Dark Choices - I. T. Lucas Page 0,34

and you were just a young boy when you lost her. I loved Robbie with everything I had. I was willing to break every clan rule to be with him, and I did. The year I spent with him was the happiest of my life, and when he died, I knew that I would never have that again.”

“Do you still believe that?”

She looked up at him and smiled. “I’m no longer sure.”

That was encouraging. “It’s a good start.”

As they climbed up the steps to her front porch, it suddenly occurred to him that no Guardian had been trailing behind them. Had it been an oversight? Or had Kian relaxed the security around them even more?

“Did you notice that we didn’t have a tail?”

Edna glanced over her shoulder. “I guess Kian trusts you.”

Could it be that Kalugal’s show of trust had worked so fast? Had Kian returned the favor by not assigning a guard to him?

Rufsur doubted that.

“Theo and Jay might have forgotten that I went to see you in your office, and they followed the others home. I hope they will not get in trouble for that.”

Edna opened the door. “Do you want me to send them a text?”

He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “On the one hand, I like it that we finally have some privacy, but on the other hand, I don’t want those two to get in hot water with their chief, so yeah. You’d better text them.”

Smiling, Edna stretched on her toes and kissed his cheek. “You are a good man, Rufsur.”

He rolled his eyes. “That’s what I keep telling you.”

“And so modest,” she mocked.

Pulling out her phone, she typed up a text, and a moment later got a response. “Theo says that it was Kian’s decision to leave you unguarded.” She looked up at him. “It seems that your charm is winning him over.”

It hadn’t been his charm that had done it, but Kalugal’s show of trust. Or maybe neither.

He pulled her into his arms. “I don’t think Kian is doing it out of consideration for me. He’s doing it for you.”

23

Edna

“Would you like some wine?” Edna opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle.

Rufsur grimaced. “Don’t you have anything stronger?”

Edna shook her head. “I drink wine for the taste, not for the alcohol content.” Perhaps now that she had a gentleman caller, she should keep a bottle of whiskey or two on hand.

She chuckled. Rufsur was no gentleman, and he wasn’t a caller either. There was nothing polite or old-fashioned about him. He was direct to the point of being crass, but he wasn’t mean or unpleasant. On the contrary, he was fun to be with and easy to talk to, and that was on top of being a phenomenal lover.

How he and Kalugal got along as splendidly as they did was a mystery. Rufsur’s boss was his exact opposite. Kalugal was well-educated, refined, and a snob who somehow managed to appear charming despite being condescending.

She handed Rufsur a wine glass. “How did you and Kalugal end up being such close friends?” She sat on the couch.

Rufsur sat right beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “He needs me, and he knows it.” He took a sip of wine. “Although now that he has Jacki, I’ve been demoted.” He sighed. “I have to admit that I’m a little jealous, but that’s how life is. A mate supersedes all friendships.”

“Obviously. But Jacki can’t replace you, right? You are his right-hand man.”

“I’m not referring to my official job. Before Jacki, I was the one who made sure that Kalugal had some fun and didn’t spend all of his time buried either in books or his artifacts. He gets obsessive in his quest for knowledge and success, and he needs constant reminders that there is more to life than that.”

“Used to need.” Edna sipped on her wine. “He didn’t strike me as the all work and no play kind of guy.”

“That’s exactly how he is. But with Jacki around, he no longer needs me to drag him away from his desk or his dusty artifacts.”

“He is already rich and successful. What more does he want to achieve? Conquer the world?”

Snorting, Rufsur sprayed his pants with wine. “Damn. Look what you’ve made me do.” He brushed the droplets off with his hand.

It seemed to her that he was overacting to hide the fact that she’d inadvertently stumbled upon the truth.

She eyed him with a raised brow. “Was that too close for comfort?