Page 95

Story: Darkness Echoes

There’s nothing Jay can say to soothe the ache of grief he feels around his heart, whether it’s his own or Nix’s, traveling along their bond.

It’s a blessing to think Nix might have a part of his family still there waiting for him, but the intensity of the renewed grief is palpable—just one more thing Nix has to make room for in his healing journey.

Jay looks back along the street. It’s surprisingly quiet for this time of evening; no cars or kids, just the sound of birds in the evening gloom.

He hitches Luca up from where he’s slipping and squeezes his thighs when Luca kisses the back of his head. It helps him remember to be grateful.

About the big things—like second chances.

But also for the small graces.

Like the fact that there’s no one around to see them in the twilight. No one to witness two members of the famousLRHstrolling the sidewalk alongside a barefoot, shirtless, long-haired warrior who looks like he couldjust as easily murder you as walk the runway.

And that there is no one to witness their angel’s joy and pain but them.

In the Stillness (Gideon)

Gideon closes the oven on the dinner rolls he’d cobbled together from the surprisingly well-stocked safe house pantry. It took him a while to get used to the difference in basic ingredients, but Gideon has always enjoyed a challenge. It reminds him, again, that maybe he needs a new venture.

Quest is even more successful under Maureen’s management than it had been under his sole control, even if Gideon still manages the menus with Elias. But Maureen has vision, determination, and the talent to back it up, and it’s making Gideon more money than he truly needs.

Where Quest had once been the center of his world—before Luca and the others saved him from years of waiting—it has become easier to let his more-than-competent staff, and dare he say,friends, take on more of the day-to-day tasks.

Perhaps it’s time to partner with the others at Quest. Maureen had balked when he’d offered in the fall, but maybe it’s time for him to do for Maureen and Elias what Oscar and his mate had done for him when he started.

Just thinking about the older couple who had saved him makes him smile.

They’d been surprised to receive his letter and check last year, and the Rhodes Pack wouldn’t miss a few hundred thousand dollars. It was a small price to pay for their faith in him all those years ago, though it was a return on their investment.

No more, no less.

Besides, there are so many new adventures waiting. The possibility of creating a new place might give him more opportunity to make something closer to his roots—like cooking with his family and other families in mind.

A heavy thud shakes the glass door to the pool deck, rattling it in its frame, startling Gideon so that the dish he’s washing slips from his hands into the sink.

Another slam, harder this time, echoes through the house, followed by vicious growling. His gaze snaps to the glass door just in time to see Rowan yanked backward into the pool, still fully clothed—shoes and all.

It might have been funny if it weren’t the only way they could slow him down and if Leo weren’t expending his every last bit of strength and energy to do it.

Gideon hadn’t been kidding when he’d told Jay that Finn insisted they couldn’t tranq Rowan so soon after the last time. So this is it. Finn is watching from the sidelines, just in case Leo needs an extra hand or someone gets hurt.

The moment Nix had left with Jay, and Rowan had counted to the usual two thousand in several languages at once, he’d bounded to his feet and made for the door. No matter how they’d tried to reason with him, he’d wanted his omega, and he wouldn’t be persuaded otherwise.

The young alpha had even employed cunning instead of brute force at one point, convincing his appointed babysitters that he only needed fresh air, only for Finn to spot him trying to scale the back fence into the neighbor’s yard.

Leo had tackled him into the pool, and that’s where they’d stayed, wrestling and facing off the entire time. The beta was strong, but not enigma-strong, and certainly not Rowan-strong, yet it seemed to work, regardless.

When Gideon had checked in, Finn had whispered that he thought Leo was winning more contests because Rowan must be pulling his punches and because Leo was a better swimmer. The water was most likely giving him a much-needed edge in keeping Rowan occupied. Gideon just hoped Leo could keep it up, or he’d have to get wet and employ his own, less swimmy tactics.

The security system at the front door beeps, and Finn has ten seconds to open the glass door to let Rowan in as he vaultsoverLeo’s head and ontohis feet on the side of the pool.

Ah, pulling his punches, then.

At least they know now that hecankeep the wolf under control enough that he recognizes his other mates.

“Rowan! You are soaking wet and cold. Strip off or you’ll soak him!”

Rowan freezes and starts tearing his clothes off, getting hamstrung by his shoelaces. He’s hopping and slipping around so much that Gideon has to spare a chuckle because his mate is magnificently naked but looks foolish, hopping up and down in a single magenta sneaker, dick out and flopping around like a wrinkly fish.