His father-whose entire body had gone rigid, as though he was desperately fighting to maintain control.
Luciana threw hers to the winds and ran.
* * *
Thane had a curious feeling in his chest-as if someone had reached in and taken hold of his heart.
It was like looking at himself. Turning back the clock and gazing in the mirror to see himself as a small boy. And at that moment Thane vowed to do everything in his power to ensure his son would not suffer hurt or cry in pain. He swore it. Swore to move heaven and earth to prevent any of it.
He'd always been adroit at killing his emotions-with the exception of those evoked by Luciana-but he'd never felt anything close to this. Emotions … so many emotions flooding over him. All-powerful. All-consuming.
Natanael-meaning 'God has given'. He tried it out on his tongue for the first time, because maybe he hadn't truly believed it until now, and acknowledged how good it felt-how right.
Thane's fingers burned with the need to touch all that smooth skin, his silky hair-ebony, like Thane's own. But he didn't want to frighten him. The scars on his face were enough to scare anyone, let alone a child.
So instead he ground his feet into the gravel and soaked up every nuance as his son shouted in utter joy, with the biggest smile Thane had ever seen, when he spotted Luciana.
'Mamá!'
Luciana lowered herself into an elegant crouch to catch him and ended up on her bottom in the dirt, not caring about it one iota, hugging him with a glorious smile of her own, smoothing the thick glossy waves of his hair, kissing his brow, his soft cheek.
Never had he seen anything like it. Or maybe he had. Maybe the sight before him resurrected memories he'd rather keep buried six feet under.
Dios, his chest was imploding.
A sweet strum of a giggle flew past Natanael's perfect lips and Thane wondered what she was doing to make him laugh. Saw her fingers tickling his sides, realised he must like that, even though he was yelling, 'Stop! Stop!' And then she was wrapping him in her arms again, kissing him and touching him. All over.
And in that moment there was something so profoundly, exquisitely beautiful about her he felt the strangest sensation in his throat, behind his eyes. Like tiny hot needles pricking.
'Did you see? I was in the big black 'copter, Mamá!'
'I know, darling, and I'm so glad because it brought you to me.'
Darling. The endearment fisted Thane's heart.
'I've missed you so much. My goodness-I swear you've grown an inch.'
Natanael gazed up at her with a fierce male pride that punched Thane in the gut. He was a Guerrero through and through.
When his little mouth geared up for the next zealous outpouring, he stalled-his attention seemingly snagged on Thane.
His insides turned over and he wondered if this was what it felt like to be nervous.
Natanael gaped at him with steady unblinking eyes, scrutinising the scar on his chin as if he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. Then he looked up at Luciana, and then back to Thane, his tiny mind processing.
It was utterly fascinating, Thane decided. And-for want of a better word-nerve-racking. Dios, he felt ill.
Then, as if Natanael had finally accepted Thane was real, he exclaimed, 'Wow! He looks like me. But a whole lot bigger. Do you fly?'
Huh?
'Si … actually, I do. I am a pilot and I have my own fighter jet.'
'I knew it,' said Natanael, unequivocally awed. 'You're one of the New Warriors. Did you just come down from InterGalactica?'
Thane blinked. 'Is this in Europe?'
'No, silly. It's in outer space.' With a smile and a nod he gave Thane a knowing look. Then he tried for a wink that scrunched up his entire face as he whispered, conspirator-like, 'You know it is.'
Luciana lightly cleared her throat. 'He's into … er … superheroes. Like Batman and Ironman … that kind of thing. And one of them looks uncannily like you. And him too.'
Thane supposed he could live with that. Although what would happen when Natanael asked him to actually fly? He was far too small to go in his military jet.
He hunkered down until they were at eye level and commanded himself to relax, to think of something to say.
'Actually, I am a warrior of a kind. I'm the Prince of Galancia and I live here, and I was hoping you would come and live with me too.'
It occurred to him that they'd have to have the 'I'm your daddy' conversation-but, frankly, that petrified him. Plus, he wasn't keen on Garcia being within hearing distance for that. Right now all he wanted was for his son to agree to stay.
Natanael huddled into Luciana, a spark of panic blanching his beautiful face, and Thane realised a second too late his mistake.
'Mamá too?'
He cursed inwardly. Of course he would panic. The love he could feel between them was palpable. 'Yes. Of course. Absolutely. Mamá too.'
Luciana nodded and achieved the perfect smile-though to Thane it verged on brittle, and made him ache even more.
Natanael peered around him, unconvinced. His nose was scrunched, as if he wasn't overly impressed with the tree-lined driveway or the kaleidoscope of manicured blooms flourishing in the borders. Granted, the mansion looked like a one-storey cottage from the top of the cliff. The towering five-floor vista from the beach was far more dramatic and arresting. Though perhaps not for a child.
Thane scratched his jaw. Stumped. Then intuitively he glanced at Luciana. Who, in turn, mouthed a word at him.
He frowned, striving to catch her meaning. What the hell was she saying? 'Dog?' he asked.
'Dog?' Natanael said, perking up. 'You have a dog? Really?'
Ah. This, Thane realised, was of great importance. 'Si. Lots of dogs. And horses too.'
'You have horses?' Dark eyes, the precise shade of Thane's own, grew huge and glittery with excitement.
He didn't seem afraid, so hesitantly Thane reached out and touched the soft caramel skin of his cheek. The astonishing surge of connection rocked him to the core. Phenomenal. His little boy was the most miraculous thing he'd ever touched. Just like his mother, Thane thought, with a wrenching tug on his guts.
'Many, many horses. You can have your very own. But they don't live here … Yet,' he added hastily, thinking he could easily build a stable for a few. Dozen.
Natanael jumped up and down on the spot. 'I can have my own horse, Mamá! Can we go and see the dogs? Right now? Can we? Can we?'
Relief poured down Thane's spine. Victory. This was good. He could kiss Luciana for that dog hint. Though he quickly squashed the impulse.
'I think so. Thane, are they downstairs?'
As if she'd experienced the same kind of bone-melting sense of appeasement he just had, she made a clumsy effort at rising to her feet and Thane bolted forward, curled his fingers around her tight waist and lifted her upright.
Surprise widened her eyes. 'Oh. Thank you,' she whispered.
And when he saw her perfect white teeth bite into her bruised red bottom lip a surge of heat spiked his pulse. One he couldn't understand. Didn't want to feel.
Jerking his hands away, he stepped backwards and cleared his throat. 'Pietro will let them out. When I've had a word with Garcia I'll join you.'
With a strained smile she nodded, and glanced at Lucas Garcia herself.
Thane wasn't sure what he'd expected, but it was certainly not her embracing him like some long lost lover. He had to clench his fists to stop from tearing her off him.
'Thank you so much, Lucas,' she said softly, shakily. 'For everything.'
Garcia pulled back and shot her a meaningful look that pricked Thane's nerves. 'Remember what I said, Luciana. Any time, night or day.'
Another of those frangible smiles, but she brightened it for Natanael and took his small hand in hers-as if she was physically unable to stop touching him. Thane felt an absurd pang of envy that filled him with self-disgust. Surely it wasn't healthy or natural to feel envious of his son? Dios, he truly was black inside.
Those clasped hands swayed back and forth as they waltzed into the house, then he turned back to Garcia.
Voice stony, he bit out, 'She will not be contacting you. Everything she needs is right here.'
As if in a standoff, they weighed one another up. One soldier to another.
Garcia's midnight-blue gaze hardened. 'You hurt either of them and I will come for you.'
Thane almost laughed. Almost. Instead he sneered at the other man. 'If you had any sense, Garcia, you'd never set foot on my island again. I've allowed you into restricted airspace to bring my son to me. Next time it will be denied.'
'Do you think that will stop me? I'll be honest, here-I'm not getting a very good vibe between you and Luciana, so I'm not entirely convinced that leaving them here is the right choice.'
'I care very little for what you think. My relationship with Luciana is none of your business.'
'That is where you are wrong. She is family, and I will not have her here against her wishes. Are you understanding me?'
Thane's mouth shaped to tell him she was emphatically not here against her wishes, but then he realised he'd given her little choice. Dios, he'd been so angry. Still was. Couldn't remember half of what he'd said to her.