Uriel cupped Azazel’s cheek. “I want to stay but I can’t.”
“I don’t like your job. Why don’t you quit and come work for me?”
Uriel smiled. “No, my partners and I built this company from the ground up, and I will not turn my back on them just because you want me to.”
“What partners? Who are they?”
“You’ve already met them,” Uriel said. “I’m part owner of Vale’s Protection and Training Services.”
Azazel stared at him for a few seconds before he spoke. “Kayne and Synder Vale?”
“Yes, they are my partners and best friends. Without them I wouldn’t have made it as far as I have. So I won’t turn my back on them.”
Azazel sighed and rested his head on Uriel’s shoulder. “Now I understand that comment when I met Kayne.”
“What comment?”
Uriel snickered, listening to Azazel tell him about his and Kayne’s first meeting. “I would say I’m sorry, but I don’t have anything to apologize for.”
“No, you don’t, and I get it. I won’t try to lock you away. I guess I’ll share you with the world.”
“Hey, don’t share too much.” Azazel went to kiss him, but Uriel stopped him. “I need clothes,” Uriel said just as his cellphone rang, and he recognized it was Orion because of the ringtone. Pushing Azazel off him, he grabbed his phone. “Orion, what’s up?”
“Hey, Uri, something came up and Synder wants me to go out of town for a couple of days,” Orion said. Even though Orion was Kristoph’s manny and bodyguard, he also worked for Synder once in a while.
“What’s happening?”
“He wants me to keep tabs on Benito. I get the feeling Benito's not happy that Blue Lennox is alive, so watch your back.”
Uriel looked at Azazel, who had a disgruntled look on his face. “Of course I will.” He sighed. “All right, keep me up to date.”
“Always do.”
“When do you leave?” Uriel asked.
“Today, so you will have to pick up the kid.”
“Shit.” Uriel ran his fingers through his hair. “I have a TV thing, plus a dinner meeting. He could get himself home okay. He’s ten years old with a bank card. He could grab something for dinner.”
“When did you become so carefree? I know you turn a blind eye to some things he does, but you are a helicopter parent. What other kid do you know who is that powerful and still has a bodyguard?”
“I’m not that bad,” Uriel grumbled.
“Who the hell are you kidding? Did you forget about the tracking spell?”
“I’ll pick him up,” Azazel said, walking back into the bedroom with a fresh set of clothes in his hands.
“Ah, shit, is that your boo Azazel?” Orion said excitedly. “Did he clean those rusty p—”
Uriel didn’t let him finish and cut him off. “Call me when you get to California.” Then he hung up before Orion could say anything else.
“You want to pick Kristoph up from school?” Uriel asked.
“Sure, why not? He’s my kid too.” Azazel shrugged. “And I can use the time to get to know him.”
Azazel was right. He had to get to know Kristoph, but there were a few factors that came with Azazel being Kristoph’s father that they needed to talk about. Other than being wealthy, Azazel’s face was splashed all over Valleywood for being the deputy mayor and a top CEO, with the press following him both openly and secretly.
“Are you sure? What about the press? I know Kris wants to be an actor, but I don’t want him to be handed roles easily because the press spills the beans on who his father is, or gets used because others are trying to impress you.”
