The King (Gentlemen Rogues 2)

“You know field agents don't really date. It's not encouraged."

“I know."

He muttered under his breath. “I don't want you to not date because of the Rogues. You're young, have fun, be out. Shag some bloke or some girl. Hell, shag two of them."

I made a gagging noise. "Can you please not talk about me shagging? That's just weird."

He sighed. “I just want you to have all the experiences you're supposed to have when you're young, because eventually, this is going to be it. This is all you will have, and it’s lonely."

I watched my brother, my heart breaking for him just a little. He'd taken on so much when our mum and dad died. I'd never asked him to, but he done it because he loved me. Because he loved them. And he respected their legacy and the life they'd given him.

“No one is asking you to be alone Gabe. You've given your whole life to this. To me, to protecting this legacy. No one asked you to do that. I don't want that for you. I miss my brother. The one who laughed on occasion. The one with the quick smile, the quicker comebacks. The one with warmth in his heart. I know he's in there somewhere.”

Gabe swallowed hard. “I don't get to be that guy anymore, Saff. I have to make sure you don't have to deal with the things I've dealt with. When I know that’s set, then maybe I can let that guy out again.”

I expelled along breath. “Gabe, we've got to start doing something different.

Maybe ease up on me a little, because it's exhausting for the both of us. Ease up and give me a chance to be my own person. Give yourself a break for once."

He shook his head stubbornly. “I just have to watch out for you to make sure that you're making good decisions."

“You're not my parent."

“I'm the next best thing, aren't I?"

My frustration bubbled to the surface. “You’re not listening. Why do you think you deserve to be alone? You don't have to get mad every time I try to remind you that you're my brother and not my father."

"Well, if he was here, he would—"

I pushed to my feet. "He would have what, Gabe? If he and Mum were still here, sure, he would try and lock me in a tower. I get it. It's weird. But Mum would talk sense into him. And she would have asked him if he wanted me to be alone, feeling unloved and unwanted everywhere I go."

His brow furrowed. “I'm sorry I make you feel unwanted."

I ran my hands through my fresh braids, almost ready to pull them out. “Fuck, why do we always do this?"

He shook his head. “You know what? Thanks for dinner and the show, but I need to get back to work."

“Gabe, you cannot run away when I want to talk to you about this. You're my brother. I miss my father, but I need my brother."

He pushed up, strolled over to me, and then pulled me close and planted a kiss on my forehead. “I'm sorry. Tonight was nice before we fought. I just have to make sure nothing happens to you. That's just what it is. If you want more freedom, you can stay with Tabs more often, I guess. I insist on you staying here, not just to keep an eye on you, but in hopes that someday you'll talk to me more."

“I wish I could talk to you more because I need you."

“I'm always right here."

I nodded my head, knowing that wasn't exactly true. But he needed to believe it was. And then I watched my brother stalk out, knowing full well that he would never understand what I was doing with Lachlan. Also, he was very likely to kill him, which meant I was going to have to keep it secret. The question was, how long could I keep up the lie?

* * *

Saffron

After droppingoff a report on one of the trainees we'd been having trouble with, I was heading back to the main office when I passed by the briefing room. To my surprise, Lock was in there. As were Saint, Tabatha, Gabe, three other agents, and a representative from Oversight named Madeline.

What the fuck was she doing here? All their heads were bent over briefing packets, and I scowled. My brother had kept me away from this? What the fuck was going on?

Gabe had sent me on an errand taking things to our secure post in the village down the lane, but one of the senior level agents had already been on his way down, and I’d handed it to him.

I pulled out my phone and checked my texts. There's no way my fucking brother had gotten me out of the building to have his meeting. Tabatha and Lock were seated next to each other, and both had been whispering. A text hit my phone.