Page 175 of Sire

But Sire doesn’t move. His chin, lifted. His throat, open. It’s as if he’s willing to stand in Axel’s pain for as long as it takes to end it.

“What does she mean you gave your kidney?” Ruby asks. Like me, she looks worried about our kings, our kids, and family.

“Show him,” I urge Sire. “Show him your scar. Show him why you almost died trying to save Lev.” I turn to Axel. “That’s where he’s been. Not Ukraine. Not abandoning me or us. He went to Moscow to sacrifice his life to get Lev back.”

“Fucking hell, I knew it,” Nash mumbles.

“Did our nephew need a kidney?” Grant asks, confused.

“No,” Nadine sighs. “Hedid. The man who thinks he’s your father. He has a genetic condition, and he used my grandson as leverage to get a donor, to force your brother, once again, to sacrifice for this family.”

“You’ve been in Moscow?” Loch frets, stepping toward Sire. “This whole fucking time, and you almost died?”

“Yes,” Sire reveals. “I think Katya tried to kill me. Somehow, she gave me sepsis because she knew I tried to take Lev, but?—”

“But you’re here?” Axel steps back, his eyes shifting, not knowing what to think. He’s been so betrayed. So hurt. It’s heartbreaking to watch. “You made a deal with the Devil to save my son. You almost fucking died doing it, so where is he?” Axel blinks, his tears falling, his voice booming, “Where’s my son!”

I feel it in my soul, too, the pain of a parent. I hold my belly while Axel’s pain echoes down the hall, reverberating in every heart gathered who loves him, mostly his brother’s—the one who’s held his pain the longest.

Sire palms his chest. “He’s here. It’s okay, brother. I brought Lev home to you.”

I gulp.

He did? When? How?

I glance at Nadine. Tears stream down her smiling face.

The Queen did this.

I glance at Sire. Finally, his face looks peaceful.

My king did this, too.

“They’re bringing him up the back stairs, into the playroom,” Sire assures him. “We don’t want to scare him. Calm down.”

Under his brother’s patient hands, Axel’s chest heaves. I don’t blame him. I’m crying. I look around. Everyone is crying.

“How?” Axel can barely speak. “Who?”

“Roman and his mother.” Nadine reaches, holding Axel’s arm. “She was Lev’s nanny and traveled with your brother to bring him home. We helped him adjust yesterday. He can’tspeak English, only Russian.” Her voice chokes. “He’s a sweet little boy. He looks just like you. You need to be tender with him.”

Axel wipes tears away. He’s barely able to ask Sire, “Does he know about me? Who I am?”

Ruby clutches Axel’s arm, smiling through her tears.

Proudly, Sire sheds a tear with his brother, too. “You’re his father. It’s your blessing to tell him. No one else.”

Axel swallows, turning to nuzzle his forehead against Ruby’s. It’s like he can’t breathe. He can’t believe this.

“How did you get him out?” Jace wonders what I don’t even know. “Why did our father let you leave Russia alive? And with our nephew?”

I guess Sire was protecting me when he came home. He needed to make sure I was safe and our baby was okay. He wanted our reunion, our time, and tears, too, while he was guarding this secret.

“I left him no choice.” Sire cups Axel’s shoulders. “Lev is yours now. Forever. He’s not going back. You get to keep your son.”

Axel shakes his head, aiming his eyes at Sire. They’re burning bright blue with tears. For all of Axel’s ice, he has the warmest heart.

“That’s too easy,” he doubts. “It’s too good to be true. My son is mine? Without a fight?”