With a slight nod, Marcus released him and straightened. His face was emotionally blank, but the concern remained in his eyes.
He would face more questions from Marcus and likely all of his sons as soon as Marcus informed them something strange had happened when Aiden met the European envoy, but that would wait. Not that he even had a clue as to what he would tell them. Aiden had told them almost nothing about his life before meeting Julianna, and he’d never spoken of Ronan. Not to anyone ever in his long existence as a vampire.
Those first couple of centuries after he’d lost Ronan had been incredibly dark for Aiden, periods of time that he didn’t let himself think about. The regret and self-loathing would only swamp him, leave him incapable of even moving.
But now Ronan was alive and wandering somewhere in his home. Ronan was so close.
Did he want to reach out? What had happened to him? How had they not found each other until now? Ronan had hinted at talking, but was such a thing a mistake? Aiden had a good life with his sons. A life infinitely more complicated now that a crown rested on his brow, but still, a good life.
Would Ronan have any desire to be drawn into his world?
And how would his sons feel?
Question after question poured through, but there were no answers. There would be none until he actually spoke to Ronan in private.
He would. As much as he feared it, there was no losing this opportunity.
When he’d thought this night would bring fresh starts and new beginnings, it had never crossed his mind that it might include someone so critical to his past.
Chapter Three
Three hours.
Three long, horrible hours before Aiden could finally sneak away from the party.
Yes, it was technically his party, and he shouldn’t have been able to sneak away in the first place, but he didn’t think he could get through the night without having at least a brief, private conversation with Ronan. One more stolen moment.
Most of the guests had left already, but there were a few mingling about with his family, drinking and generally networking with anyone they believed might be close to Aiden.
Rafe had stopped by to say that the European Ministry envoy had left. Aiden’s heart had barely sunk into his stomach when his eyes fell on Ronan standing in a corner of the room, his dark gaze locked on Aiden as he gave the appearance of listening to the woman on his arm. His head was cocked toward her and he nodded occasionally, but his eyes never strayed from Aiden.
Rafe was wrong. Mara and Michael had left. Ronan was waiting for him.
It had taken four tries to extricate himself from his hovering, worried sons and their lovers, but he finally slipped out a rear door of the house and onto the lawn. A deep sigh of relief rushed from his lips, and he was slightly dizzy with excitement.
And fear.
What if Ronan had changed?
That was a ridiculous thought. Of course he’d changed. The man he’d known had been killed and stolen away from his people, his destiny. He’d lived as a vampire for centuries, enduring all sorts of horrible events, and now he was working for the European Ministry. He couldn’t possibly be the same man who’d owned his heart so many years ago.
But did that mean Ronan intended to kill him as soon as they were alone? If anyone had a fair shot at it, he believed it would be Ronan. The European Ministry couldn’t possibly be happy about his ascension to an American throne. Who better to send than someone Aiden had trusted completely?
Aiden’s heart clenched at the thought, feeling as if it were struggling to beat in the vise wrapped around it. He didn’t want to think about Ronan betraying him like that. Even after so many years.
Would he blame Aiden for his murder? Aiden had been his trusted bodyguard. He was supposed to keep Ronan safe and he’d failed. Maybe this wasn’t about the Ministry. Maybe Ronan just wanted justice for a life stolen.
He started to run his fingers through his hair when the heel of his palm bumped against the crown he was still wearing. He froze for a second, his heart skipping at that pointed reminder. All the feelings swirling in his chest for Ronan meant nothing. Now was not the time to worry about what he wanted or how he felt—not that he was even sure—because he had to worry about his family’s safety as well as any threats that might have arrived from Europe.
Shoving his hands into his pockets, Aiden turned away from the house and walked across the back lawn, his dress shoes crunching through the light covering of snow that had fallen earlier in the day. The temperature hovered around freezing, adding a crispness to the air that was helping to clear his mind and focus his thoughts.