‘You and I have always said that we aren’t built for commitment or love...’ his brother began slowly. ‘That everything she put us through destroyed that in us. But what if we’re wrong, Mal? What if you and I have always been capable of love?’
‘This discussion is over,’ Malachi ground out.
It was as if his brother was echoing everything that had been going on in Italy, and right now it was the last conversation Malachi wanted to have with anyone. But still he didn’t move.
Did his brother know about Saskia?
Did the entire hospital?
Sol shifted, looking oddly uncomfortable.
‘There’s always been love between you and me,’ he said, as though he was repeating someone else’s words and wasn’t quite sure if he was doing it correctly. ‘It may be a different kind of love, but it’s love nonetheless.’
‘Where did those pearls of wisdom come from?’ Malachi tried to snort—but, inexplicably, he lacked the scorn that would normally have come so easily.
Sol paused, seeming to consider what to say. ‘I don’t know,’ he concluded at last.
And, despite his own worries, Malachi couldn’t help worrying about his kid brother, the way he always had as the big brother. Hadn’t he been mentioning Saskia’s flatmate a lot recently...?
‘A woman?’
‘No...’ denied Sol unconvincingly. Then, ‘Maybe...’
‘Anouk?’
‘Are you going to take the proverbial?’ He glowered at Malachi, clearly expecting the usual ribbing. But for once Malachi didn’t feel like it.
‘Maybe another time.’
Sol narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and Malachi pretended to ignore him.
‘Yeah, then,’ Sol admitted. ‘Anouk.’
It was enough to finally get his attention. If Sol, the perennial playboy, could be falling for a woman, it had to say something.
‘Something’s going on between you?’
‘I don’t know. Maybe.’
Malachi knew he should back away, but he couldn’t. It was too coincidental.
‘Serious?’
Sol hesitated. ‘Maybe. She’s the reason I came here today, at least.’
His brother studied him, cool and perceptive. ‘What do you need?’ Malachi asked at length.
‘You have people who can track stuff down for you, right?’
Malachi inclined his head.
‘I want you to track down all you can on this man.’ Sol flicked though his phone and found the notepad before spinning it across the desk to him. ‘He died thirteen years ago, but he used to live there.’
Wordlessly Malachi read the screen and made a note of the information. He didn’t even question it. If Sol needed it that was his business. Besides, if he kept his nose out of his brother’s life maybe Sol would return the favour.
‘Do you think you can do this without hurting her, Sol?’ Malachi heard himself saying the words.
‘Sorry?’