again when I have less balls in the air.”
“He will ask you every day until you give him the answer he wants.” Alexei pushed his chair back again and this time he stood. “In the meantime, it does not matter. Your brother can protect your farm, yes?”
Folk nodded. “He always has.”
“Then he will continue to do so, and you will help Decoy protect Ivy, whatever that means. The rest will come in time. If there’s anything you have taught me, Veles, it is patience.”
“I thought you were teaching me,” Folk retorted.
Alexei came as close as he ever did to laughing. Then he really did walk out, leaving me as bemused as when he’d walked in.
And my leg was still touching Folk’s. Had he noticed? Or was he too tangled in whatever emotions discussing his dead best friend’s children had dragged up? Now the weight of the conversation had eased, how he felt was hard to gauge. Kicked back in his seat, Folk’s posture was relaxed again, but his eyes were tight, the whites shot through with red. This set-to with Cam had been excruciating for me, but it had cost me nothing except dignity.
What had it cost Folk?
“You can go,” Cam offered when no one else moved. “But before you do, I want to make it clear that neither of you is beholden to what I think on this. Your lives are your own. If you don’t want to bunk up together, no one’s gonna make you. And Folk, if you want to go see your family, I ain’t gonna stop you.”
I knew that. If Folk didn’t, then Alexei was right. It would come in time because everything did.
