Lachlan would let him.
But for now, he gifts a smaller, more chaste kiss to signal the end of it and Jules leans back, lets out a long, shuddery sigh before he sinks all the way down into the tub and then hides underwater.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
The regret comes in stages.
At first, Lachlan tells himself what’s done is done.Let the chips fall where they may.He did the right thing, made Jules happy and himself too, if he’s being completely honest.He tells himself it was inevitable.He convinces himself that loving Jules and showing it is a good thing considering the loveless cage he was raised in.
Over the next few weeks, as May creeps toward June, Jules doesn’t avoid Lachlan, but he doesn’t corner him either.They’re respectful, friendly, a little something electric between them whenever they catch one another staring.
Lachlan is even delusional enough in those first weeks to think that maybe this has improved things between them.
That’s how fuckingstupidhe really is.
Early June brings another heatwave.Searing, humid and hard to bear in parts of the house, so Mimi is outside more often than not, frequently enough that Lachlan assigns Danya to her personally whenever he can’t be eyes on.
They have control of the skies above.The Estate has several miles ofno-flyairspace, but there’s no denying how much more exposed Mimi is outside than in, so Danya is always nearby whenever Lachlan is not.
Danya and Lachlan are becoming friends.
Lachlan can’t help but like the Russian.
He’s uniquely charismatic, bulletproof against insecurity and aside from Blaire, he’s becoming the person Lachlan would trust to take care of Jules and Mimi if something happened to him.
So when Danya brings Lachlan the newest piece of what will later become a very large problem, Lachlan takes it seriously instead of personally.
They speak brusque, rapid-fire Russian in the showers after sparring.
‘Your middleman,’ Danya tells him, means Carrigan, ‘is drifting.’
Lachlan frowns while washing himself.‘How so?’
Danya considers his answers.‘You are the moon and the moon holds sway, but your middleman does not answer to the moon.’
‘If not the moon, then what?’
‘Sun.’
Lachlan switches the subject, but at the end of the shower, he quietly tells Danya, ‘Make sure everyone has good sunglasses,’ and Danya drops a wink.
Lachlan likes that he understands right away.
The heat of a searing summer sets in.
?
The first crack of regret forms when Jules begs to go out for a night swim on a truly sweltering Friday.Danya offers to chaperone, but Lachlan goes instead, has Danya take over his rounds for an hour.
Jules strips off and dives into the deep, glorious freshwater pool while Lachlan watches, scanning around, checking in.
At first, it’sfine.
Jules swims, basking in relief from the heat but it’s not long before he rests his arms on the side of the pool at Lachlan’s feet and says, ‘Come in with me?’
‘No, thanks.’
‘It’s really good.’
