Angel and the Assassin 3: Sins of the Father

Romodanovsky for direction. “Yes, Katya. Mr. Kael
    Saunders will keep you safe.”
    With Ekaterina holding his hand on one side and Angel on the other, he walked
    away without another word, heading for the GUM, Moscow’s famous shopping center.
    Fyn Alexander | Sins of the Father
    232

    Chapter Sixteen
    August
    The evening was lovely, so they had decided to walk the twenty-five minutes
    from home to Claridge’s Hotel on Brook Street in Mayfair, where Kael had booked a
    table for dinner. When they had started out, Angel was on one side of him and his mum
    on the other, but at some point Angel had maneuvered himself into the middle, holding
    Kael’s hand on his right and Sharon’s on his left.
    About twenty yards ahead, as they neared the hotel, Mattie Thornton and Joe
    Hotchkiss walked toward them, holding hands in a way that was familiar and friendly,
    as if they did it all the time. Not that nervous, tight handhold that people did on a first
    date. They must have been seeing each other for a while now. Even from that distance,
    Kael could see Hotchkiss swallow hard and glance at Mattie as if to say, Do you see that?
    They’re holding hands.
    “Sir!” Mattie called out, pleasure lighting her face. “Hi, Angel!” Angel hurried
    toward Mattie with his arms open. He was wearing his tux with the wing-tip collar
    shirt. He looked so adorable hugging Mattie. There didn’t seem to be enough hugs in
    the world to keep Angel happy.
    Kael looked Hotchkiss up and down like a father assessing his daughter’s
    boyfriend before offering his hand to shake. “How are you, Hotchkiss?”
    “Very well, sir. Yourself?”
    “Yes, I’m good.” With his arm around his mum, Kael introduced her. “Mum, this
    Mattie and Joe. A couple of my colleagues.” Kael was always proud of his mum. Petite
    and slim, she looked lovely in her smart black dress.
    “Hello, Mattie.” Sharon shook hands with them both. “Hello, Joe.”
    Fyn Alexander | Sins of the Father
    233

    “Hello, Mrs. Saunders,” Mattie said. Her slightly raised eyebrows and hesitation
    showed her surprise at his mum’s common, Liverpool accent. People knew Kael had
    gone to Cambridge and an upper-crust boys’ boarding school before that, so they
    assumed he came from a wealthy background. They had no idea.
    “It’s miss actually, but call me Sharon.” His mum treated everyone like an old
    friend.
    To Hotchkiss, Mattie said, “Joe, I don’t think you’ve met Angel. He’s…” She
    looked at Kael for guidance.
    “Angel is my domestic partner,” he said. Domestic partner . He still wasn’t sure that
    was the right word, but it was better than boyfriend.
    “Oh…right. Yes, sir.” Hotchkiss’s cheeks grew pink.
    “Where are you off to all dressed up, sir?” Mattie asked. Kael wore a very smart
    dark suit with a silver gray shirt and tie.
    “We’re going to Claridge’s for dinner to celebrate Angel getting five A levels.”
    “Five?” Mattie punched Angel in the shoulder. “Well done, you! You only need
    three to get into uni.”
    “I only got one A, in history,” Angel said. “The rest were Bs.”
    “You got one more A than I did.” Mattie smiled.
    “Daddy got all As, didn’t you?” Angel looked up at him, and Kael wondered
    about the wisdom of him saying Daddy in front of the other man. But he was so happy
    with his boy’s success he hardly cared. Angel slid his arms around Kael’s waist, and
    Kael hugged his boy tight. “He did extremely well. I’m very proud of him.” Kael kissed
    him on the top of his head.
    “It was nice to meet you, Sharon. Enjoy your dinner,” Mattie said.
    “Nice to meet you and your boyfriend, luv,” Sharon said.
    The couple was behind them when Kael heard Hotchkiss say, “I’d never have
    taken Mr. Saunders for a queer.”
    Fyn Alexander | Sins of the Father
    234

    Kael froze. He was proud of being gay and was always resentful of anyone
    thinking he was straight. “I hate it when people say that.” Side by side, Angel and his
    mum looked up at him and broke into simultaneous laughter. “It is not funny!” he burst
    out.
    “It is funny, son,” Sharon said. “It’s very funny.”
    Angel took his hand. “It’s not so much what he said that’s funny, Daddy. It’s your
    reaction that’s funny.”
    “Is it really?” Maybe he’d better lighten up since Hotchkiss’s remark was likely
    not the most trying thing he would hear that night.
    They were seated in the elegant, sedate dining room