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119

Summer

“ W ell done today,” the headmaster says as we walk into the Morningstar House.

“Thank you, sir,” I say, unsure how to take his compliment. He nods once and drops the glamor before disappearing through his portal. As soon as it closes behind him, I go in search of Connor.

Fear from our findings sits heavily on my shoulders, but I need to try to relax because the headmaster is right. The more he is seen as Connor and the less Connor is out of the house, the more chance the headmaster will be taken and not Connor. I am sure the headmaster is far more powerful than some serial killer. Isn’t he?

“Al! You need not to be around tonight!” I call toward Zach’s room, where she’s been staying. She pops her head out, frowning.

“Why?”

“Max is coming over to hang out with Connor and me, and he can’t know you’re alive.”

Alice rolls her eyes. “You’re lucky they’re running reruns of T he Shifter is the Mister tonight.”

“You’re a rockstar,” I say.

Alice blows me a kiss and returns to her room just as Connor comes out of his. “Babe!” He wraps me in his arms and kisses me hard. “I missed you.”

I smile and press my body against his. “I missed you too, big guy.” Connor lifts me and carries me into his room, where we happily lose ourselves in each other.

“Your friend is here!” Luke calls from the other side of the door as Connor and I finish getting dressed.

“You need to be nice to him, big guy. This is a big deal that he’s trying.”

Connor gawks at me. “I’m always nice!”

I give him a look, and he pouts, buttoning his jeans.

“If you’re a very good boy, I’ll do that thing with my mouth you love after he’s gone.”

Connor groans, kissing me again. I smile and slide my hand into his. “Game face, big guy,” I whisper, leading him downstairs and into the living room.

Max holds up a pizza box and a six-pack. “I brought food and beer.”

I drop Connor’s hand and nudge Max playfully. “The game is already on in the den,” I say, leading the way, with them silently following.

Rafe is already in the den, standing in front of the television. He looks up when we walk in, his gaze catching on Max. His brow furrows for a moment and then clears. “Oh, you’re that gym guy, right?” Rafe asks.

Max lifts an eyebrow but nods and sets the pizza and six-pack on the coffee table before sitting down with one of the beers. I grab a beer from the pack and hand it to Rafe, kissing him on the cheek as I do so. He barely reacts, slowly getting used to the casual affection from me. When did I become this person? I wonder if he asks himself the same question.

Connor settles into the recliner and holds his hand out for mine. “Romulus is a friend of Summer’s.”

Rafe nods and turns his attention back to the game.

I grab a slice of pizza before taking Connor’s hand and letting him pull me into his lap. I happily nuzzle his cheek and offer him a bit of the pizza.

“Max has been training me, and I’ve decided that he’s kinda all right, I guess.”

“What actually happened is that she was embarrassingly pathetic at fighting, and I couldn’t endure watching it. Clearly, combat class was wasted on her.”

Rafe scoffs, shaking his head. “I cannot imagine Summer actually fighting.”

I tilt my head and narrow my eyes at him menacingly. “Is that a challenge, Rafey?”

Rafe rolls his eyes at me. “You couldn’t hold up against me.”

“If I can pin a berserker, I can pin you,” I say, smirking devilishly.

Rafe scowls at me, his irritation amping up. “I fight demons, you know that, right?”

Connor snorts. “No, you…” He sits straight up, almost launching me out of his lap, but catches me at the last moment. “That’s who you’ve been fighting?” he shouts. “What the fuck, Rafe? You’ve been fighting demons?”

Rafe shrugs, unaffected by Connor’s raised voice, and grabs another beer. I glare at Connor, pissed that he almost launched her into outer space. I stand up to grab a beer, noticing that Max is smothering a smile as he eats a slice of pizza.

“Why are you smirking?” Connor glares at Max.

Max shrugs. “Just… interesting.”

“Connor,” I warn.

“What?”

I give him a dissatisfied look.

He sighs. “I meant it in a non-aggressive way.”

Max takes a swig of beer. “I just thought you had the perfect life.”

“Max,” I warn, about two seconds away from bashing their heads together.

“What? I did!” he says.

Connor rolls his eyes. “Far from perfect. It would be perfect if I were an only child,” he says, directing the latter part of the statement directly at Rafe.

Rafe flips Connor off, and Max snickers into his pizza.

“Come back,” Connor says, reaching for me.

I lean over him and kiss him deeply before dropping into his lap again.

“You guys set a date yet?” Max asks, watching us.

I shake my head, running my fingers through Connor’s hair. “No. Con wants to wait.”

Max watches us for a second, his expression darkening. “I guess it’s not the best time to be thinking about the future with everything going on.”

“Right,” I say, resting my head on Connor’s shoulder.

“Summer is pretty deeply in denial about the whole thing,” Rafe grumbles moodily.

“I have Legion duty straight after graduation, but we are planning for the summer after her second year,” Connor says, squeezing me closer and ignoring Rafe’s comment. “So what happened to her ankle?” he asks Max.

“She was being an idiot,” Max says matter-of-factly. I throw a dirty glare at him. “You were!” he says, doubling down.

Connor laughs, stroking my hip with his thumb.

“She gives me gray hairs, I swear.” Max sighs.

I’m about to protest, but Connor replies first. “She’s a handful.” I blink at Connor, then at Max, and then at Connor again.

“Uh, hold up. What’s going on here?”

“What? We’re bonding,” Connor says, nuzzling my cheek.

“You’re not allowed to gang up on me!”

“Who says?” Max asks, smirking. “Besides, you make it so easy.”

“Okay, well, I’m going to beat your ass.” I point at Max. “And no more sex.” I point at Connor before slipping off his lap and going to stand with Rafe.

Rafe stares at me warily. “I’m not sleeping with you.”

“But I promise I don’t hog the covers!” I say with a pout.

Rafe shakes his head. “Nope. Connor is a cuddler, and I’m guessing you are, too.”

“I promise no cuddling. Just some light nuzzling,” I say, nuzzling against his arm. Rafe gazes down at me with a revolted look on his face before walking away.

Connor laughs. “Guess you have no choice but to come back to me, babe. Zane is a kicker, and Luke midnight snacks. Loudly.”

I sigh and walk back to him, sitting on the arm of the chair. “Fine. But still no sex for you.”

Connor pulls me back onto his lap and kisses my face. “We’ll see.”

I melt into him a little and almost hear Max roll his eyes. “Sucker.” He takes another sip of beer. “I see your ankle is better,” he says, and I nod. “Okay, well, you’re still not coming back until it’s fully healed.”

I lift my leg and roll my ankle, showing off that I can do it without wincing in pain. “Look!”

“No,” Max says, looking away.

The conversation dies down, and everyone turns their attention to the game. “So, you both like sports. Discuss.”

Max laughs at my poor attempt to promote conversation. “Summer, we’re in the same room, and we’re not fighting. Enjoy the win.”

I decide he is right and relax into Connor. The conversation does eventually pick up, but it’s about boring sports. I tune out their words and lay my head against Connor’s chest, letting the rumble of his voice soothe me into near sleep.

When the game ends, Max stands up and stretches. “Well, I should get going.” I hear Max say in my semi-conscious state.

Connor kisses my head. “Thank you for teaching her.”

“She’s hard to deny.”

Connor laughs, the small rumble in his chest warming me. “Tell me about it. Goodnight, Romulus.”

“Night, golden boy.”

I smile and finally drift into deeper sleep.