Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 84544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
21
ISIDORE PANOPOULOS
The sheets felt so good. He couldn’t remember a time when his bed had ever felt this amazing in all his life.
Dawn was starting to creep over the horizon, but he caught only a glimpse of it before Kairo was shutting the curtains and blanketing the room in cool darkness, which helped to ease the ache in his throbbing head.
The last several hours were a blur, and he couldn’t blame it completely on his concussion. When Charlie, Will, and Alexei arrived, Kairo ordered Will to check him, but his lover never let him completely go. Once the doctor confirmed that it was safe to move him, Kairo was ushering him off to the car Charlie had parked out front while both Kairo and West reassured him that the team would handle everything.
Everything being the two dead bodies in the house.
His family.
The family members who had planned to kill him and threatened the life of his sister.
He wanted to feel sad or at least angry, but right now he was simply numb.
He returned to his home with Kairo, Will, and Alexei. Nearly half an hour had passed with Athena clinging to him and alternating between losing her temper and sobbing. Both were understandable. She had been put through too much. He was her last family in all the world and he never wanted her to hurt.
After another more thorough examination by Will—who said that his brain wasn’t broken or going to melt or whatever happened with a concussion—Kairo was finally allowed to usher him into a hot shower to wash away the horror of the night and tuck him into his bed. The mattress on his left side shifted and dipped just a second before a strong, warm arm lay gently across his bare stomach. Kairo’s lips pressed a sweet kiss to his shoulder and then behind his ear.
“Are you comfortable? Do you need anything?” Kairo whispered.
“I just need you,” Isidore murmured.
“I’m right here. Not going anywhere.”
“For how long?” Isidore instantly winced as those words fell out of his mouth before he could catch them. He was too sore and too tired to censor his thoughts and emotions. The numbness was starting to wear off, and he was left with a rawness that went down to his soul.
“What do you mean?” From the corner of his eye, he could make out how Kairo had changed positions so that he was leaning up on one elbow, allowing him to see Isidore’s face.
“I screwed up and was kidnapped again. How could you want me with you if I’m always in danger of being kidnapped? And I’m not useful like the other people on the team. You can’t possibly want to babysit me.” Isidore squeezed his eyes shut as pain tightened around his heart. “So, eventually, you’ll leave to go on a job.”
“Isidore, baby, come here,” Kairo murmured. Kairo urged him to roll over onto his other side, while Kairo sank lower so that Isidore could use him as a pillow. Once he was settled, his lover kissed his forehead and then each of his closed eyes. “Yes, you were kidnapped again, but did you forget that I was also kidnapped? It happens. We train for it. The mistakes we made tonight were Charlie letting you out of his sight and not putting enough security on the fuse box. Other than that, you planned this party scheme to capture our culprits within an inch of its life, and it went off perfectly. You planned this. Not Charlie or me or West. You. Our team could definitely use someone like you with those skills.”
Isidore tilted his head up, eyes widening before the pain of his headache lanced through his brain. He winced and lowered his head. “You’re serious?”
“Very serious. Yes, you could use more training, but we’re all learning and studying new techniques and gadgets to get better at what we do. As for that babysitting comment, I never want to hear that out of your mouth again. I have never babysat you. Protecting you is my privilege. I feel honored that you trust me to keep you and your sister safe.”
Isidore smiled, nuzzling Kairo’s bare chest, loving the feel of the soft hair scratching his cheek.
“Besides, didn’t you hear what you were saying earlier tonight?” Kairo asked, his voice dipping closer to a rough whisper.
“What do you mean?”
“You made it clear that you knew. I love you. Isidore Aegis Panopoulos, you are my everything. I love everything about you. I don’t give a shit about your money or your family name. You are my world, and I will always come for you. I will always protect you.”
Isidore pushed upright, his grin stretching across his face as he bumped the tip of his nose against Kairo’s. “I did know it. I mean, do. I do know it. I know you love me. I can see it every time you smile at me. I was afraid it was just wishful thinking, but I could feel it all around my heart. You love me.”