by the arm. “I’m taking you home.”
“I don’t want to be there.”
“Then I’ll take you to my apartment.”
The fight just drained out of her. “Okay.”
Lucien could feel Ember’s pain well across the room. He didn’t know what the hell was going on, but he knew that Ember deserved some time away from Trace.
“Would you like something to drink?” It sounded lame, but he was a bit out of his depth here.
The sight of her tear-streaked face moved him across the room. He joined her on the sofa and took her hand in his.
“He loves you.”
“I know, but it still hurts.”
“Well, he is a man, and I’ve been told repeatedly that men are idiots.”
Her slight smile in response encouraged him to continue. “He should have told you, but I understand why he didn’t.”
He could see the question in her eyes when she looked up at him. “He loves you. You’ve made a life together and the idea that a secret from the past could pull you away from him, well, that would make anyone hedge their bets.” And he realized as he spoke the words how accurately they pertained to him as well. The lack of open communication between Darcy and him had certainly taken a toll on their relationship.
Ember shook her head. “He should know, especially after everything that we’ve been through, that his secrets don’t have that kind of power. I love him and that means I love everything about him.”
“Agreed, and that takes us back to him being an idiot.” Lucien sobered a minute. “Seriously, I was in a situation similar to the one you are in now. The woman I loved hurt me and, instead of fighting for her, fighting for us, I made the easy choice and walked away. I’ve had to live with that ever since, and I know that if I had it to do over, I would have fought with everything I had. Life with her is messy and frustrating, but life without her isn’t much of a life.”
“Darcy?”
“Yeah, Darcy.”
“I like her.”
Surprise flashed over his face. “You met her?”
“I came to see you at Allegro, but you weren’t there. We ended up going to lunch.”
“And what did you talk about at this lunch?”
Ember’s grin turned coy. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” And then she squeezed his hand. “We talked enough for me to know that she feels the same way about you as you do about her. It isn’t too late for you.”
“And we are working on it. Not that I haven’t had my own bouts of idiocy.”
“Meaning?” Ember asked.
“Let’s just say I keep letting my jealousy overrule common sense and have said things to Darcy that she really should slug me for.”
“What did you say to her?”
“I called her a whore, twice.”
“What! Oh, I would have slugged you.”
Lucien’s grin was wicked. “Of that I have no doubt.” He turned serious. “I need her to know that I’m aware of just how much of an ass I’ve been.”
“Then say that.”
Lucien’s raised his one brow in skepticism. “That simple?”
“Yup. And she likes flowers.”
“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.” He could see that her thoughts had turned back to Trace as sadness washed over her expression. “Do you think that the boy is Trace’s?”
“He looks a hell of a lot like him, but I can’t believe that Trace would have kept that from you. I honestly don’t know. Would it be a problem if he were?”
“No, of course not. I’m only hurt that he didn’t tell me. It isn’t Seth’s fault.”
“Seth? You know his name?”
“Yeah, he’s friends with Brandon, the boy I met at the campaign office. Great kid.”
“Small world,” Lucien said just as Ember yawned. He stood and pulled her from the sofa.
“You need sleep.”
“I don’t want to be a bother.”
He turned and looked at her as if she had three heads. “Friends can never be a bother.”
He walked her to the guest room. She stepped into the room and turned to him. “Thank you, Lucien.”
“Anytime, Ember.”
Three hours later, Lucien opened the door to a very worried Trace.
“Where is she?” Trace demanded.
“She’s sleeping. Come in; I’ll get you a beer.” They hadn’t even made it to the kitchen before Lucien asked, “Trace, who’s the kid living with Heidi?”
“Why were you at Heidi’s?”
“A long story that I’ll share another time. Who is he? Because when I saw him, I thought he was yours and so did Ember.”
“What?” And then realization slammed into Trace and suddenly his anger was replaced with fear, an emotion he wasn’t