Sasha was punctual and exactly an hour later his black BMW was parked in front of the entrance.
"Treat me to a cigarette," Klaus said first.
"You know I don't smoke."
"Then let's stop near the store. As soon as I returned, I realized that I was dying without this nicotine crap."
They arrived at some restaurant, where they were immediately shown to a separate room with a hookah, soft sofas and a set table.
"I see you're well prepared for the meeting," Klaus concluded, looking at the abundance of meat on the table.
"Nothing special, I just made a couple of calls before leaving the house. I'm glad to see you again," the man smiled, and Klaus couldn't hold back his.
He didn't feel any romantic feelings for Alexander or physical attraction, but he definitely liked the man. Klaus felt like he was a child again in a small house with a teacher next to him.
Previously, the prince did not pay attention to any kind of feelings and emotions. He immediately suppressed them in the bud. But after Lilith's birthday, no, after the lightness that he discovered due to the relaxing herbs, the young man noticed something strange about himself. Instead of stifling the unusual sensations, he, on the contrary, reached out to them and unconsciously tried to decipher them.
"I'm glad to see you too."
"Nice to hear it. How are things at home?"
"Lots of worries, one of which brought me here."
"Can I help with something?"
"I know it would be impudent of me to ask you for a favor, especially after you pulled me back from the brink of death, but I really don't have time."
"Klaus, I told you that you could contact me at any time. So how can I help you?"
"Lend me some money. I'll pay it all back. Not now, maybe not even in a few months, but I promise I'll pay it back with interest."
"How much do you need?"
Klaus took out his phone, typed in the number and handed it to Sasha.
"Well, for me it's a very small amount. When do you need the money? I can transfer it to your account."
"It would be better if you lend me cash. I need it the day after tomorrow afternoon."
"Then I'll bring you the money the day after tomorrow morning. You can come to my office tomorrow, but I have a lot of things to do, so I won't be able to go out myself."
"You won't even ask why I need the money? Just give it to me?"
"Yes," Sasha answered simply. "Back when I took you from that underground clinic, I decided that I wouldn't ask questions. You have a lot of secrets and if you want to share them, I'll be happy to listen to you."
"I'm grateful to you for that. I need this amount for new documents for a girl."
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"She's my countrywoman and... let's say it's very dangerous for her to stay in my country and I decided to hand her over to her grandmother's care until I resolve all the issues. She doesn't know life at all. You could say that Lilith has lived as a slave since childhood. For her, this is an opportunity to start a new life."
"I'm glad you shared at least some information with me, but it makes me even more curious. Who are you? What kind of scary country is this? But the main thing I'm interested in is, will you come back here after you do... I don't know what you're doing there, but when you're done with everything, what will you do?"
"Let's say I have two paths. If I fail, I definitely won't survive, and if I succeed, I'll be stuck there for the rest of my life."
"And judging by the look on your face, you're not happy with either option?"
"Yes, you're right, but I can't give up. It's my responsibility."
"If the time comes and you decide to tell me more, I'll try to find a third option for you. Don't look at me like that. It's not that I want you, or even that I've been thinking about you since our first meeting."
"Yes?" Klaus raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"Okay, I don't argue that I want you and would be happy if you were with me until old age. Don't laugh! Yes, I'm already a grown man and all this sentimentality should bother me the last, but what can I do? As they say, you can't command the heart."
"Listen…"
"No, wait, I haven't finished yet. I understand everything. These are my desires and even if you agree, you won't be happy, and I really want you to be happy, even if not with me. Let's consider that I am your newly-made godfather, who will gladly caress you if he wants," Alexander laughed.
***
Egor sat in the renovated kitchen opposite his grandmother. He was still angry at Klaus, who had gone to meet Alexander. His imagination drew only dirty pictures of the two of them in a hotel room, completely absorbed in each other. The young man slammed his palm on the table, causing a couple of drops to spill out of the mug of coffee he hadn't touched.
"Egor, what's going on with you?" Pouoka spoke up, getting up from her chair to grab a rag from the sink. "You've changed since you visited Isorobia."
"That's not it," the guy shook his head.
He didn't know how to explain his overwhelming feelings to his grandmother and how to admit to the old woman that he had fallen in love with a guy. He didn't know how she would react to such news. This woman had lived for over fifty years in a country where same-sex relationships were frowned upon, and Egor would never have thought that he himself would be "not like everyone else."
As soon as the hormones made themselves known, he always paid attention only to girls. He had no desire for guys, except for one. Could he be called "not like everyone else" if he was attracted not to a certain gender, but only to a specific person? He didn't know, and he didn't want to bother with it.
Pouoka waited patiently for her grandson to collect his thoughts. She was not used to such conversations, but she felt that Egor simply needed to speak out, otherwise what was gnawing at him would simply consume the guy.
"Grandma," he finally spoke up, "it seems... not even that... Grandma," he confidently looked straight into Pauoka's eyes, "I fell in love."
She didn't expect that. And how should she react to such a statement? The old woman quickly pulled herself together.
"Really? Well, I think it's wonderful! You met her in Isorobia? Wait, is that really Lilith?"
The young man's gaze dimmed. His confidence was gone, and this change completely confused Pauoka.
"Egor..."
"Wait, let me speak before I lose my resolve. Grandma, it's not Lilith. It's... it's not a girl at all... It's...," he sighed and blurted out in one breath, "Grandma, I love Klaus!"
Pouoka was silent. She was not surprised, but still... The woman looked at her grandson, who hid his face in his hands after confessing. She understood how hard it was for him to admit it to her, and to himself too. He was afraid of her condemnation, but he still decided to open up, but the one his heart chose... The old woman sighed.
"Listen, Egor. I'm not going to judge you or say that this is not normal."
The guy slowly moved his palms away from his face and looked uncertainly at his grandmother's tired smile.
"Really?" There was so much hope in his voice that the old woman's heart sank.
"Really. Klaus is really attractive and I'm not surprised that you fell under his magnetism. I'm not going to tell you that this is not love. You wouldn't tell me about this now if you weren't sure. It's just... you see... Klaus is..."
"Yes, yes, I know that he is from another world, that he is the future king, that he needs heirs and all that, but grandma, what should I do? I am selfish! I want him to be only with me! And he... he decided to send me here and leave me! But I don't want to stay here! I just can't, you understand? What should I do?"
"Egor, I don't know... Oh, why did you choose him."
The old woman approached her grandson and hugged him. They were silent for a few minutes until Pouoka pulled away from her grandson and spoke again.
"I can help you with one thing," the old woman began confidently. "I will make sure that he takes you back and help eliminate one competitor," Pouoka smiled slyly.
"You mean Lilith?" Egor grinned "yes, she also worships Klaus, but she is not the main competitor, but if you help me return, I will do everything so that he is not a threat to me!"
"Him?"
"Yes, Klaus's older cousin, who does not have brotherly feelings for him at all and says so directly. He is the biggest problem, because Klaus respects him and allows him a lot," the young man grimaced.
"And how do you use this thing?" "Lilith, who had been sitting in Powaukee's room all this time, entered the kitchen with Egor's laptop.
"Hey, were you in my room?" Egor was indignant, "weren't you taught to ask permission before taking other people's things?"
"This is the master's room and if you've forgotten, I'll remind you who exactly lived with him all this time."
"That's it, that's it, stop arguing," Pouoka intervened. "Egor, teach her. If she stays here, this will come in handy."
Reluctantly, the young man took the laptop from the girl. If everything works out for the grandmother, then in a few days he will be in Isorobia, and this annoying girl will stay here.