#Chapter 202 – Burton’s Secret

Rafe frowns at me.

“Boys,” Rafe says, not looking at them. “Go play in the living room.”

Ian opens his mouth – full of pancakes – to protest, but Rafe interrupts.

“Take your food,” he says, his voice low and dismissive, “try eating them off the floor like a puppy. No forks, not hands.” The boys, sufficiently distracted and eager for this weird new experience, grab their plates and head off.

I watch them go and then return my eyes to Rafe, who leans forward onto the table.

“There’s more to this,” he says, looking between Victor and I and tapping the table with his index finger, “more than you two are letting on. And I want to know what it is.”

“Honestly,” I say, looking up at Victor for confirmation. He nods along with me. “Honestly, Rafe,” I say, looking at him with wide eyes, “we really don’t know.”

I hear someone clear their throat behind me and I turn, surprised to see Burton standing there, his kitchen tasks abandoned. Victor and Rafe follow in suit, likewise looking at the butler. “Luckily,” Burton says, “I do know what is going on.”

He neatly folds his hands behind his back. “But,” he continues, shaking his head gravely. “You’re not going to like it.”

The three of us just stare at Burton, our mouths open. Silence reigns at the table.

It’s broken, of course, by the twins.

“Mom!” Ian shouts from the living room, laughing. “Mom, stop him! He’s trying to steal my whipped cream!”

My eyes flit to the living room, where Alvin is crawling towards Ian growling, looking more like a bear cub than a puppy. Archie jumps along beside him, eyeing the pancakes eagerly.

Suddenly, I can’t stand the absurdity of the moment.

My chest still aches, a little, from my coughing fit, but I ignore it as I start to laugh. A little giggle at first, and then a full throated thing.

After a moment, Victor joins in with me, shaking his head, as he puts his head in his hand, laughing his low chuckle.

this life,” he murmurs,

getting it, looking between us. “What’s so

my eye. “It’s just so –“ I’m interrupted, then, with another peal of my own laughter. “It’s just so ridiculous – Victor almost dies last night, and today my sons are in the living room stealing whipped cream, and our butler is the

his head at that and I join along with

the only ones laughing – and honestly, I know that it’s not really funny – but we’re just so exhausted and the past few days

see that Rafe is leaning back in his chair, smiling, seeing

is good to see you smile, Madame, Monsieur,” he says,

at the end of his mirth and gesturing towards the twins’ empty chairs.

nod, resting my elbow on the table and putting my

fit really was frightening. I went to bed last night the picture of health, and today I’m coughing up blood? I’m tired, of course, but I had thought it was just because I didn’t get any sleep. But…is it more than that? Is this

does sit, then, folding his hands neatly on the table and looking at

your forgiveness,” he

with somber

Burton continues, “I have been lying to you since the moment

go wide when I hear his words. Victor, likewise, goes

“I am not who

“But,” he says, turning his hand palm up on the table. “I…did background checks. Everything you told us about

work…they are powerful. They were able to ensure that the basic information that I gave you would pass all of your

at his brother. “We’ve got to get our reconnaissance teams up to par – we’ve

towards Victor and keeping his gaze

turn. “I must tell you that I never worked to harm you – every moment

looks at him with gratitude written on his face. “We believe you – never, not once, have you done anything but good things for us, for our children. I suspect,” Victor looks at me, then, taking my hand, “that you’ve known…something. About Evelyn and I.

my head, curious to hear more. It’s true that at the wedding, when we first met him, that he was extremely kind to me

to do what he should have done, which is leave Amelia for me right then. But Victor and I had

known, so

says, encouraging.

order of wolves. We are very secretive about our knowledge, which we are all sworn to protect

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