“I saw on Jaq’s computer the other day that he was actively applying for jobs other places,” Cort said. “I wasn’t snooping. At least, I didn’t mean to. I came back from a meeting early and wanted to see the children.”
“He—” I stopped myself. It was up to Jaq if it was okay for me to reveal our relationship. I was not ashamed of him, not even a little bit. But if he didn’t want people to know, I would respect that.
Besides, we didn’t have a real relationship. We just fucked sometimes, and I was the one who had caught feelings. He had not treated me any differently since day one, still refusing to call me by my given name half the time. He referred to me as Prince Erich or His Highness. It was maddening.
“I think if he had a reason to stay—a person—he might decide to make a home here. His brother and nephews aren’t reason enough. Hell, even Wes and Gus’s kids love him.”
“They do.” He was an easy man to love. Even if it did take me three years to figure it out and almost five before admitting it to myself.
“Dad loves him. He practically adopted him as one of his own. Almost like an additional son-in-law. He is part of the family. Unofficially, of course.” Cort smirked as he said the words, his gaze focused on my face like he was gauging my reaction.
My brother’s lips quirked, and I knew then that he knew. Still, I wasn’t going to say anything.
“Well, I’m going to head to bed,” I said. “It’s been a long day. Long week. And for real this time, I want to stay home for a month. Maybe three. Maybe a year. I’ve grown rather weary of traveling.”
“Let’s see what we can do.”
“Thanks, brother. Have I told you lately you’re doing a great job?”
“No. I haven’t heard that.”
“Good,” I said.
“Asshole,” he shouted back at me as I left the room.
Instead of heading toward my own room, I took a sharp turn and walked quickly toward my brother’s wing where Jacques’s room was. Usually I was more stealthy, using the servants’ stairwell to make my way toward his room. But tonight, I didn’t care who saw me. It was time for him and me to finally talk this out.
He needed to know how I felt. If he didn’t feel the same, well, then that would be the end of it. But at least I would have told him.
The door to his suite was slightly open, which was odd. I looked around and didn’t find anyone there. I pushed my way in and called out his name. He didn’t answer.
The bathroom door was closed, so I lifted my hand and knocked.
Chapter 9
Jaq
Present Moment
The knock on the door startled me. It was the only sound in the otherwise quiet room. The only other noise was the rapid beat of my heart and the emptiness that consumed me at what I held in my hands. The three minutes it had taken for the results to show up had felt like an eternity, but that was nothing compared to what it felt like looking at the results right now.
Now I knew.
“Jaq?”
I should have known it would be Erich there waiting for me. I wasn’t sure that he had flown home today, but I’d had a feeling, as if my body could sense when he was on the property. I lifted a shaky hand to the doorknob and twisted, letting the door fall open. Erich took that for the invitation that it was, and he pushed the door the rest of the way.
“Jaq, baby, is everything okay?”
I thought I would hold strong and just explain the situation. We could laugh about it. Or better yet, I could toss the test into the trash and never tell him how I’d spent the last hour ripping out my own heart and tearing my mind apart with anxiety. But the minute my gaze hit his, I burst into tears. The test in my hand dropped to the floor. I fell forward, attempting to get into his arms, knowing that he would be there to hold me. He was.
His arms wrapped around me, and he held me against his broad body. I fit so perfectly there. Like he was my home. I took comfort in the warmth of him. The scent of his cologne, which probably cost more than my entire wardrobe.
“Jaq. Is everything okay?”
I sobbed into his chest, cries wracking my body, tears spilling over his expensive shirt. It was soft. At least money could buy quality. He lifted me easily enough and carried me to the bed, where he sat down and settled me into his arms.
“What is it? Are you sick?”
