“It’s weird that I keep seeing The Fool and the Ace of Cups together.”
“For this moment in your life, those two cards best represent you. You’ll likely grow out of them and settle in on cards that represent you, but while you are young, your cards fluctuate. The Fool and the Ace of Cups are representative of you starting new ventures in your life and relationships.” Thoren’s explanation makes sense, but it’s still uncanny that those two cards keep coming up.
“So, what does this reading mean?” I ask, gesturing to the Hanged Man and the Ace of Cups.
“It means that you, my boy, are the best candidate to make contact with the tinkral,” Maxime replies, smiling like a proud father. “Thoren will accompany you, and the rest of us will be on standby to assist.”
Wow. That sounds horrible. “Are we sure the cards aren’t just fucking with us?”
“I’m one hundred percent certain they are,” Thoren growls, picking up his deck and putting it back in its pouch.
Chapter sixteen
Thoren
(First dates probably shouldn’t include concrete plans for family expansion)
Dec’s fear and confusionsend my protective instincts into high alert, which puts the rest of my brothers in the same state. We talk about the plan in exacting detail, which we don’t normally do, and we go over as many possible back up plans as we can think of. We have plans A to J (Dec was helpful with some of his suggestions, and I’m confident in plan A because of that) before Uncle decides we’ve done enough for today, and tells us all to go rest up, including Dec, who’s wide-eyed with a scent full of adrenal hormones. There’s no way he’ll be able to sleep in his state, but I happen to know exactly what to do to help him come down.
While the rest of my brothers head to the roof to rest, I pull my glamour back on for the walk back to my room. Mr. Simms greets Dec and me as we step out of the elevator, wagging his tail and licking Dec’s hands. Dec’s scent almost immediately smells of the sweet love that he has for my uncle’s stolen pet.
“Such a good boy, Mr. Simms,” Dec coos at the dog, petting him and feeding him treats from his pocket.
“I didn’t realize you had treats in your pocket for him,” I comment, surprised. Usually I can smell food, especially dog food, but Dec’s scent appears to mask the treats from my nose now.
“Of course. Mr. Simms is a part of this family and he deserves as much of my regard as the rest of you.” Dec straightens from his bent position, smiling at me. “Did you know he’s been sleeping with me at night? I have to leave the doors to my rooms open in case he needs to go out, and I’ve considered installing a doggie door for him, but I haven’t decided if I want to do that or if I’m comfortable with just leaving it open for him.”
I take his hand and thread our fingers together, walking him toward the kitchen. We’ve been in a meeting for hours; he needs sustenance. “I’m surprised that Uncle hasn’t been more obnoxious about losing his pet to the butler. He loves Mr. Simms.”
Dec chuckles quietly, following me without hesitation. “I wondered if someone would be missing his company. He’s an excellent snuggle buddy.”
“Mr. Simms usually follows Uncle around all day. I doubt you noticed it, but the door to his office and the conference room both have doggie doors specifically for Mr. Simms. That dog knows how to call the elevator and which floors will get him where he needs to go. I haven’t seen him in the basement for weeks.” I ponder that for a moment, before concluding, “I believe you may have stolen Mr. Simms’ loyalty.”
Dec shrugs, blushing as he smiles. “I didn’t mean to, but I’m not going to complain. I love Mr. Simms.”
“Clearly he thinks highly of you too.” I squeeze his hand as we enter the kitchen and release him, pointing to the small kitchen table. “Sit, if you want. I’m going to prepare us a meal.”
Dec stops in his tracks and looks at me in horror. “No you very well are not,” he objects, slipping around me and putting himself between me and the rest of the kitchen. “I will not be taking a verbal beating from Jax tomorrow because you decided to fuck around in her kitchen. She has left us prepared food in the oven and I will be more than happy to serve it, but you aren’t touching anything except the drinks in the drinks fridge if that’s what you want. I will take water and a long pour of wine.”
“How do you know she left food?” I ask, backing away from the fiery glare he’s using to keep me from cooking in my own kitchen.
Dec snorts. “I asked her to prepare a meal that would keep warm in the oven while everyone was arguing about making plans.”
“Ah. Ever the organizer. Is that why your mother named you Decisive?” I tease, watching as he turns pink again and scoffs.
“That is not my name.” He turns away to hide his blush, opening the oven and using a set of mitts to take two large casserole dishes out of the oven.
“What is your name?” If I’m staring at his ass while I ask that, it’s because I think I see his underwear lines, and if he’s not wearing a thong, I’ll let Hawthorn beat me in our next sparring session.
Dec sets the second casserole dish on the stove top and smirks at me over his shoulder. “Tell me the truth, have you asked your uncle? Or snooped through my employment contract?”
“I have not gone snooping, but I did ask Uncle and he told me to ask you.” I could pull up Dec’s employment contract right now on my phone if I wanted to, but I enjoy our game and know the reward will be well worth the wait when he finally tells me.
Dec’s smile is warm as he turns away to fetch a couple of plates. “Maxime is the decent sort, isn’t he? Can’t be said of my mother, and I honestly don’t know why I haven’t changed myname other than it’s a whole process, and my Uncle Clive always said my name with so much... love and affection that I’m worried I’ll forget if I change it how good life can be when you’re steeped in the love of another person.”
I can’t see his face, but the way his voice cracks on the word love pulls me to him like the gravitational force of his body suddenly increased. I press in directly behind him and wrap him in a hug, holding him as close as I can. “It sounds like your uncle was very important to you,” I murmur, offering him what comfort I can. I don’t know what I will do when Uncle Maxime falls into the dawn, but my heart aches that he must refer to his uncle in the past tense.
Dec leans against me, resting his weight in my arms as he serves us both some of the decadent casserole that Jax made for the family. “He raised me. My mother abandoned me and he took me in. He was older than her by fifteen years, and she was already forty when I was born. I found a letter when he passed—this was three years ago—that he’d kept in his safe with his will and other important documents. It was from my mother to my uncle. When she learned that he’d stepped up, she told him that she wouldn’t petition the court for custody as long as he paid her a monthly stipend and he didn’t change my name. Even after he adopted me legally, I wasn’t allowed to take his name; instead he changed his to match mine. I didn’t realize that, of course. He never told me that he did that and I was a baby. I thought he’d given me his surname, but he hadn’t. He’d changed his instead.”
