“That’s very kind, sir.” Laurent smiled but was still wary of King’s strange moods and his change of heart. First he’d tried to choke Laurent, and then had Beast take him shopping. The man either had a twin, or something else was going on that Laurent didn’t understand. He wouldn’t try to poison Laurent, would he?
He followed King into the living room, where several plates stood on the low table by the sofa, along with two cups of steaming coffee. Laurent’s gaze still strayed to the locked door that he’d been explicitly told not to dare approach. The prohibited access only made Laurent’s curiosity itch.
“Dig in. I thought the two of us should have a chat in private and talk of our common friend,” King said, dropping into a chair across from the sofa. He picked up one of the empty plates and filled with all the goods he came with. There were fried eggs, bacon, tomatoes, pancakes, and sausage, and mushrooms, and bread. The abundance of it in such a simple meal was astounding, although Laurent already knew that the people in this world seemed to want for nothing.
“Knight? Nao? I wouldn’t say I’m friends with them yet, sir.” Laurent reached out for a crispy, warm piece of bread and put a fried egg on it, smiling at the sight already. He would not be dragged down into the same mood as Beast’s when there was so much this world could offer. One day he would meet a man he could trust, a man who would not abuse him, trick him, or be of a social standing so much higher than Laurent that he could do anything to him.
“No. I mean our horned friend,” King said, and the food got stuck in Laurent’s mouth as the brand on his neck seemed to flare with heat.
He sank farther into the sofa, watching King with more wariness and suddenly wondering whether Beast would still help him in case of King’s attack or if he’d watch on with cruel satisfaction.
King pulled off a black scarf he was wearing, presenting Laurent with an intricate symbol burned on the back of his thick neck. Laurent had taken a good look at his own in the bathrooms at the mall, and he would swear they were identical. But what could that mean?
“Have you… Has he helped you?” Laurent asked in the end.
King smirked and gave Laurent a nod, biting into his bread with a loud groan of pleasure. “Have you met Martina? She cooks so well when she’s hungover.”
The change of topic threw Laurent off. “I don’t believe I’ve met her, no. But, back to the other issue… What did he help you with?”
King chewed on his food and leaned back, crossing his legs in a relaxed position. “Oh, he’s watching over me. But most of all, he told me that you’re here for me, so I guess that makes us partners.”
Laurent let out a big sigh of relief, and his shoulders sagged. “Yes! Yes, that’s right. I’ve been explicitly told that no harm can come to you. I’ve been extremely anxious about this, sir, so I’m more than happy to hear we are on the same side.”
King waved his hand. “If you have any issues with my son, tell me, and I’ll deal with him. He’s pushing so damn hard to move the club, but I can’t have that. It would break the terms of my agreement with our friend. We need to make sure he doesn’t stir things up with the other club members.”
Laurent put all the information he was getting onto tidy shelves in his mind. “Now I understand. I’ve been sent to make sure he is still here for his next birthday. I understand that is advantageous to you, sir?”
King washed down his food with coffee, squinting slightly. “Laurent, you are adorable when you talk like that. Yes, it will be all done and dusted if we stay here until he’s thirty three.”
Laurent stuffed his mouth with toast and egg, unsure what to make of the compliment. He was just being polite. “Once that happens, I will be free, but also without an ally in this world. Is there a chance that we could become that when all is settled? I in turn promise to make myself useful.”
King spread out in the chair like a medieval king on his throne. “If you do this for me, I will not let you go hungry or poor. That is a promise,” he said and reached out his hand over the table.
Laurent was eager to squeeze it. Finally! Maybe the devil was right, and he really had the power necessary to fulfil the task he’d been burdened with. All he had to do was stall Beast’s plans for a few months. Being around Beast wouldn’t be easy, but Laurent could surely make himself enough of a distraction to make Beast forget other tasks.