18. Lancelot
LANCELOT
I ’d known Julian would argue with me. I could tell from the moment I’d first seen him that he wasn’t someone who stood down easily. He might not have my kind of toughness, but he had convictions about things that mattered to him. Not even someone like me or my brother would deter him.
I had no doubt he would have bashed me over the head last night if he’d felt more threatened. I was used to people—other than my brothers—doing what I said because they wouldn’t dare cross me. That tactic wasn’t going to work on Julian.
“How long has it been since you’ve taken a day off?”
He sniffed. “I have every weekend off.”
“What do you do on the weekends?”
“I read, and sometimes I…”
I raised my brows. “Sometimes you what?”
He sighed. “Sometimes I go by the library and do some extra work.”
Just as I’d suspected. “We’re going to fix that.”
“What do you mean?” He sounded genuinely confused.
“Your work can’t be your life.”
“Isn’t yours?”
Tony saved me from answering as he scampered into the kitchen. The smell of something cooking always woke him. He climbed up onto the table in front of Julian and demanded to be greeted properly. I focused on the French toast while Julian petted him.
My work wasn’t my life. Not exactly. But what else did I have?
Partying. Finding ways to put myself in danger—fast cars, crazy stunts, the occasional trek through the swamp with Ambrose to practice my tracking skills.
Okay, maybe the tracking thing counted as work or prep for work. This wasn’t about me, though.
Tony held Julian’s attention long enough for me to plate up the French toast. I set a plate in front of Julian.
He broke off a piece and handed it to Tony before even tasting it himself.
It was in that moment—seeing that beautiful soft smile on Julian’s face as Tony took the treat and gobbled it down, seeing him care for the little creature he’d yelled at the first day we’d met—that I realized I was absolutely serious about not letting Julian go after we’d taken care of this mess with the Carlottis.
I was going to keep Julian safe, and I was going to keep him with me. I’d seen Remington with Henri and Corbin with Beau. I’d seen the way they looked at each other as they fell in love, and I was starting to think I was looking at Julian just like that.
I was still watching him when he took his first bite of French toast. He closed his eyes and groaned, the sound too much like the ones he’d made when he was inside me.
My cock stirred, ready for another round, but Julian needed to eat and to rest. I shouldn’t completely wear him out on our first night together. I could be good and take care of him.
“This is the best French toast I’ve ever eaten. I didn’t think… I mean… But it is.”
“You thought I was just bragging. You thought a man like me couldn’t create something like this.”
He frowned, then nodded slowly. “I was wrong.”
“You were, and it’s possible you’re wrong about other things you assume about me.”
He studied me for a moment. “Maybe I am.”
“On some things, though, you’re probably spot on. I’m not nice. I expect to get my way. I’m sexy as hell, and?—”
He sputtered and held up a hand. “Stop. I’m going to choke.”
I huffed. “It’s not that funny.”
As we finished our plates of French toast, Tony worked hard to con more bites out of Julian, but I distracted him with some cherries.
Julian was swirling his last bite through the syrup on his plate, getting it nice and coated when he froze and looked at me. “Oh shit.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’ve got a potential donor coming in today, and I need to be at work in”—he glanced at the clock on the wall—“three hours, and I haven’t had any sleep. I don’t have any clothes here. I’m going to be a mess.”
“You’re not going to work. I told you that already.”
“What are you going to do? Tie me up and leave me here?” Julian asked as he finally ate his last bite.
“Only if I’m with you and doing filthy things to your body.”
He sputtered, nearly choking. “I… I don’t think I’d mind that.”
“Hell no, you’d love it.”
“But I would not love losing my job or making things even worse for the library by offending a potential donor.”
“It’s too dangerous.”
“Can’t you send someone to watch over me?”
I blew out a long breath. “Someone would need to have eyes on you the whole time, so they’d have to be inside.”
“That’s not?—”
“Julian—”
“I get it. I’m in danger, but this meeting is important to me. The library feels like the only thing I have left of my dad. I know that’s not true, but he… he loved it and would have done anything to preserve it.”
He looked so distraught I couldn’t stop myself from giving in. “I’ll make some arrangements, but you have to be willing to compromise.”
“You mean it? You’ll…”
“I’ll let you go to work, and you do have clothes here. I had one of my men bring a few things from your apartment, including your new book.”
The look on his face made my heart skip a beat. “You brought me…”
“Yes. I knew you’d want the book safe, now go on upstairs and get back to bed before I change my mind.
This will take me a while to arrange. I intend to station someone on the archive, and no way in hell am I leaving you with less than three men.
I’ll be there when I can, but I’ve got some other things I have to attend to personally. ”
“Lance, I… Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I was glad he didn’t protest further. I’d given all I was willing to give.
The smile he gave me made my heart flutter. I was in so much trouble with this stubborn man.
We showed up at the library early the next morning, well before anyone else.
I wouldn’t allow Julian inside until I’d done a thorough inspection.
I walked my men through the place, explaining how I wanted them stationed.
I’d chosen men I knew well, ones who’d been with our family for quite some time.
When the library’s useless security guard arrived for the day, I stepped outside to greet him. “You’re dismissed.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Wait.” He squinted at me. “You’re that guy with the fucking monkey, aren’t you?”
As if he’d known his presence was requested, Tony came racing out of the library to point a finger at the man and tell him off.
It was a good thing Tony didn’t speak English.
I didn’t think any of what he was saying should be uttered in public.
When his rant wound down, I picked Tony up and placed him on my shoulder.
“I’m glad you remembered me,” I told the guard. “I brought my own security today. You’re not needed.”
“You can’t send me away. You don’t have any authority here.”
“What are you going to do about it? Arrest me?”
“I will detain you and call the police.”
I laughed. “I’d like to see you try.”
The man snarled at me, but he didn’t make any moves. He had to know exactly how that would end.
“You’ve done a shit job the two times I’ve visited. Julian and the other librarians deserve better protection, so I’m replacing you with my men. Leave quietly, and you won’t have any further trouble.”
“I’ll lose my fucking job if I leave my post.”
“I won’t tell your boss if you don’t, though, if you don’t do a better job whenever you return to work, it will be time for a longer conversation.”
He snarled. “I do a perfectly good?—”
“Don’t even try to defend yourself. You play on your phone. You pay no attention to who enters or leaves. Someone could walk in here and shoot up the whole place, and you wouldn’t do a damn thing about it.”
“That’s not true. Who are you anyway?”
“Someone you don’t want to cross. Go.” I waved my hand as if shooing away a fly. “Get out of here now, and you won’t have any more trouble for me.”
“I’m going to call the police.”
“No, you’re not. Right now you’re alive and well, despite putting my man in danger. If you stay here, that won’t last.”
“Your man? What the hell?”
“Julian is under my protection. Is that clear?”
Tony shook his finger at the man and said something that sounded very much like he was repeating my words.
When the asshole didn’t move, I recited his address, phone number, social security number, and other personal information. Now he looked scared.
“I just wanted you to know how easily I can find you to let you know when you should return to work again.”
“This is?—”
“Do you really want to argue with me?”
The man looked at the ground and shook his head.
“You’ve got about ten seconds to get out of here before your life takes a turn for the worse.”
The man walked off, muttering.
Once my men were in place, I gave Julian a goodbye kiss, wished him luck with his potential donor, and headed out to meet my cousin Dax. We were going hunting.