“Not yet? You’re expecting something to go wrong?” When he didn’t answer, I placed my hand over his. “Come on, talk to me.”
“It’s my mother,” he said softly. “She’s refusing to listen to reason, and now all my siblings have come together at her place.”
“Why’s that such a bad thing?”
“Because I separated everyone to keep them safe.”
“Is someone after them?”
“I don’t have anything concrete, but if it happened, I don’t want them all to be in the same place. I already lost a brother, Kit. I can’t lose anyone else.”
I traced his knuckles with my finger. “Maybe together they stand a better chance than apart?”
“I can’t risk that. She’s trying to make me feel guilty for not making the trip to my sister’s engagement party.”
“It seems they’re old enough to make their decisions, Sully, regardless of how you feel about the situation.”
He shut down the lid of his laptop with more force than necessary. “They don’t understand the danger they can be in if anyone who knows me finds out where they are.”
“How long has it been since you’ve seen them?”
He raised his head. The pain in his eyes stabbed my heart. I hugged him as best I could with my one good arm. He placed a hand around me and pulled me tight to him.
“It’s been over five years.”
“Babe, that’s a long time. I’d give anything to see my mother again. Are you sure you don’t want to go?”
“That’s the thing, Kit. There’s nothing else I would rather do, but if I go there and it blows their cover, I’ll—”
“And if you go and nothing happens? You’ll get to see your family again.”
He ran his hand up and down my back. “Maybe you’re right.”
I kissed the side of his face. “Of course I’m right. I’m the voice of reason around here. You should get it on a mug or something. ‘Kit’s always right.’”
Sully chuckled, even though the sound was hoarse. “Don’t be insufferable. Modesty goes a long way.”
“When have you ever known me to be modest?”
His hand shifted to the shorts I had on, and he squeezed my left butt cheek. “I’m almost afraid to say you’re right again. Since you’re finished eating, let’s get you in a costume and play a little.”
“And if I’m a good kitty, what do I get?”
He pulled back to regard me. “How much is this going to cost me? A thousand bucks? Five thousand?”
“Just Master’s cream. It’s been a while since I’ve had it on my tongue.”
Sully swallowed and dipped his head. “Good kitty, bad kitty, it doesn’t matter. I’ll give you all the cream you want.”
I wiggled free from his arms, but before I could take a step, he clamped a hand onto my hip. “Kit.”
“Hmm?”
“I almost missed you the night I picked you up in the alley. It would’ve been a grave tragedy.”
His words could have easily been a cheesy pickup line, but the earnest way he looked at me, eyes serious, staring into my soul, told me differently. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever said to me. Whatever he decided, to meet up with his family or not, to give up his risky job or not, Sullivan Matthews would always have my love.