Page 24 of Scorched

Fabrice blushed, but he also chuckled before responding in perfect Russian. Kirkland had a feeling he didn’t know as much about Fabrice as he should. Beau, he knew. These men seemed just as dangerous. He needed to sober up. Kirkland might actually have to protect Fabrice. God knew he didn’t feel safe.

Hanging out with Russians meant copious amounts of alcohol. Everyone was three sheets to the wind, except Pytor and Yaro, who were obviously too damn big to get drunk. Plus, they had to protect Zander. Zander Kapra ran the Russian mafia. He was great. Fabrice had always adored him. The things he did for the community and for children across the world were incredible. He was a good man, no matter his title.

“This is one of the most amazing chefs on the planet.” Fabrice blushed at Zander’s compliment, even though everyone there had eaten his food at some point. “Beau let me steal him once to cater a charity event. I’ve spent years trying to talk Beau into letting me hire him permanently.”

Kirkland stayed focused on Zander.

Fabrice couldn’t look at anyone except him. That was his man. He was so sexy.

Zander and Kirkland seemed oblivious to Fabrice’s dreamy thoughts.

“Since he’s adamant Fabrice can’t be replaced, it’s a good thing for us Phoenix came home to work for us.”

That caught Fabrice’s attention. “He’s graduated already? Fuck, I feel old.”

A loud laugh burst from Zander, turning heads. Zander was a blond beauty no one could resist. He was powerful and sexy. That was an irresistible combo. Zander also worshipped the ground his husband walked on, which Fabrice also found appealing.

“You feel old?” Zander exclaimed. “Now I feel old. I’m ancient compared to you.”

Fabrice waved off the statement. “Spare me.” Fabrice lifted his glass. “I know you can still drink me under the table. Santé.” Fabrice tossed back another shot. Everyone followed.

Pytor and Yaro’s other husband, Legend, leaned forward and focused on Kirkland. “How did you two meet?”

Fabrice chuckled. “I relentlessly flirted and stalked him until he gave up and kept me.”

A bark of laughter escaped Kirkland. “It wasn’t as if I didn’t want you. It’s you being ridiculously too young for me.”

Every single person at the table snorted at the same time.

Zander’s husband jumped in. “Age doesn’t mean shit when it’s real. Genuine love doesn’t follow any set of rules. You don’t get to choose. All you can do is hang on for the ride. I know. Zander is older than me.”

“My baby.” Zander kissed him.

Legend focused on Kirkland. “Yaro and Pytor are older than me. Age is a number. If everyone involved are consenting adults with no power imbalance, who the fuck cares?”

Pytor chuckled. “No power dynamics.” He kissed Legend in a way that definitely should have made everyone uncomfortable. Then Pytor pushed Legend toward Yaro, who sat on Legend’s other side.

Yaro kissed him every bit as violently. When he pulled away, he didn’t release the front of Legend’s shirt, refusing to let him look away. “Who owns you?”

“My sexy husbands.”

“Damn right.” He released Legend, and the three acted as if nothing had happened.

Fabrice fought a sigh. “I love the possessiveness. That’s the Frenchman in me. Passion in all things worthwhile.”

Pytor gave him a sharp nod. He motioned between Kirkland and him. “When will you two marry? Don’t let him waste your time if he doesn’t intend to give you his last name.”

Even drunk off his ass, the comment embarrassed Fabrice. He didn’t want Kirkland pushed into anything. It might feel as if they had been together for much longer than they had been, since they had spent so much time gravitating toward each other. In reality, they hadn’t been together long enough to discuss marriage. Love was one thing. Marriage sounded like insanity. Only because he had barely gotten Kirkland to agree to date him. Marriage was likely an idea he shouldn’t bother to get in his head.

“Maybe I want his last name.”

Fabrice’s head whipped around so fast, he pulled a muscle. He would feel that one in the morning. Fabrice couldn’t look away from Kirkland. Had he really just said that?

Kirkland held his stare. “You know my last name means less than nothing to me. It’s not even my real surname. Your name means something to me. It feels like home.”

“Holy fucking shit. Mon Dieu. Did you really just say that? You? The one who made me chase him like a psycho.”

A sweet smile touched Kirkland’s lips. He didn’t look the least bit uncomfortable. In fact, his expression said he had never meant anything so much in his life. “I love you. You know the chasing was because I couldn’t believe someone like you would want me. I thought it was all a game to you. Waiting so long to be together had nothing to do with how I feel about you. You stole my heart the first time I met you.”