Page 19

“You do have that sort of energy. It’s like… you’ll take anyone… but when the important person comes along, BAM they’re yours.”

“Yes, imprinting.”

“Dante, where did you learn that word?” Parker asks in only the way he can. He’s not saying I’m stupid, he’s just fucking curious.

“Those vampire movies.”

Parker shakes his head ruefully. “Absolutely astounding. I’d kill for you, Dante.”

“Obviously.”

“I wonder how he would do with a gun?”

My insides shrivel up and die at the idea of Reid with a gun. “No gun for him. Maybe a taser.”

Parker stares at me with a look of total disgust, before he shakes his head free of it and continues to load the dishwasher until we’re all done.

Reid having a gun is a huge no-go for me.

I don’t even like carrying a gun. Over my dead body am I letting spitfire Reid handle a gun.

We’d be on the local news in ten seconds flat.

But a taser? Yeah, I’m fine with that. He can tase someone’s balls off for all I care.

Although there is that saying if you’re willing to handle a taser, you’ve got to be tased.

The idea of Reid being tased is almost just as bad as him handling a gun.

Jesus fucking Christ, I need to put him in a bubble.

Once we’re done with the dishes, we turn around to find the kitchen empty.

The sound of video games comes from the living room, so Parker and I amble our way there.

Reid sits comfortably in the corner of the couch.

He looks so much like he was meant to be there that my heart hurts a little with the force of it.

I’ve felt alone even while with these boys for so long, that having Reid there balances it all out.

Reid sticks his tongue out and wrinkles his nose, making me bite back a grin.

It’s a little painful to bite my cheeks to contain my obvious like for him, but better that than endure any sort of hassling or teasing from the guys.

I join Reid on the couch, slinging my arm around his thin shoulders.

He leans heavily into my side, either on purpose, or just out of habit by now, but I don’t care either way as long as he leans against me.

“Can I ask questions? I have a lot of questions,” Reid says into the room.

Parker raises one eyebrow from his spot on the couch, while Jacob and Hayden simultaneously turn to stare at Parker.

“Low-key forgot you were here,” Jacob admits, mouth tilting up at one corner. Little shit.

“You can ask whatever you want,” Hayden says and returns his attention to the television.

“Well…. Why did Robin pick all of you?” Reid asks first.

Jacob points at Parker.

Parker sighs.

Hayden laughs.

I turn my head to nuzzle my nose into Reid’s sweet-smelling hair. Cotton candy, that’s what his hair smells like .

“We don’t really know why… we just got checks in the mail with a timestamp to a location.

Neither of us could turn it down after what we were offered…

and I’ve always had a penchant for firearms, so it worked out.

” Parker leans forward on his elbows, eyes gleaming.

“Over the years we’ve gleaned a few things though.

Dante was recruited for his brawn and protective nature.

He’s a grumpy shit but he’d lay down his life without thought for someone he loves.

I was recruited for my attention to detail, probably helps that I’ve gotten straight As literally my entire life without much trying.

Jacob was recruited because he’s my brother.

” Jacob snorts at that because it’s decidedly wrong, but we all let Parker get away with it.

“And Hayden was recruited because the team needed a blond.”

Hayden laughs in delight, but doesn’t tear his gaze from the video game.

“That sounds fake,” Reid replies.

Parker shrugs nonplussed. “Hayden’s also a certified genius that skates under the radar because he looks like he should be hazing someone at a fraternity instead of hacking into a fortune 500 company and fleecing some CEOs for all they’re worth.”

“That is true,” Jacob agrees.

A red flush steals over Hayden’s cheeks but his jaw just tightens, and he locks in harder in hopes of defeating the boss they’ve been working toward in the video game they’re playing.

Nothing makes Hayden blush like a compliment from Jacob.

Scully pads down the stairs, tail up in the air, and chin high as she looks over the scene before her.

Typically she pads right to Hayden, curls up in his lap, and stays there happily for hours.

But much to Hayden’s chagrin, Scully swaggers across the living room and plops herself down on Reid’s lap.

I don’t dare move to break whatever spell Scully is under. This is her house and we all just live here. But Reid doesn’t get the big deal, I guess, because he just rests his hand on her back and pets her like she’s any normal cat. Maybe she only has a thing for blonds.

“Well, what happened after you were recruited? You all didn’t just…

become this way overnight.” Reid huffs a little when I place a gentle kiss behind his ear, loving the softness of his skin there.

“Cut it out,” Reid implores, but his tone is empty, so I keep placing kisses to the sensitive skin of his ear as the boys continue our story.

“No, we went through a few months of training before our first mission,” Parker says with his gaze back on the book in his lap.

His tone is idle and bored, how he often gets when detaching from a moment with us.

“A private kickboxing gym, hand-to-hand combat, firearms training at a gun range in the next town over. We all had some hacking skills too, but we have our specialties, which is why Hayden is the prince among us. He knows all coding because his brain does something once and absorbs it like cereal absorbs milk.”

“Cute analogy,” Hayden calls out, obviously pleased.

“Thank you, I liked it as well,” Parker replies with a grin in his voice.

“So when do we get to ask you questions?” Hayden asks, swearing while jamming the buttons on the controller.

Jacob also starts to swear and suddenly the room is filled with them yelling at the screen.

Video games have never been my thing, but sometimes it’s fun to watch them get all riled up.

One would think they’d fight against each other in the games, but they always team up, then snipe at each other the entire time. Always a lively experience.

Reid turns his head to glare at me after one well-placed kiss. “I’m an open book.”

I skim my fingers down his arm, watching as goose pimples pop across his skin, but he holds himself steady to make himself appear unaffected by my touch. Even without opening his mouth he’s trying to lie to me.

“Why aren’t you running away? You’re in a room full of murderers and you just want to know how we got trained?” Jacob asks, flicking a look over his shoulder at Reid and me all cuddled up on the couch. I flick him off and his gaze returns to the screen.

“I have a thing for danger,” Reid retorts, tone sarcastic, but only I know the truth.

Yeah, he has a thing for danger. But when he says that, he means me .