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Quinn looks so confused but clearly doesn’t want to ask any questions and risk making us take longer. We’re all being very careful not to mention anything about Lyric being pregnant. It’s not our place to say anything, and it’s up to Ezra and Creed whether they prewarn him or how they want to tell him. After all, they know him a hell of a lot better than we do. Plus, he used to be a flight risk, so there’s no telling how he’s going to react. I know that he already has so many questions about us and our link to him, so he’s going to have even more when he sees his family.
“Let’s go then,” Trick replies as we start moving toward the van that Jensen drove in here like a bat out of hell. He adds, “Alaric doesn’t need us for any of this anyway.”
The drive to the airport is filled with the usual relief that we get when we complete a job. Yes, Hunt got away, and that’s an issue, but I’m still viewing this as a win because we’ve got Rylie and Quinn back. That was the main objective for us. We have also put a massive dent in Hunt’s operation because of the amount of his staff that we’ve managed to detain.
I can feel my adrenalin starting to crash now that the job is over, and the lack of sleep that I’ve had starts to creep up on me. The sun is up, and I try to sleep on the plane, as does everyone else, but I know that we’re all going to be heading straight to bed when we get home because no one sleeps well on planes.
When we finally touch down, everyone is strung out, yawning and feeling the effects of the last few days. All of us are quiet as we get off and start heading toward our own vehicles.
“We’ll message you guys when we finally wake up,” Jynx mutters in our direction.
“Got it,” Trick replies, repressing a yawn. “I’ll need reports written up.”
“Uh huh,” Rome replies, and I don’t think he’s actually listening.
“We’re heading straight home,” Ezra says.
Trick wakes up a bit more then, as he replies, “We’re going to leave you guys alone. You contact us when you’re ready, no matter how long it takes. Family comes first always.”
“Thanks, man,” Creed says and pulls him into a hug.
I hug them both at the same time, “Tell Lyric I love her, and if she needs me, I’m here.”
“We will,” they reply together.
Quinn tilts his head to the side as he watches me and then says, sounding slightly confused, “I like you. You clearly care about my brothers and Lyric a lot.”
“I do. It’s a good job, you like me; we’re family,” I tell him with a smile, making him look even more confused.
Ezra chuckles as he clasps him on the shoulder and says, “We’ll explain, man, don’t worry.”
“Thank fuck,” Quinn replies, and we watch as they head off to get in their car, a still confused-looking Quinn in tow.
I really hope for Lyric’s sake that everything goes okay, but I know that it's going to be a really intense time for them all, and I hope that they realise we really are here for them when they need us.
Chapter Thirty-One
The drive home is a blur and makes me grateful that I am not the one who’s driving because that would be seriously concerning since I have absolutely no idea how I ended up in bed or who's in bed with me. I’m just incredibly glad that we have decent blackout blinds and curtains in here and that, despite the fact that it's daylight outside, you can’t really tell in here. Which means we’re going to be able to catch up on some much needed sleep.
My phone pings just as sleep calls to me, and although I desperately want to let sleep claim me, I am aware that it may be Lyric, and if she needs me right now, you bet your fucking ass I’m going to get up and go to her, after chugging about three gallons of coffee and maybe a cold shower.
I tap the person lying next to me, seeing that it's Rafe, and murmur groggily, “Pass me my phone. It might be Lyric.”
He grunts, reaches his hand out without opening his eyes, and pats around on the bedside table randomly before he finally locates it and hands it to me. I force my eyes open as I realise I am right, and it is a message from Lyric.
Lyric: Thank you. I love you, bestie.
Me: I love you too.
There’s no need to point out that she doesn’t need to thank me because she knows that she doesn’t. It’s also a nice hint that she may be okay. I have a feeling that it will be the last communication between us for a while; they all need to focus on their family and Quinn. It’s going to be a massive adjustment for them all.
I sort of just put my arm over Rafe and let my phone slide to the floor. Rafe is snoring softly, and whoever is behind me is snoring as well. I don’t want to wake either of them up so my phone can live on the floor for the foreseeable future.
I think I’m snoring before my phone hits the floor.
**********
I don’t know what time it is when I finally make my way down the stairs after a really good sleep and a long shower, but it is light outside, and I have a feeling that I may have slept through the whole day and night and into the next one. I checked my phone before I came down here, and I didn’t have any messages. I didn’t expect any from Lyric, and I’m assuming that Jynx and her men, Pete and Elijah, are all still sleeping or taking it slowly.