Lancelot (The Theriot Family 3)

Julian hugged Tony close. “I’m so glad you saved him.”

“Me too. Or I am now. When I was bottle-feeding him on the plane home, I wasn’t so sure.”

“You bottle-fed him?”

“I had to. I wasn’t going to let him starve.”

Julian kissed me thoroughly. When he pulled back for air, he gave me a heart-warming smile. “You’re an amazing man, Lancelot Theriot.”

Not half as amazing as he was. “Turn over. You need some rest.”

“I really don’t.”

“Fine. I need an excuse to cuddle you.”

Julian laughed. “In that case…”

He turned over, and I spooned him. We slept for a few hours and woke up hungry for dinner.

After we ate, he read Down by Lilac Creek while I spent a long stretch of time on the phone with various family members. Things were quiet tonight. Too quiet. We all sensed something was about to crash down on us. We just didn’t know what.

Even Blackjack couldn’t get any solid intel on what the Carlottis were planning. If we’d had more time, we would have planted someone inside their organization, but this had all come out of nowhere. As horrible as it was, it had brought me Julian. I wouldn’t change that for anything, but I had to keep him safe.

Things remained quiet all night, but early in the morning Remington called to let me know some of our men had found a tracker on Julian’s car and Blackjack had prevented an attempted breach of my security system. I tried to convince Julian to stay home, but he was way too stubborn. I wanted to order him to do so, but after last night, after the way he’d been so unsure that there was more between us than just sex, I didn’t want to argue with him.

I absolutely wasn’t going to leave his side. He was my assignment for the day. I could protect him best, and honestly, if somebody came for him, the library was easier to defend than my condo.

People wouldn’t question extra guards around a public building the way they would at my place. There’d be no reason for my men to stay hidden or for me to severely limit their number.

I left a message for Remington, informing him of my plan. A few moments later, just as I stepped out of the shower, I saw his name flash on my phone. He didn’t bother to say hello when I picked up; he just launched into a tirade.

I knew how hard the situation was for him and how scared he’d been knowing Henri was at risk, even at Pop’s house. So I excused the fact that he called to bitch at me for insisting I would stay at the library with Julian when he wanted me doing reconnaissance.

“Remy, I’m plenty useful to you at the library. If anyone on the Carlottis payroll shows up, I’ll take them down and torment them every way I can think of until they tell me what we need to know to get the family off our backs.”

“Is fucking Julian on your lunch break part of this plan too?”

I jabbed at my phone, ending the call.

“What’s wrong?” Julian asked.

I shook my head. “Nothing new. Just Remington being an asshole.”

“He loves you.”

“You sound so certain.”

“I could tell when we met. He cares so much for you. He just doesn’t know how to show it.”

“I’m not sure any of us do. The family business doesn’t lend itself to emotional expression.” We stared at each other and time seemed to slow. I heard the tick of the clock in the kitchen. The air grew thick. I wanted—needed—to say something, but I didn’t.

“Where’s the necklace now?” Julian asked.

The change of subject startled me at first, but I was grateful for it. “Somewhere safe.”

He glared at me. “You’re never going to tell me, are you?”

“No, baby. The less you know—”

“The safer I am. I know you’re right, but are you sure there’s no way it can be returned? Just the thought of these people—these evil people—having the necklace is sickening.”

I stroked his hair back from his face. “It’s what has to happen to keep you safe, to keep Henri and the rest of my family safe. It’s just a necklace.”

Julian nodded. “I know. It’s just that there is a reproduction…”

A plan started to form in my head, but I didn’t say anything. I wasn’t going to give Julian false hope, and if I even mentioned it to Remington, my brother might kill me.

I spent a restless morning prowling the perimeter of the library and stalking around inside. I was clearly driving Julian crazy. If he hadn’t been at work, I’m sure he would have told me off.

Gwen provided some distracting chatter, and when Julian had his lunch break, I ordered us food, took him into the storage room, and relieved a good deal of our tension.