Page 41 of Burned
“Same skill set,” Cass mutters. “Let’s go, people.”
Lucian appears next to Blaze. He smiles a genuine smile this time. “It’s the good kind, baby. I promise.”
Does every woman get a little wet when her man calls her baby in that voice?
A shiver goes down my spine.
And it’s the good kind.
“Is the surprise that you caught the bad guys?” Ryan asks.
The air leaves the room.
Every adult stares down at Ryan. All of us want nothing more than to reassure him.
“No,” Lucian finally says.
Ryan’s shoulders fall. “Oh.”
Cass gives him a look. “Are you worried about bad guys, Ryan?”
“No,” he says quickly. Then, after a beat, “But if there were bad guys, could I help fight ’em?”
In unison, Cass, Lucian, and Mack all say, “No.”
Ryan sighs like we are all deeply unreasonable and he’s the only sensible one in the room.
Bayne calls from outside the room, “I like your courage, though, ye brave lad.”
“Do not encourage him,” Lucian calls back.
Ryan stands tall because being called brave in Bayne’s dangerous Scottish voice is apparently even better than surprises.
Lucian squeezes my hand once, then looks at Cass. “I need the three of you to keep your eyes closed until we tell you to open them.”
“Why?” Ryan asks.
But Cass and I already know why.
Lucian Bachman does not do small things.
Go mega over the top or go home.
Bachmans don’t bring flowers; they build you a greenhouse.
He does not provide dinner; he shuts down restaurants.
He does not arrange safety; he invades Scotland, builds an army, and acts like it’s a reasonable Tuesday.
Lucian holds my hand as our group squeezes down the hallway, Mack leading the way and pushing my eager sister’s chair.
“Lucian,” I say slowly, “what did you do?”
He looks down at me. There is something almost boyish beneath the darkness in his face.
Not innocent.
Never innocent.
