The Hero and the Hidden Royal - Renae Kaye Page 0,38
want everyone knowing about it. Start with Marguerite. Tell her I sent you. She’ll at least be able to tell you if there’s a safe there in use. If not, we can then ask the Earl’s permission to look.”
~~~~~~~~
DEREK WAS BUOYED WHEN SAM came over. “This is the exciting stuff of my job. Mostly it’s boring with a mummy or a fake painting thrown into the mix, but actively looking for a lost safe is fun.”
Sam laughed and kissed his cheek. “I like it when you’re excited.”
With a roll of his eyes, Derek stuck his tongue out at Sam. “I know you like it. I like it too. I like when you’re excited for me too.” Derek slid his arms around Sam’s middle. He liked the haven of Sam’s arms. He squeezed, then said, “Come on now. I have dinner ready. Sit down and tell me about your day while I put it on a plate.”
Sam collapsed into his customary chair and heaved a sigh. “I was drafted to help with removalist duties this afternoon. Fuck, my back is sore from that one.”
“Removalist duties?” Derek asked as he put a plate of food in front of Sam.
“Yeah.” There was a definite note of sadness there and Derek turned, giving Sam his full attention. Once Sam realized he’d revealed more than he’d meant to with that single word, he heaved another sigh, slumping tiredly in his chair. “Mrs. Veroni’s bookstore. They’re moving location. I tried to talk to Mrs. Veroni and she was really tight-lipped about it all, but then when I was helping her daughter with some boxes, the daughter let it slip that her mother was being forced out. Threats. She wouldn’t pay the so-called fees demanded by the local thugs. Tina said her mother had had enough and was going somewhere else.”
He scowled at the food in front of him, picked up his fork, and stabbed the pasta a couple of times. Derek didn’t think he was angry with the food, simply upset with the situation.
“I’m sorry,” Derek said quietly. “I know you feel hopeless.”
Sam crushed some food under his fork, watching the soft pasta squeeze up through the tines. “I asked her if she would go to the police, and she said she wouldn’t. She has a business to run and two children to support. The gentlemen responsible—and she used that word, gentlemen, as if that’s what they really are—but the gentlemen would find her wherever she went. She was moving out of their territory but not the city. They could still reach her and act in retaliation if she went to the cops. She didn’t have the ability to go too far.”
“Oh.” Derek was sad. Sad for this unknown bookstore owner, but especially sad because it was upsetting Sam so much. He really was an Aragorn, trying to fight other people’s battles but never once acknowledging how much of a hero he was. Never admitting defeat but fighting until there was no hope left. “You know it’s not your fault, right?”
He watched with apprehension as Sam’s hand curled into a fist. Yes, his Aragorn was fired with the blood of his ancestors. “I want to put my fists on them in anger,” Sam growled menacingly. “My instructors would be horrified at that. I’ve always been such a pacifist.”
Derek reached out and curved his fingers around Sam’s fist. “You are still a pacifist, Sam. Don’t you see? You’re not wanting to cause violence because you like it, but because you want to protect the weak and stop someone from hurting those you care about. You’re not the instigator of this violence. The instigator is the one who threatens these store owners. Can’t you just write it all down and go to the police yourself?”
“And say what?” Sam grimaced. “It’s nothing concrete. Don’t you see? I have nothing to go on. That’s why I want to go down and find these guys. At nighttime when there’s no witnesses. I want to go and thump a few people.”
Derek’s nerves rose and he flickered out of sight. Sam immediately looked alarmed and was contrite. “No, baby. Don’t worry for me, please? I won’t go and do that.” He reached out and brushed his fingers down the invisible cheek above the blue checked shirt sitting at the table. “Please, baby? I don’t like it when you’re worried like this. I like to see you. See that beautiful face. Come back. I promise I won’t go and thump anyone if you just