Angel and the Assassin 3: Sins of the Father

with no hesitation at showing his love to anyone present.
    For some reason he could not fathom, Kael felt a lump constrict his throat, and couldn’t
    reply. Pulling Angel against his chest, he hugged him tightly, kissing the top of his
    head. From the corner of his eye, he saw Mattie and Conran shake hands.
    Kael sucked in a long breath to steady his voice. “I love you too,” he whispered
    self-consciously.
    Releasing him, Angel went to Conran and threw his arms around him. “Happy
    New Year, Mr. Conran.”
    No longer surprised at Angel’s enthusiastic hugs, Conran hugged him back while
    Mattie watched in surprise. Wow , she mouthed at Kael. Shyly she stepped forward,
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    extending her hand to shake, then changed her mind and put her arms around his
    waist, pressing her cheek into his chest. “Happy New Year, sir.”
    She was no more than five feet four, more than a foot shorter than Kael. Angel’s
    slender body felt breakable sometimes, even though the boy had been working hard at
    the gym, but Mattie felt so tiny, so like Misha had felt on the rare occasions they
    hugged, that for a moment he considered telling Conran he didn’t want her on his team.
    But that would insult the young woman, and he respected her too much to do that.
    Misha had compensated for her small size by being fast and fearless. Mattie would do
    the same.
    “Happy New Year, Mattie.” Kael gave her a little squeeze and let her go.
    “Let’s go back to the party,” Angel said.
    “I’d better go,” Mattie said. “I have to meet my friends and my sister again.”
    Angel followed her out of the room. Conran finally came out from behind his
    desk, drawing Kael’s gaze to the small semen stain on his crotch. “No one will notice,”
    Kael said, pointing at it.
    “I shouldn’t have made that remark. It was thoughtless,” Conran said. “As for the
    answer to your question about Angel, you are perfectly suited. He loves you. Anyone
    can see that, and he’s not shy to state it loudly.”
    “In that case”—Kael shook his hand—“happy New Year.”
    With one finger, Conran touched the gold heart, Angel’s Christmas present to
    Kael. “That’s beautiful. Only a man as masculine as you could get away with wearing a
    gold heart-shaped necklace with a tuxedo and not look like one of those metrosexuals.
    You see them in the city all the time with their jewelry and expensive suits.”
    “You wear expensive suits.” Conran was always in extremely well-tailored
    apparel.
    “Yes, but they get their nails done.” He shuddered.
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    Kael had almost put his white dress shirt on over the necklace and at the last
    minute had put it on the outside, hanging just below his bow tie. “It was Angel’s
    Christmas present to me. He’s happy when I wear it.”
    “You’ll miss him when he’s away at university.”
    For months Kael had been consumed with thoughts of how lonely he would be
    when Angel was no longer at home full-time. But he wanted his boy to have every
    opportunity. “It’s for the best.”
    With his hand on the door handle, Conran said, “I’d better go and kiss Portia.”
    “Do you really love your wife?” Kael could not imagine anyone loving that
    snobbish, horse-faced woman.
    “Yes, we’re also perfectly suited.” Conran preceded Kael into the hall.
    Standing at the open double doors of the drawing room, Portia Conran waved at
    her husband. “Where have you been, Stephen?” She always sounded as if she was
    nagging him.
    “Happy New Year, darling.” Conran took her into his arms and gave her a brief
    kiss.
    “Happy New Year, Mrs. Conran,” Kael said.
    “Mr. Saunders, are you enjoying yourself?” She had been shocked when she found
    out he was gay. The obvious sexual interest she once had in him had fled. “And
    your”—she sought the right word—“partner? Is that the word you use?”
    “Yes.” Kael always felt the urge to say something cutting to the woman, but he
    held himself back masterfully. “Partner is fine. And I think he’s having fun, Mrs.
    Conran. He looks as if he is.”
    “Call me Portia, Mr. Saunders.”
    “Call me Kael, Portia.”
    “That is a very odd name.” She squinted at him. “It’s a type of cabbage, did you
    know?”
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    Conran grabbed his wife by the arm, all but dragging her away. Sorry, sorry , he
    mouthed over his shoulder at Kael. Boys at College