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“For lying about it. For trying to trick you with that horrible takeout.”

“Um, yes, don’t do that again. Poor Luca thinks you might be losing your touch in the kitchen. He was telling me you might be unemployed soon, and something about cilantro?”

The reminder he’d lied to Luca—and that Nix hadn’t made it easier on Gideon by telling Luca of his suspicions and saving him the trouble of a confession—causes that churning shame to well up into his throat.

“I’ll tell him—all of it.”

“I know you will. You should tell the others too. They might not like it—scratch that, I know they won’t—but they will forgive you, and they will get over it. Eventually. You’ll just have to prove to them that you mean it.”

Gideon kisses his palm and then his wrist. He can do that.

“So, tell me what you learned today that changed everything, and then we can air this musty, dusty room out, because it hardly smells like you, and my wolf does not like it at all.”

“I think I finally found him,” Gideon says, watching Nix’s face carefully.

“You did?! Fuck, yes! Where?”

“Clearwater.”

Nix freezes for a minute, and Gideon gets a nose full of burnt sugar.

“Clearwater? Florida?”

At his nod, Nix is out the door before he can react for the second time that day, though Gideon is hot on his heels.

They burst into the living room, where there is a literal naked pile of bodies in the center of the couch. Jay is startled out of a satisfied doze, and Gideon is grateful their leader is fast enough to catch Leo before he dumps him on the floor.

“Fuck, Nix. Gid. Where’s the fire?”

“Leo’s right there, Gideon, so it can’t be his cooking,” Rowan mutters from somewhere under Luca and Grayson.

“You’re so mean to me.”

Finn sits up from his spot near Jay’s head and pulls on that white sweater. “Seriously, Nix. You’re freaking me out. Are you feeling okay?”

“Never better. Anyone seen my phone?” He starts pulling up cushions and gets down on his hands and knees to look under the couch. He can’t keep track of his phone, no matter how hard he tries. Maybe they should just buy him a smartwatch.

“Fuck me,” Rowan mutters reverently, and Gideon checks the room to see that every one of his mates has their eyes on Nix’s bright red ass and slick thighs.

Oops.

He spots Nix’s phone—with its tiny yellow chicks on the back—sitting innocently on the table for once, and offers it to him. “Here, Kitten. Come, let’s put some Arnica on your butt.”

Nix snatches his phone back with a sunny smile. “Not right now, thank you.” He scrolls furiously, clearly looking for a specific number. When he finds it, he presses it, and the call connects instantly through the speaker.

Gideon frowns because nothing sours his afterglow like his mother-in-law, Lauren.

“Nix. My darling. How are you and my grandbaby?” Not how is anyone else, including her son. No. Lauren Arnell Costas loves only Nix these days—and his baby…babies…oh shit.

Leo echoes the sentiment out loud, probably because he hadn’t thought to call his mom and tell her the news…five hours ago.

Gideon is glad he won’t be around when that shit hits the fan. He’ll be anywhere else. Far, far away.

“Mom! We’re having two babies! Two! Didn’t Leo tell you? We saw them on the ultrasound earlier this afternoon. Isn’t that amazing?”

It’s quiet on the other end of the phone, as Leo is scrambling for his phone from the pocket of his hastily discarded sweats.

“Twins? How wonderful. I am so very excited, my dearest. Is Leo around?”