Be Brave (8 page)

looking down at him; then lowering his body, he sprang up, leaping onto the bed.

Laughing, he snuggled down beside Kael.

“For crying out loud, you are going to break the bed one of these days.” Kael

pressed him into his side.

“Daddy, I came without asking permission. I couldn"t help it. It just happened.”

“I know. It"s all right, boy. We"ll work on that.” He looked into Angel"s eyes.

“Conran wants to spend some time in the dungeon with me. I told him I"d think

about it. What do you feel about that?”

Angel and the Assassin: Be Brave

31

“I know it"s usual for a master to have more than one slave. Do you love him,

Daddy?”

“No, but he"s all right. I feel a bit sorry for him sometimes. His job"s not easy.

Would you like to have to try to control a man like me?”

Angel"s eyes opened wide as if in horror. “God, no!”

“So are you good with me giving him a flogging now and then?”

“Yes, Sir. In his case it would be cruel not to flog him.”

“Good. Go to sleep now.” Angel nuzzled his face down toward Kael"s chest and

began to mouth the nearer nipple, licking and sucking on it. “What is it with you

and my tits?” he asked.

Angel looked up into his eyes, his expression slightly worried. “I don"t know,

Daddy. I"m sorry.”

“Don"t worry about it, sweetheart. I was just wondering. We don"t have to

analyze everything. Go to sleep.”

Angel continued to look at him.

“Suck them if you want to.”

“Daddy,” Angel said very quietly, “I love you so much.”

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Fyn Alexander

Chapter Four

“It"s so nice that you"re taking me to school today, Daddy.”

Angel hugged Daddy"s arm as they walked side by side along the street from

where they had parked the car. Sometimes he felt like an ordinary boy going to

Redmond Independent College with his laptop hanging in a bag from his shoulder,

though he had been disappointed to learn that he had to take GCSEs before taking

his A levels. It meant an extra year in school and less time doing what he really

wanted: following in the footsteps of the man he admired most in the world, to work

for the British Secret Intelligence Service.

“This is a really good school, isn"t it, Daddy?”

He knew it was. Daddy had spent ages deciding where he should go, but had

still managed to enroll him only six weeks into the winter term last October, telling

the headmaster that he would make certain Angel caught up. It had taken a lot of

friendly persuasion on Daddy"s part to get him in at all after the school found out he

had had no formal education from the age of twelve.

“Yes. I chose it because it"s modeled on the kind of school I went to. Strict

teachers and old-fashioned ideals of respect and discipline. That"s why they make

you wear uniforms.”

“And they freak out if you"re a second late for class.”

“So don"t be late.”

Daddy threw his arm around Angel"s shoulders. Angel leaned into his side and

wrapped his arm around Daddy"s waist. A black Bentley pulled up, and Jack got

out, exchanged a few words with his father, and waved. They had become friends on

Angel"s first day of school. They kept showing up in the same classes and had gone

from shy smiles to best friends by the end of the day.

Instead of walking right up to Angel as he normally did, Jack looked at Daddy,

then hurried through the gates. He waited about twenty yards inside, looking back

nervously. “I think he"s a bit scared of you, Daddy.”

“I"m not worried about what he thinks. Somebody needs to make a man of the

little twerp or he"ll end up like Conran.” At the gates, Daddy brushed off the

shoulders of Angel"s blazer with his hands and straightened his school tie before

pulling him into a tight hug and kissing him on the forehead. “Have a good day,

sweetheart. Work hard.”

Angel tightened his arms around Daddy"s waist for a moment and then

released him. “I love you, Daddy.” Inside the school gates, he ran the last few yards

Angel and the Assassin: Be Brave

33

to Jack. He reached for Jack"s hand, and their fingers entwined briefly. He wasn"t

attracted to Jack—Angel liked manly, older men—but it was so great to have

friends and a secure life with a man he could count on. Sometimes he felt fit to burst

with happiness. Even when Daddy disciplined him as he had last night, he knew he

was becoming a better boy because of it.

He turned to wave at Daddy, who stood watching him—so big and handsome

in his dark trousers and leather jacket. Daddy waved back and strode off. Jack

opened the door, and they headed to their first class.

At lunchtime they sat in the cafeteria with their laptops open in front of them

watching YouTube videos of anime yaoi boys while they ate. Jack dug his fork into

his plate of chips and gravy. “How come you eat such healthy food all the time? I

mean—give yourself a break.”

Angel looked at his baked potatoes with cheese and broccoli and the yogurt he

had picked for dessert. He enjoyed packing lunches for Daddy, but he often liked to

buy his at the cafeteria so he would be like the other boys. “Daddy lets me have junk

sometimes, but he says I have to eat healthy meals every day.”

“Daddy"s not here.” Jack rolled his eyes. “Thank God. That dude may be

handsome, but he"s scary as hell.”

“Trust me; he"s got eyes in the back of his head. He"d find out somehow.” Angel

took a slug of water. “Anyway, he only wants the best for me.”

A
ping
drew his attention to his laptop. “Bet that"s him now asking me if I"m

being good.” Happy, he clicked on his e-mail icon. The shock when he opened his in-

box and saw his mother"s name in the subject line made his stomach tighten. Daddy

had found out months ago where his mom was living in Montpellier on the south

coast of France, and got him an e-mail address and a phone number for her. Angel

had e-mailed her, but she hadn"t replied and he had never dared to phone. He put

down his fork and almost clicked on the e-mail to open it.

No. I want to do it in private.

Jack spoke with his mouth full. “Who"s it from?”

“Just my mom,” he said as though she e-mailed him every day. He forked up

some baked potato, then put it down again uneaten and drank his water.

Jack picked up Angel"s glasses from the table and put them on. “It"s amazing

how she lets you live with a man at your age. My parents won"t even let me have a

boyfriend. She must be really cool.”

“Yeah, she is.” He closed his laptop, nervous and happy just looking at her

name.

“Are you going to finish your lunch?” Jack asked.

Angel took his glasses off Jack"s face. “Don"t mess with those. They"re really

expensive. I"m not that hungry today.”

“What are they for? Are you shortsighted? You look like Lestat from the

movie.” He stretched his mouth to mimic having fangs.

34

Fyn Alexander

“No, my eyesight"s perfect, but my eyes are sensitive to light.” Sometimes Jack

was really immature and annoying. “I need a whiz. I"ll see you in class.”

In the quiet of the washroom, Angel locked the door of the cubicle and sat on

the toilet lid with his laptop. He brought up his mom"s e-mail and opened it, his

heart pounding. He couldn"t bear to open it in the cafeteria or even at home with

Daddy. He had to be alone in case he got upset. Daddy always said
be brave
, and he

didn"t want to have a meltdown in front of him—or anyone. Taking a deep breath,

he read:

Hi, Angel Gabe, how are you doing? Gregoire is everything I ever dreamed of.

We are in London for a few days. Meet me outside the Royal Opera House, Covent

Garden this evening at 8 o’clock.

See you later. Samantha.

Angel Gabe
. He smiled. She had always called him that when he was little. But

she always signed his birthday cards Samantha—never Mom. That was, when she

remembered to send him one. Still, his heart soared.

She wants to see me. Wait till she meets Daddy. I hope they like each other.

He hit Reply.

Hi, Mom. I’ll be there. I have a really fab man taking care of me now. He loves

me and I love him. I hope you like him too. He’s a teacher. Love, Angel.

Angel hurried back to class, almost skipping along the corridor. One of the

masters passed him, and Angel called out, “Good afternoon, sir.”

“The American gentleman.” The man stopped, looking over his gold-rimmed

glasses at Angel. He was tall and thin and a bit rumpled. “You look happy.”

“Yes, sir. I"m seeing my mom this evening. I haven"t seen her in six months.”

“That"s nice. Does she e-mail and phone you?”

Angel swallowed, unwilling to admit the truth. “No, sir, but she"s very busy.”

“Does she work a lot?”

“I don"t know, but she"s very busy.”

“Excellent,” the master said, walking away. “Enjoy your time with her.”

Nothing could dampen his spirits at having his mom back in his life.

* * *

knew Angel was home and hard at work when he had his music turned up. All day,

whenever he thought about Angel—which he did all the time—the image of him

taking the other boy"s hand came back. But that was stupid. Angel would never go

behind his back. He wouldn"t sit down for a week if he did, and that would be just

the beginning.

“Hello.” The voice came from along the hallway. Kael turned round to see a

heavily made-up woman who looked about forty-five years old. Was she leaving to

go somewhere? She must be since she had just stepped out of her door and was

Angel and the Assassin: Be Brave

35

walking toward him at the lift, yet she had no coat on and it was beginning to rain.

He was about to mention it when she introduced herself.

“Penelope Chalmers.” She held out a hand laden with gold rings and bracelets.

On closer inspection, she was more like fifty-five but reasonably well

preserved. “Kael Saunders.” He shook her hand. “Did you just move in?”

“Yes. And you?”

“I"ve been here a few years.” He began to walk toward his front door, but she

kept coming so he stopped.

“I"m having a little cocktail party to get to know my neighbors this evening.

About eight o"clock? You will come?” She had one of those irritating upper-class

accents like Conran, making statements with an upward inflection to turn them

into questions.

“Thank you.” He smiled. He had no intention of going nor of getting to know

his neighbors. He had lived in the building five years and had never done more than

nod hello in the lift to any of them.

Without warning, two hands pressed down on his shoulders, and before he

could turn to attack his assailant, two legs gripped his waist and a wet kiss was

plastered against his left ear. “Daddy!” Angel was piggybacking him.

Despite his annoyance at leaving himself vulnerable and not noticing someone

coming up behind him, Kael laughed. He looked over his shoulder into his boy"s

grinning face. “Angel, this is Mrs. Chalmers. Get down.” He tried to shake him off,

but Angel wouldn"t be moved and clung like a limpet, giggling in his ear. “This is

Angel,” he said to the woman.

“How lovely to see a father and son so affectionate with one another.” She

offered a fake smile.

“No, he"s—” Kael began but decided it was none of her business. Secrecy had

been ingrained in him over the last ten years.

“And it"s
miss
. I"m divorced. Is that his actual name or just something you call

him?”

“It"s his actual name. Good evening.” This time he walked purposefully toward

his door.

“Could you get him to turn the music down? I can hear it in my flat,” she

called.

“Certainly, sorry!” Kael stepped inside and closed the door. Angel slid down

and hugged him round the waist.

“Daddy, I"ve made shepherd"s pie.”

“Great. I"m starving.” He had gone from taking Angel to school straight to the

gym and worked out for hours. Skipping lunch, he had gone directly to Vauxhall

Cross to teach his afternoon self-defense class, which had involved intensive

physical activity. “Turn the music down. Has anyone else complained?”

“No, Sir.”

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Fyn Alexander

“I would if I lived next door. Use your iPod with the earbuds. Don"t annoy the

neighbors.”

“Yes, Daddy.”

The shepherd"s pie was good, and Kael ate a large plateful with a glass of red

wine. Angel served everything like a cute little waiter in one of those overfriendly

restaurants, making little gestures when he refilled Kael"s glass and dancing across

the kitchen to fetch the HP Sauce. The boy was always happy to see him when he

came home, but he seemed more chipper than usual tonight. “What are you so