Page 66 of Worthy Promises
“I’m not looking for a mother,” Worth said. “She apparently didn’t hesitate to hand me to Boian to raise, knowing full well what happened to you. What I never considered or refused to think about was what she did in the years between us and even after my birth.”
“What do you mean?” Rafe asked.
“Owliver suggested Ismay wouldn’t have stopped with providing Boian with children for money. I vaguely recall Drogo mentioning something similar, but I’ll admit I never gave it another thought,” Worth revealed. “What if we have half-siblings out in the world that have been sold off to fathers as unkind and cruel as our own?”
“I understand why that would freak you out,” Aleksander replied, concern growing on his face. “Like you, I didn’t want to think about it. But you’re right. It wasn’t fair to outright dismiss it. I’m not proud of setting it aside. But…okay, what can we realistically do? We don’t know where to find Ismay, let alone discover if we have siblings. Are you suggesting we find her?”
“I don’t know. What do you think?”
Aleksander blew out his breath and lifted a hand to caress the back of Rafe’s neck under the curtain of springy curls that nearly touched the top of his mate’s button-down shirt. “We both donated our DNA to the Spectra Wizardry project, and we didn’t have any matches.”
“Chrys and Elf routinely lament how difficult it has been to get dragons to comply with the rule that they must donate blood,” Rafe reminded them. “Just because Ismay isn’t in the system doesn’t mean she stayed in Europe with the Consilium. Drogo believes her to likely be a member of the Council.”
“If you had given men children that you gave up, how willing would you be to hand over your DNA?” Worth asked. “She’d run the risk of one or more of us showing up on her doorstep. Ismay is aware of us. If she wanted to be reunited with any of her children, we’re the easiest to locate. It’s obvious we’re a part of her past. That’s fair. She owes us nothing. It’s not her I wish to locate.”
“You’re serious about finding out if we have siblings?” Aleksander asked.
Worth shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. But I wouldn’t have a clue where to start if I wanted to pursue that path.”
“Drystan and Conley could help us find a trustworthy investigator to locate people,” Aleksander suggested. “As far as I know, it’s not against the law to search for relatives. If that’s a route you want to go, you have my support. But I want you to be prepared that this path leads to Ismay. It’s likely you’d have to talk to her to find out if others like us exist. Would she be honest? Would she even talk to you? You need to think about these scenarios and ask yourself if you’re ready to take on whatever drama might unfold.”
“Talk to Oliver about it again,” Rafe said. “Perhaps it’s something you’d feel more comfortable pursuing with him. I know I’ve found my greatest strength because of Aleksander.”
“I don’t like the way you worded that,” Aleksander complained, dropping a kiss on Rafe’s head. “You have incomparable strength because of your incredible heart, and I’m the lucky dragon it belongs to.”
“Go on to bed and celebrate both your extraordinary hearts,” Worth insisted.
Aleksander patted Rafe’s ass as his mate uncurled himself from the chaise and stood. Once Aleksander was on his feet too, he grinned at Worth. “I’m not sure you understand how sex works, and that makes me horribly sad for Oliver.”
“Trust me, my owl knows exactly how to love me. Now, get lost.”
“Hey, don’t stay out here long by yourself,” Aleksander ordered. “Go inside and turn on the television or something.”
Before Worth could reply, Brogan whipped the backdoor open. “Get inside so I can turn on the alarm,” the Grand Duke demanded.
Unfolding himself from the chaise, Worth followed his brother and Rafe toward the door. “Someone is in a mood,” Worth remarked.
“There’s a naked warlock and a bowl of frosting waiting for me, and you three are keeping me from it,” Brogan retorted.
“That’s entirely too much information,” Aleksander said.
After they were safely inside, Brogan snipped the lock closed and activated the alarm. To Worth it was an unnecessary step. D’Vaire was protected by a dome crafted by the most powerful sorcerers on the planet, and their estate was remote. Few people knew where to find it, and even if they stumbled across it, the magical layers invisibly lying high above it would prevent anyone from wandering onto Rafe and Aleksander’s land.
“Go to bed and get inventive,” Brogan replied, already stalking out of the kitchen toward the hallway that led to many of the private suites in the mansion.
“Rude thing to say to a man with a mate in New York,” Worth complained.
“I’d tell you to call him, but Oliver’s probably sleeping,” Rafe said.
“Don’t worry, I’ll phone him in the morning. Take Brogan’s advice and go to bed.”
“Go put a movie on,” Aleksander ordered, leading Rafe out of the kitchen.
“Yes, yes, off with you,” Worth replied. The last thing he wanted was to head to his room, but he waited until he was sure the hallway was clear and wandered after his brother and Rafe. Although Worth’s suite had always felt lonely at night, it’d grown exponentially worse since he met Oliver. What he wanted was to snuggle under the covers with the beautiful blond Fate had granted him.
Reminding himself that he had just two nights to endure until Oliver was with him again, Worth went to his suite and carefully set Asteria on a pillow so he could change into his pajamas. But before he switched clothes, he picked up the remote and turned on the television. The silence was overwhelming, and he refused to suffer through it for a moment longer than necessary.
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