Page 31 of Kylan

I stopped cold.

“What?”

Marek took my hand and led me to the couch and my brain was short-circuiting.

This was bad.

This was very bad.

“Is he . . . ?”

“Darling, he’s fine. He’s just in Melbourne.”

“Melbourne?” This didn’t make sense. “What’s he...? Why aren’t you with him? You’re never not with him. Did something happen?”

Marek’s eyes filled with kindness. “Oh, princess, no.” He put his hand to my cheek. “You’re such a sweet boy. Everything’s fine. We’re fine. This was an emergency legal matter that couldn’t be helped. We were both going to go, and normally we would. But after last night, withhow you were, we felt it would be best if I stayed behind. We didn’t want you to feel abandoned.”

“Abandoned,” I mumbled. “With how I was? What does that mean?”

Marek took my hands and held them tight. “You were so upset, worried with things changing and feeling left behind, we couldn’t cancel on you the very next day. What message would that send you?”

I opened my mouth to answer, to say something, but not sure where to start.

“I never meant to be a bother. I never meant to...”

“Oh, Kylan, darling,” he said fondly. “You are no bother. No bother at all. Actually, you’re the opposite of that.”

I shook my head, confused. “But you’re never apart. You’re never not together. And now you are because of me.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “Of course we have nights and days apart,” he said. “Not very often, that’s true. But it does happen.”

I wasn’t sure what to think. What to make of this.

“You stayed because of me?”

He sat back, crossed his legs, and smiled. Relaxed, comfortable, happy. “I did. Leon and I decided together that it was the right thing to do.” Then he did a little nose scrunch that made his moustache twitch. It was cute. “Well, I was feeling anxious about it and Leon told me to stay. I didn’t even have to say what I was feeling, he just knew. He felt the same.”

Oh.

“I’m going to fill you in on a very poorly kept secret while he’s not here,” Marek went on to say. “He might appear outwardly stern and stoic, but he’s a big old softie.”

I smiled at that. “I know.”

Marek chuckled. “And he has a soft spot for you, darling. About the size of his whole heart.”

I stared at him, heart racing, feeling my cheeks flood with heat. “Oh.”

“We both do. So please don’t fret about him not being here tonight.”

All I could do was nod.

What a day.

What a fucking day.

“You had a good day?” Marek prompted.

I nodded, getting teary again. “The best day.” Then I shrugged. “But now...” I wasn’t sure how to say this.

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