Page 13

“Hey. Where’d you go?” Nix whispers, placing Gideon’s hand on the center of his abdomen.

Nix told them that’s where his and Luca’s bonds sit—the place his “ gut feelings” come from.

Gideon’s knot slips out, as fast as it ever has—who knew shame would trigger it to deflate prematurely?

“Nowhere,” he mutters, rolling onto his back and throwing an arm over his burning eyes, well aware that his behavior is making a liar out of his words.

“Look at me, please.”

He can deny him nothing, and when he opens his eyes, Nix is sitting cross-legged beside him on the bed, a hand on his protruding belly; it seems to have grown since they left the hospital, as if their second child has had enough of hiding and wants everyone to know they’re there, too.

“Gideon. ”

It’s just one word, and it’s not full of disappointment, nor is it even a question; a single word that Gideon knows is both a demand for truth and a statement of understanding.

It’s a strange combination, but he shouldn’t be surprised.

If anyone would understand his drive for—whatever this is that has him out at night at the expense of his sanity and the comfort of those he loves—it would be Nix Rena, bringer of justice.

He also shouldn’t be surprised that he just tells him the truth, either.

“I’ve been looking for Carnell.”

“I know. Well, I didn’t know exactly, but you’ve been lying. Badly,” Nix states, but he tilts his head to the side in question.

“You’re home tonight for the first time in weeks—months, even. Did you find him?”

“You knew? Does everyone know? Fuck, Kitten. Have I been sneaking around, trying to keep you all out of it for nothing?”

“No, I don’t think anyone knew for sure except maybe Jamie.

I suspected it had to be something you didn’t want us to know, and I worried that it might be something bad .

The others don’t know what it’s like. They don’t know what it’s like to need justice, to feel such burning hatred for someone that you need to finish it with their death.

“Jay, too?”

“Well, not the hatred-fear-vengeance thing. Although I think he felt something like it back in October for the Rhodes. But you know Jamie. He’s no killer. Too forgiving. Too focused on us in the here and now.”

Gideon didn’t know about that.

Nix hadn’t seen him with Carnell the first time they’d met, and Carnell had pressed the only button Jay had that would trigger a potential disemboweling: his mates’ immediate safety.

But even then, Jay had iron self-control and was always ten steps ahead—like the fucking genius he is. Which begs the question: “He knows I’ve been out looking. Why hasn’t he said anything? Stepped in?”

Stopped him.

He has before .

“You’ll have to ask him that, but he’s been following you, I think. He’s been out some of the same nights as you. I could see him on the family security app, even when I couldn’t see you.” Nix raises a chastising eyebrow.

“Fuck, Kitten. I’m sorry.”

Nix squints his eyes again and takes Gideon’s hand in his. “For what?”

That’s a good question.

He can’t be sorry for hunting Carnell down, and given Nix’s recent feelings on his own vengeance and ultimate act of freedom, he knows he wouldn’t believe him—or even accept an apology—for that.

So what was he sorry for?

“I’m sorry for leaving you all out of it. For thinking I had to do it on my own. For abandoning you to Leo’s cooking for three months.”

It makes Nix smile, but he nods. “And?”

“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?”

Rowan covers his mouth to head off a loud guffaw. He’s only mildly successful, especially when Leo glares up at him with ruffled hair and betrayal in his dark eyes.

“He is, Mom, but I need your help before you yell at him, okay?”

“Of course, my darling. What is it? Are you feeling poorly?”

“Not right now, although the tea you sent has been helping.”

Tea? What tea? Gideon likes tea. And why did Lauren know their omega needed tea when he had not? A frisson of shame settles in his belly again because he knows why.

“Then what can I do to help? Has Leo forgotten to tell you something important as well? I will speak to him.”

Leo just throws himself onto the couch, phone in hand, and buries his head under a blanket. Gideon almost feels bad for him. He is still reveling in the possibility of his mate’s future mother-driven misery when Nix drops his bombshell.

“I need a private plane to Florida. Can you do that?”

Gideon should have been thinking about his own impending misery instead, because six pairs of eyes turn his way as he hears Lauren ask, “Did Gideon find Carnell, then?”