Lor rarely spoke, but Vail was another story. He didn’t stop talking. The only time I imagined he was quiet was when his mouth was full, but I found peace in listening to him chatter to himself.
Vail sat on the opposite side of the desk from me, work spread across the surface. He was caught between chewing the end of a pen and brushing his blond hair off his face. “Lor, I think we need to revisit Mr. McCarthy’s tutor plan. He excels in the history of the mob, but he lacks coherency when he’s trying to get his point across.”
Lor nodded absently, humming in answer to Vail.
“I wonder if I should suggest he get tested for ADHD? I feel like the symptoms are there. What do you think? Yeah, I thinkit’s a good idea. He’s smart, really smart, but his brain is all over the place and he can’t focus on a single point.”
Lor took the chaise with a book in his hands, his head down, giving me a perfect view of his black strands with the magnificent white stripe. He was a real Pepé Le Pew. His knees were bent toward his chest as he burrowed in on himself. He made a sound of acknowledgement toward Vail again, and I wasn’t sure if Vail noticed.
Vail was the type who didn’t expect answers to anything he said, and the buzz of solo conversation kept my mind serene. His voice was soothing. Lor sent me a look here and there, brown eyes gentle, almost like he was checking in on me. I winked at him to let him know I was okay.
I wasn’t okay, though.
But their company was appreciated, and I sent them a smile of thanks.
A knock startled me and I straightened as Vail fell silent. “Come in.”
The door opened and Ronan popped his head inside. “Sir, the boss just arrived home.”
I was out of my seat before he’d finished his sentence. Rushing past him, I gave him a nod in appreciation as I ran down the hallway leading toward the foyer. Sloan was sliding off his jacket but turned in time to catch me as I flew at him. I curled my arms around his neck and buried my face into his shoulder,inhalinglike it was the last time I’d ever get to smell him.
“Well hello to you, too.” He chuckled, and I sighed.
“You’re safe.” I gripped him tighter. “And you’re here.”
He wrapped his arms around my back and dragged me closer until we were flush against one another. He kissed my cheek, then nuzzled along my jaw. “I’m sorry I had to make you stay at the house, Pet. I couldn’t risk it.”
I finally stepped away and took in the sight of him. The man who stood in front of me wasn’t the boss I was used to seeing. Besides the blue scrubs he wore that he obviously borrowed from a doctor, his shoulders slouched slightly and the dark rings beneath his eyes were more pronounced. He could barely stand straight and struggled to stay on his feet. His bottom lip was cut and a bruise was beginning to bloom on his jaw.
I grasped his hands, a growing heaviness settling in my chest. “You need rest.”
“No. No rest.” He smirked and leaned down for a kiss.
I cupped his face and pressed into him as much as I could, tasting his mouth and reveling in the feel of his tongue against mine.
A throat cleared behind me, and Sloan broke away to stare over my shoulder. “Yes, Mr. Hopper?”
I turned to glance at our butler. Mr. Hopper had to at least be in his eighties, and I’d learned when I’d first arrived that he’d been here since Sloan was a kid. His gauntness had grown in the last eight years and his gray hair had receded farther, but he always looked pristine—not a hair out of place. Sloan had offered him a generous retirement package numerous times, but Mr. Hopper refused, stating that he’d rather die here, doing what he’d always done.
Mr. Hopper stepped forward, wobbling a little, and straightened as much as his elderly back would allow. “You had a few calls while you were away, sir. From Mr. Folliero and Mr. Sidorov, which Mr. Morrissey has handled, but Mr. Folliero has called again. Rumors are flying around the city already, and while Mr. Morrissey has made arrangements for a meeting....” He inclined his head toward me. “They have questions.”
Sloan grunted. “Tell them both that either me or Conall will call them when we have information to share.”
Mr. Hopper bowed his head and left us alone.
I watched Sloan’s face, taking in the way his eyes flickered in irritation and his shoulders tensed. I touched my hand to his chest, and he smiled down at me. It was rare for anyone other than me and Fionn to see this softer side of Sloan, even while he was bruised and hurting in more ways than one.
“Fionn’s out of surgery and in the ICU. He’s semi awake and doing well, so they’re talking about moving him to a room.” He lowered his head and the corner of his mouth twitched.
I smoothed my hand across his chest and rested it above his heart, feeling the thump under my palm. He was alive. Here. Things could’ve turned out very different. “So, he’s going to be okay. That’s good.Reallygood.”
Sloan shook his head and took a step back. He turned to march down the hallway toward his office, and I followed at his heels, aware of how fast his mood changed when he was angry. Sloan’s spine tensed as he shoved open his door and paused when he saw Vail and Lor in there.
Lor jumped to his feet, eyes wide. “Sloan, you’re home.”
As if he didn’t already know. But it was cute to see his happiness anyway.
Vail was still in the zone, muttering while not being aware of anyone else’s presence, and it took Lor closing the distance between them and nudging his shoulder for Vail to snap out of it. He blinked around like a confused zombie before his gaze landed on Sloan.
