Page 90 of Fractured Empire

“How am I supposed to let you know that I’d like to do that again if I don’t tell you how much I enjoyed it?” I counter, lifting my brows.

“Again, huh?” he tilts his head. “Now?”

Well…he is still hard.

Knocking rattles his office door and he hangs his head, sighing.

“At least they waited until we were finished this time.”

I cover my mouth, giggling as I reach down to pull my pants back on.

“Duty calls, Daddy.”

His heated gaze burns into me. “Don’t start that, baby.”

I shrug innocently. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Before he can stop me, I head for the door and find two little faces waiting, blinking up at me sleepily. They request water with the smallest, sweetest voices that I easily snap back into parenting mode. As much as I’d like to take their hands, I refuse to touch them before washing up.

“Go back to bed, little loves. I’ll get you both some water and bring it right to you, okay? Daddy just got home and is on a phone call, okay? He’ll come in and kiss you goodnight when he’s done since you’re awake.” I angle the door closed behind me so they can’t see their father shirtless and disheveled.

“Okay,” they both agree, yawning as they walk away.

Looking back into the office, I find Leon buttoning his shirt and meet his eye. Wash your hands and your face, I mouth. He gives me a thumbs up and a knowing look, clearly having the same idea.

Without another glance, I head for the stairs to wash up and grab water in the kitchen. The whole way there, I’m wondering if Leon and I will meet again in private before the night ends and the thought thrills me.

We could take a visit to his room after all.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Katya

Unfortunately, a trip to Leon’s bedroom became impossible very quickly. After washing up and seeing the kids off to bed, a poorly timed phone call disrupted what could have been a continuation of our evening. I would have been more upset about it, had it not frustrated my husband so greatly. He clearly didn’t want to leave, and I don’t think he would have if it wasn’t important.

He’s been dealing with something that he hasn’t wanted to talk about since his long work day that had him leaving before the kids woke up and not coming home until they were back to sleep again. Despite taking days off since then to help with Leo being sick, it’s been obvious that something is still on his mind.

Of course, part of me is curious, wanting to ask again about what’s clearly been bothering him. But my mom always said that sometimes made men need to solve a problem before they can talk about it. Keeping their work details to themselves isn’t always the marker of bad communication or hiding secrets from you; sometimes they just need time before they’re willing to share. So my curiosity will have to wait a bit longer to be fulfilled—at least as long as I can manage without blurting more questions out.

My impatience may get the better of me eventually. Especially since whatever is going on seems to take a lot of hours away from us.

Leon isn’t home when the kids and I come downstairs for breakfast, or if he is, he’s nowhere to be seen. It feels a bit silly to admit, but I was hoping to wake up and find him before the kids did. We could share a few kisses and talk over morning tea or coffee, smiling silly at each other while thinking about last night. But alas, I wake up cold and alone, using my time as I normally would to get ready for the day.

Leo and Bastian are sleepy and moving slowly in their pajamas as usual when I start putting together food for the three of us. With Bastian, his difficulty waking up is normal and expected. With Leo, it’s less obvious unless you know him. He isn’t heavy eyed or excessively yawning, he’s just more quiet than normal. Either way, the both of them will be entirely new boys once they’ve finished eating. A fact I prepared for by preemptively changing into a cozy outfit that will give me plenty of mobility once the boys perk up and inevitably want to run around the house.

“Daddy working, Kat?” Leo asks, padding up to me in the kitchen and leaning against my leg while I stir the oatmeal on the stove. I never imagined that oatmeal would be a kid’s favorite breakfast, but Bastian and Leo request maple, apple, cinnamon oatmeal at least once a week. And thankfully, it only takes ten minutes to make.

I smile down at him, adoring the way he freely clings to me without fear or the need to request permission. “I think so, little love. I’m going to call him when we finish breakfast to see if he’s coming home soon. He hasn’t told me that he’ll be gone all day so I think we’re going to see plenty of him today.”

“Dats good,” he decides, nodding absently.

“I think so too,” I agree, reaching down to ruffle his soft hair.

“Kat, where is your daddy?” His question hits me out of nowhere and I blink, trying to process it. “Not Line-us. You real daddy, where is he?”

It appears Leo digested the concept that Linus is my stepfather better than Chloe ever has. And he’s four.

“Well,” I start to reply, swallowing hard as I decide how to phrase my answer. I’ve done my best to not think about my father since marrying Leon and moving in here. My guilt and previous fixation on him and my past had been eating at me for far too many years, and putting my focus fully into my new family and new life has been astoundingly helpful in that area. But I always knew that it would come around again. “My daddy passed away when I was little like you. I was ten, that’s double Bastian’s age, you know? But I was still very young, and very sad when it happened. My mama remarried Linus when I was fourteen, and he’s been my stepdaddy ever since.”