Stanton hesitated a moment longer, then inclined his head and stepped back, gesturing at the footmen to join him.
They seemed as happy to leave as Stanton was, but other than glaring at Lassit as they went, they didn’t fuss.
Lassit strolled over to the hearth and seated himself in one of the wingback chairs. He relaxed, stretching out his long legs as if this was his own library he was lounging in, rather than Jack’s.
No. Arden’s.
It was Arden’s library.
“You’ve caught me at something of a bad time, I’m afraid,” Arden said.
“What’s that? I can’t hear you from all the way over there. Why don’t you come and sit down?” When he didn’t move, Lassit added some bite. “Come here, Arden.”
Hoping that his nervousness didn’t show, Arden went over to join him. He moved to take the seat opposite, but Lassit stretched out an arm once he was in range, caught his wrist, and hauled him closer, between Lassit’s parted knees.
Arden sucked in a sharp breath as Lassit’s cool fingers tightened around his wrist, and then tightened some more. He didn’t struggle. Lassit watched his face.
“Lassit,” Arden said. “You’re hurting me.”
Lassit tightened his fingers a fraction more, then tossed Arden’s wrist from him and said, “Go and sit down, for godssake.”
Arden did.
Lassit turned his head to stare into the cold hearth. Arden fidgeted, plucking nervously at the fabric of his breeches. “Stop that,” Lassit said absently.
Arden shuffled about on the seat, and froze when Lassit threw him an irritated look.
He’d always hated it when Arden fidgeted.
“Sorry,” Arden said. “You’re…? You said you were in the area?”
“Yes.” Lassit went back to staring at the hearth.
The grate was empty, cleaned out this morning by one of the maids. She hadn’t bothered to lay it once she’d swept the ashes away, since Arden wouldn’t be here this evening.
“Well...well, then,” was the best Arden could come up with in response.
After leaving another uncomfortable silence, Lassit sighed. “Jack didn’t marry you for your social graces, that’s for sure.”
Arden laughed.
Lassit’s answering smile was there and gone in a flash. His gaze settled on Arden, and didn’t waver.
Arden had looked up to Lassit once, and craved his good opinion. While he didn’t think that Lassit had it in him to respect someone he saw as inferior, he had been carelessly affectionate when it suited him, or he was bored.
On the odd occasion, Lassit had even been protective of him. Even after he’d become an alpha. Perhaps more so.
He was a cruel man, but there was something between them that simply didn’t exist between Arden and his other siblings. Some bond or form of love, at least, however weak.
“You’re an idiot, Arden,” Lassit said suddenly. “Why the fuck would you do something as stupid as marry Jack?”
Arden blinked. “Why wouldn’t I, when he asked me to?”
“Asked? Told, more like.”
No. Jack had asked him.
Trust me?
