Page 34 of Kennedy

“Well, I can’t say that Bennett was happy. He listened to what Wallace Senior had to say, then kicked him out. We did explain that Seymour has a twin, though.”

“You should have done that from the beginning,” Lewis grumbled.

He understood why Jimmy hadn’t wanted to give his father an explanation—he didn’t owe him one—but it would have kept Wallace Senior away, which would have made everyone’s life just a bit easier.

“He wouldn’t have believed me unless he saw you and Seymour together,” Jimmy pointed out.

That might be true, but still. Lewis felt they’d dragged the situation out without reason.

Seymour clasped Lewis’s shoulder. “Anyway, it should be over now. Bennett told Wallace Senior to fuck off, although unfortunately not in those words, so we should be free of him.”

“He’s not going to do anything stupid, is he?” Lewis asked his brother.

Seymour frowned. “Like what?”

“Well, did he believe Bennett when he said that Seymour and I are twins? Or am I going to find him on my doorstep one of these days?”

“If you see him anywhere, call one of us,” Kennedy said. “I’ll let Danny know, too.”

Lewis shook his head. “I’ll talk to Danny, but even if Wallace Senior comes, I don’t think we’d be able to do much. We don’t know how to fight.”

“I don’t think my father would be violent,” Jimmy said with a frown. He leaned against the counter and picked up a rose petal Lewis hadn’t cleaned up yet. He rubbed it between his fingertips. “He never was. He’d rather use his words to hurt people, and he’s good at it.”

“If you’re really worried about that, though, I can teach you to fight,” Seymour offered.

It wasn’t the first time he offered. Lewis had always refused because he’d never felt he had a reason to learn. He knew a few basics, just in case, but he’d never had to use them, and he hoped that wouldn’t change. Still, knowing that Wallace Senior was around, possibly watching him, gave him the creeps. Maybe heshouldallow his brother to teach him self-defense, after all.

“I don’t know. I’m pretty sure I’d do more damage to myself than to anyone I tried fighting. It might not be worth it.” He could imagine all too well breaking a leg or an arm while Seymour looked like he was taking a stroll in the park.

“Or it might give you the time you need to run or shimmer away. That’s the point about fighting, Lewis. You don’t need to become a ninja. You just need to know enough to be able to incapacitate the person trying to hurt you and run. When you do, you can call someone, like me or Jimmy or Kennedy.” Seymour squeezed Lewis’s shoulder again. “You’re not alone. Even if you have to face Wallace Senior, you won’t have to do so on your own.”

That much was true. Lewis glanced around the shop. Both Jimmy and Kennedy were watching him. Kennedy nodded as if agreeing with Seymour’s words. He was.

Lewis had him and Seymour and Jimmy, too. He was pretty sure that he also had Wallace and Hawthorne through Jimmy. If Wallace Senior tried anything with him, he’d be in for a rude awakening.

“Every single one of the trainees would kick Wallace Senior’s ass with pleasure,” Seymour continued.

Lewis blinked. “Why should they?”

“Because you’re my brother.”

“But they don’t know me.”

“They don’t have to know you.”

“Is it because we’re twins?” Because that had happened in the past. Sometimes, people didn’t seem to realize he and Seymour weren’t the same person. They knew they were twins, but they seemed to think that they were the same, not only physically but also about everything else, almost like clones. It was ridiculous, but Lewis wasn’t surprised anymore.

Seymour rolled his eyes. “It’s enough for them that you’re my brother. They’re my friends. Of course they’ll protect you.”

That made sense. “Well, that’s great, but I hope I’ll ever need their protection.” After all, they’d trained to become council assassins. Seymour wasn’t one, and he never would be, but both he and the other trainees knew enough ways to kill people to be scary. Lewis hoped he’d never have to use their services.

Although, if Wallace Senior continued bothering him and his family, he might have to consider it.

“Do you and Kennedy have plans for tonight?” Seymour asked.

“We were just going to have dinner, nothing much,” Kennedy answered.

“Then why don’t the two of you come back to the facility? It’s kind of our last dinner together, so we’re having a party, and since Lewis ran almost right away the last time he was there, he didn’t get to know anyone.”

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