Angel and the Assassin 3: Sins of the Father

large bedroom, a sitting room, and a luxurious
    bathroom. Angel headed straight for the bedroom and stripped off his clothes, then
    went to the bathroom. By the time he emerged from the shower, he was pink and
    pretty, wearing a white bathrobe that was far too big for him. He climbed into the
    middle of the big bed and sat cross-legged, rubbing his hair with a towel. Kael always
    loved to watch Angel towel his hair. Dark from the water, it grew blonder and blonder
    as it dried.
    “Daddy, my school uniform is dirty. I’ve been wearing it for the last three days.
    It’s all I’ve got to wear.”
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    Kael picked up the phone and asked for someone to be sent up to pick up dry
    cleaning. Then he went over and sat on the bed. At once Angel crawled into his arms,
    releasing a long sigh.
    “What’s up, sweetheart? Tell Daddy.” Kael kissed Angel’s smooth, warm cheek
    and neck.
    “I feel like such a fool,” Angel said quietly. “I thought it was a real job. I thought I
    was going to get paid and then you would think I was pulling my weight and
    contributing something to our family.”
    Family . They were a family. Kael had never thought of them that way before.
    “Sweetheart, you contribute lots. You cook and clean. You’re the best little houseboy in
    the world.”
    “I wanted you to be proud of me for something other than schoolwork.”
    Cuddling him close, Kael said, “I’m proud of lots of things. Your good manners,
    your intelligence, your kindness. Lots of things.”
    Angel sat up straight, looking into Kael’s eyes. “Intelligence? I got on a plane to
    Russia because someone called and told me to. How smart is that?”
    Kael kissed him tenderly on the lips. “How many times have I said don’t go
    beyond your knowledge?”
    “I thought it was Mr. Conran, but it wasn’t, was it?”
    “Conran would never send you on a job. You’re not trained, despite knowing
    more than you should. If you were properly trained, you would know that a handler
    would never call you on an unsecured line and give you a job to do.”
    “The dude sounded exactly like Mr. Conran.”
    “You can sound like Conran, remember.”
    A knock on the door made Kael release him. He gathered Angel’s clothes and took
    them to the door. “Get these dry-cleaned as quickly as possible.”
    “Yes, sir,” the manservant said.
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    “And I want some clothes to work out in. Can you get me something?”
    “Yes, sir. What is your shoe size, sir?”
    “UK size ten,” Kael said. “And we want dinner. Angel, what do you want?” he
    called. The boy joined him at the door.
    “I want a cheeseburger and fries with a Coke.”
    While Kael would have preferred he ate something healthier, he decided to let him
    have anything he wanted. “And I’ll have smoked salmon and a Waldorf salad.”
    In the bathroom, Kael stripped and then showered. When he returned to the
    bedroom wearing a bathrobe, Angel was in bed, naked, leaning against a pile of pillows
    as he drifted off looking like a Sleeping Beauty. “Wake up,” Kael said gently.
    “I’m not asleep, Daddy. But I’m so tired. I was working all the time I’ve been here,
    acting as one of Mr. Romodanovsky’s security team.”
    Kael sat on the bed beside him. “It was good experience.”
    “All he wanted to talk about was you. You should see his private plane, Daddy. It
    was like a luxury hotel room with beds and a bar. I wanted to lie down and sleep, but I
    swear that man never sleeps. He was wide awake, and all he wanted was information
    about you. What you’re like to live with and what books you read. Any information
    about you. He’s obsessed with you.”
    He believes I’m his son . “What did you tell him?”
    “I told him you’re brilliant. He already knows you got a first at Cambridge. I told
    him all the languages you speak, and that you take care of me and teach me stuff. That’s
    all. Nothing private. I was really careful.”
    Room service brought their meal and the clothes for Kael to work out in, but
    Angel ate no more than half his burger and a few chips.
    “Come on. Let’s brush our teeth.” Kael hauled him off to the bathroom and put
    toothpaste on a new hotel toothbrush. When Angel made a feeble attempt at brushing,
    Kael took the brush from him. “Open wide.” With Angel’s chin resting on his fingertips,
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    he brushed his boy’s