“Can you slow the profanity for a bit. You have a girlfriend?”

Nero finally took a breath. “No. I had a friend with benefits until she took a hit from me. We had a falling out over it.”

“Enough that she’s coming at me?”

“Apparently.” Nero paused a second. “There’s no one else who would know about you.”

“Or about Anicetus?”

Nero hesitated before he answered. “Yeah.”

Hadrian met Jayne’s curious gaze. “Why didn’t you tell me we had another sibling?”

“There was no need. You have enough people to mourn. I didn’t think adding one you never met would benefit you in any way.”

Instead, Nero had mourned him in silence. Kept a piece of their family history from him. Maybe he should be mad or upset that Nero had done that.

But how could he?

Nero was protective to the end.

It was why Hadrian tolerated his brother on those days he wanted to strangle him. They had a shared pain that few could relate to.

Even so, Hadrian couldn’t resist ribbing him. “After all the lectures to me about keeping my distance from everyone . . .” He tsked.

“You see why? Bad things happen when you invite others into your life. I fucked up and now you’re the one—”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you?”

“Well, aside from my mental and emotional scars, and the asshole I have for a big brother . . . yeah.”

“You’re not funny.

“I am honest.”

Nero cursed again. “Where are you?”

“Someplace safe.”

“Awesome. While you’re there, can you find all my individual missing socks and the papers I lost two days ago?”

Hadrian rolled his eyes at his brother’s warped sense of humor. “I’ll keep my eyes peeled.”

“You better keep your ass safe.”

“That’s the plan.” He also planned to keep the woman with the finest ass he’d ever seen safe, too.

“Stay put. I’m on this and will be back as soon as I know something.”

Hadrian clicked off the link and set it aside.

“Trouble at home?”

He snorted at Jayne’s sarcastic question. “I’m always in trouble. I think he still considers me a three-year-old toddler.”

“But does he cut your meat for you? My sister tries to do that for me to this day. First time I had a whole steak, I had no idea what to do with it.”

Without warning, he felt a presence approaching. Before Syn was seen, he heard him.

Hadrian stood up and moved a third chair to their table.

Syn hesitated as he neared them. “I hate when you and Nero do that.”

He laughed. “Can’t help it.”

Syn straddled the chair and put his arms over the back. “Have a nice nap?”

“Just fried our brains.”

Ignoring Jayne’s comment, Syn took the bottle that was on the table and read the label. “Ooo, good stuff.” He uncorked the bottle and picked up Jayne’s glass before pouring himself a liberal drink.

He knocked it back in one impressive gulp. “Ah!” Then he turned his attention to Hadrian. “I have a name.”