Page 96 of Savage

“No. Down at that meeting when everyone was coming at you, he was the one you looked to for support, and when we got back last night, he, um…”

“He what?”

“He just gave me some advice. He watches out for you. Has your back or six? Isn’t that what they say?”

Lachlan chuckled. “We’re not in the military.”

“I know, but you’re in security. Means the same thing, right?”

Lachlan’s eyes narrowed a fraction. “Yeah, I guess it does.”

“So, how’d you two meet?”

“Through King.”

My lips twitched. “Is that it?”

“Sorry. Did you want more?”

I shoved Lachlan in the shoulder. “More than a two-word answer? I was kind of hoping. But if you can’t tell me about him, how about you? You can talk about yourself, I presume.”

When he pulled a face, I tipped my head back and let out an exasperated sound. “Ugh, talking to you issofrustrating. I get you’re in security and have to keep things on the down-low, but can’t you give me something?Anything?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. How’d did you get into security?”

His smirk instantly vanished, and it didn’t take a genius to realize I’d just touched on something unpleasant.

Great job, you nosy bastard.Why didn’t I just shut my mouth and keep things light, fun, and sexy instead of probing for more information?

I was about to change the subject when Lachlan shocked the hell out of me and said, “My parents died.”

That wasnotwhat I’d expected him to say, but now that he had, I wasn’t quite sure how to reply. The last thing I’d wanted to do was bring up a painful topic, but now that I had inadvertently put my foot in it, I wasn’t sure how to remove it.

“Lachlan, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. It was a long time ago. When I was a boy.”

“Oh.” It wasn’t the most eloquent response, but it was all I had right then.God, why I couldn’t I ever just enjoy a silence?“You don’t have to talk about this if you don’t want to.”

His dark eyes found mine, a question of his own now swirling in their depths. “You don’t want to know?”

I did, of course. I wanted to know everything there was to know about him. But I also didn’t want to push him into a place he wasn’t comfortable talking about.

“Only if you want to tell me.”

Lachlan wound his arms around my waist and pulled me down until I was settled against his chest, where the steady beat of his heart thumped beneath my ear.

“I’ve never told anyone outside of my brothers before, but… I was ten years old when it happened. We lived in a place north of the city, Westchester County. My family came from old money, and life was pretty much perfect as far as I was concerned.”

I felt the dread of what was coming settle in the pit of my stomach.

“It was a Tuesday, just a day like any other. My father had been teaching me chess, and I’d challenged him to a game afterdinner. I’d just swiped his bishop when the neighbors’ dogs began to bark like crazy. I only remember that because my mother came running in, and something about the look on her face had my father getting up. Which, of course, made me want to follow, but my mother wrapped her arms around me from behind while he went to check the security camera.”

Lachlan swallowed, and I flexed my hand on his chest, wanting to comfort him.

“I remember we started running… We had a safe room in the house, and she had me go in there, and I thought she would join me, but my father wasn’t back yet. She kissed my forehead, told me she loved me. Told me to stay inside no matter what, and that her and my father would be right back.”

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