Blaire sniffs with a hint of disdain.
‘Aside from the fact that we never had true assurance of privacy to speak plainly until now,’ she reminds him, tone severe, gesturing to Zaitsev, ‘who Julian’s mother was seemed to be of little concern to you.’
‘Aurelion was a banking haven, yes?’Danya asks, eating a slice of apple and offering the next to Blaire who takes it.
‘It was before the sinkhole of debt was revealed.’
‘Jules is aprince?!’
‘He doesn’t know that either.Almost no one does.’
For the first time since he’s known Blaire, Lachlan gets the undeniable feeling that she’s being clever with the truth and not quite giving him all of it.
‘So it was buried?’
‘Why would Penhalyxneedto bury it?He controls absolutely everything about his legacy, including official records.He never even registered the existence of Mimi until last year.These people live wholly different lives to the rest of the world.You know that.’
‘What does Jules stand to inherit?’
‘Lachlan—’
‘Answer me.’
‘Don’t youdarespeak to me like that,’ she warns, green eyes flashing.‘Not for a moment will you turn your frustrations onto me.You never asked about his mother.You never asked about Mimi’s until recently either.Your focus has always been the practical matters of security, and, with the greatest of respect, women do not often factor into your mindset.I understand your focus and work to support you, but it is tunnelled.’
Lachlan bristles.‘How is my focus tunnelled?’
‘There is much you do not see.’
‘Like what?’
‘Lachlan,’ Danya warns gently.
‘No, like what?What don’t I see?Tell me.’
‘You are blinded by love.’
‘Oh, fuckoff,Blaire.Like you don’t love Mimi.’
‘I love them both, but my love is tempered with that which you lack.’
‘Astonish me.’
‘Detachment.’
Lachlan has to drag the word up to echo it.‘Detachment?’
‘You love Mimi, but you cannot detach, so she is your daughter now.You love Jules, but you cannot detach, so he is your lover now.You are too involved in all areas with them, and you have no ability to disconnect.For someone as powerful as you, that is dangerous.’
‘Dangerous how?’
‘A blind sniper in a tall tower is everyone’s problem.’
Lachlan falls instantly silent, so hurt that his anger actually takes several seconds to even register beneath the resounding painof that.
Danya clocks it quickly, rises to stand, kicking his chair away.
‘OK, we are all cranky.Is time to take nice break now,’ he says sternly, putting himself between Blaire and Lachlan.‘Lachlan, come train.’
