How to Hack a Hacker - A.J. Sherwood Page 0,28

I think. Better plan for at least a week. Possibly two.”

Brannigan mentally adjusted what he’d need on that list. “Alright. Ivan, do you mind picking up a few things for Kyou and me?”

“No, not at all,” Ivan assured him blithely. “And we’ll need to pick Aiden up and have him stay with us here. I do not want him to be a soft target on the outside.”

“I’d prefer that over trying to keep a sharp eye on four locations,” Kyou agreed. “Fortunately, he seems to take the crazy things you do in stride.”

“He is supportive husband that way.” Ivan seemed to think it was a given Aiden wouldn’t argue with him about this.

Kyou had briefly mentioned Ivan was married and to a man. He’d not mentioned a specialty that Brannigan could remember. “I’m sorry, Aiden is…?”

“My husband.” Ivan turned to him to answer, and his expression had that honeymoon glow to it. “He’s a pediatrician and still doing his residency.”

Brannigan did not expect that answer. “Wow. I was expecting something…else. How did you end up married to a doctor?”

“Oh, is fun story,” Ivan promised, visibly gearing up to tell him the full tale.

Kyou jabbed a finger at him. “You have things to get us. Don’t start in on that now; you can tell him later. Carter, we need food and supplies. I’d rather not be doing a lot of takeout here.”

“Yeah, my thought too. I’ll go do some grocery shopping.”

Brannigan made that list, requesting a few things from Carter from the grocery store as well. He had a feeling he’d end up doing quite a bit of cooking while the men did the legwork. Taking out irate Irish mobsters wasn’t quite in his skillset. That done, he went upstairs and discovered that the beds were set up but not made. With some hunting, he found sheets, pillows, and a comforter in the closet. He quickly made up a bed and then came back down. People were dispersed at this point, each on their own errands. All except Kyou, who seemed intent on staying perched at the table.

No. Absolutely not. The man was staying awake through sheer willpower as it was. Brannigan got a good grip on his elbows and forced him out of the chair, ignoring the hacker’s flailing. “Bed.”

“I don’t have time to sleep right now!”

“Kyou, I’ve heard that excuse for going on six years now. You need to come up with a better one; I’m pretty much immune to this protest. Just a nap, okay? You’re dragging and the pandas in China are going to be jealous of your eyes soon. Maybe hit on you. Do you want to fend off panda advances?”

Kyou stumbled along in his arms, going up the stairs like a drunk with a peg leg. “I must be tired because you almost made sense for a second.”

“See?” Brannigan played along drolly. “Sure sign you need sleep. I’ll wake you in thirty minutes.” More like three hours. Brannigan estimated he needed about three hours at least.

Kyou yawned, the suggestion too much for his overwrought body, and blinked sleepily. “You made the bed?”

“I did.”

“You know how to make the bed?”

“I’m not a completely helpless rich boy, you know.”

Kyou snorted inelegantly. “Lies. Lies and slander.”

Turning down the comforter, he rolled Kyou into it. “In you go.”

Kyou didn’t even resist. In fact, he might have been asleep before his head hit the pillow. Brannigan stood over him, tucking him in, and stared at that somnolent form for a solid minute. Kyou was such a bundle of sharp intelligence and energy while awake that he seemed larger than life. It wasn’t until now, when he was still and quiet, that Brannigan realized that he really wasn’t a large man. A little shorter than Brannigan, but slender and small boned. He looked so much younger and innocent, unguarded in his sleep.

Would Brannigan ever get a chance to see him like this while awake? Unguarded and open?

Leaning in, he pressed a chaste kiss against Kyou’s forehead, lips lingering. Against his skin, Brannigan whispered, “Buonanotte, caro.”

He stole out of the room and shut the door quietly behind him. Then nearly jumped a foot when he realized that Remi was right behind him. Raised by an assassin and thief. Right. No wonder her sneaking skills were good.

She didn’t seem to realize that she’d scared him into an early greying. “Is Uncle Kyou sleeping?”

“Yeah. He went down pretty fast.”

Remi sagged in minute relief. “He’s bad about naps. Thanks. He always resists when we try