Anything for Her - Complete

Chapter 42

"If you're coming to Billings, get ready. But sort things out between you before you do. Rose and Dimitri have enough of their own worries; they don't need you two butting heads and stressing them out as well!"

When Abe Mazur laid down the law, people listened – and now was no exception. Eddie and Christian both nodded, eyeing each other warily.

"I'm going to go and talk to Janine. Christian? We might as well go with everyone to Billings. We can stay a day or two to help out if we can, then head back to Iowa," Frankie said.

"To your Mom's?" Christian asked fatalistically. The only upside about this whole situation was the fact it had interrupted their planned visit to see Frankie's Mom.

"You didn't think I'd let you get out of that, did you?!" Frankie giggled. Her Mom was the biggest softie in the world. She'd already explained the whole situation, and her mother was fine with it. Frankie wasn't about to clue Christian into that, though!

Christian and Frankie both felt beyond guilty that the young family was on their way home after dropping them to the airport when the events leading to Maxim's early arrival unfolded. They'd flown to Iowa and had been at St. Agnes' ahead of their visit to see Frankie's mother when they'd got Dimitri's call, so they'd immediately returned to Montana to support their friends.

Frankie gave Christian a supportive look before following Abe to where Janine was helping Dimitri with the still hysterical Lara. As much as Frankie cared for Christian, this was a discussion he needed to manage on his own.

"I need to pack," Eddie said. "Did you want to come with me and talk?"

"Sure," Christian replied, secretly wondering whether being alone in a room with Eddie was such a hot idea right now.

The two walked silently across campus to the Guardian quarters. They'd been friends at one time. Particularly after Spokane. The dynamics had changed when Eddie graduated, and Christian became the Queen's Consort; however Eddie was one of a few people who Christian thought knew the 'real' him – which made his treachery with Lissa all the more disappointing.

Climbing the three flights of stairs to Eddie's room, Christian followed Eddie inside when he opened the door. The room was exceptionally sparse. Containing a single bed made up army style with rough white cotton sheets, a pillow, and a single grey blanket, the only non-regulation item visible in the space was a photo frame with a picture of Lara. Eddie gestured for Christian to sit in the room's single chair while he opened the closet, pulling out his Guardian issue duffel.

"Lara is yours?" Christian asked, knowing it to be the truth, but nonetheless wanting confirmation from Castile.

"Yes."

"So how long was your affair with Lissa going on?" Christian asked coldly. "Was it just when I was in Russia, or did it start before that? Had you wanted her for a long time?"

Eddie sighed, opening his drawers and pulling out his spare uniforms and the two casual sets of clothes he wore when he visited Rose, Dimitri, and Lara. It wasn't much.

"I don't remember anything about the night it happened," Eddie explained. "Her Majesty told Rose it occurred the night of the Solstice Ball. I was on duty that night, and I helped her Majesty back to your suite when she had too much to drink. I don't remember anything else, and I had no idea about any of it until Rose and Dimitri showed up at the Academy with a baby telling me she was mine."

"You're sure she is yours?" Christian probed. He wanted to be able to express his anger about what Eddie had done, however, the disgusted look on Eddie's face stopped him.