Page 10 of Whole in His Arms
River chuckled at that. “I know you do, my love. So, tell me. What is it, and why are you so worried?”
Nix closed his eyes and blew out a breath before explaining. “We’re going to try to take down a trafficking ring.” He said it one breath like he needed to get it out or it would get stuck in his throat. His voice grew rougher as he continued, his whole body turning to stone beneath River’s. “There’s a group that is selling off omegas for the sole purpose of getting them pregnant. I’m not really sure of the details, but apparently, they are breeding them for human babies, which then get adopted out.” He spat out the words, and River’s chest constricted, imaging what those poor omegas must be going through. The bond break from their babies would be like torture for them. “Zander is itching to get in, not that of the rest of us aren’t. We simply have to take them down.” Nix rested his head on River’s shoulder. “We weren’t able to take down Anton, and you know how badly that could have gone.”
He did. Anton had tried to kidnap Ollie. If it hadn’t been for the mate bond and Ronin being so attuned to his mate … River didn’t even want to think about what might have happened.
“I have to do this,” Nix said, meeting River’s gaze with pleading eyes, as if concerned he might attempt to stop him. “I know we just got mated, and you’re going to have our little one, so it’s not the ideal time to rush off and do a job. Especially one that could be so dangerous, but something in my gut says I have to do this …” His voice trailed off.
“I get it,” River said. And he did. He didn’t have to like it, but he definitely got it. Did he wish his mate would stay home where he was safe? Of course. But River couldn’t be the one that stopped Nix from doing what he was good at. Not only that, but those men and women had probably waited a long time for someone to rescue them. How could he stop his mate from doing something so necessary?
“Where would you be going?” he asked.
Nix took a moment to answer. River kept his eyes focused on him. “Rose Hills,” he finally said.
“You’re going back home? How do you feel about that?” River asked, knowing full well that growing up hadn’t been great for Nix. This would make this job even more taxing for his mate.
“I don’t know.” Nix shrugged. “It’s not really about me, is it? But there’s a part of me that says going there could provide me with some answers. Is that crazy?”
River shook his head. “If you think you need to do this for yourself as well, you know you have my support.”
Nix smiled and brushed River’s jaw. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”
He grinned. “You were your amazing, handsome self.” He peppered his mate’s face with kisses and was rewarded with Phoenix’s deep laughter.
“I don’t want to leave you,” Phoenix murmured.
River cupped his mate’s face with both hands. “You wouldn’t be leaving me. This is work, and I’ll be here in our home. Waiting for you. But make sure whatever you decide, it’s not out of fear, okay?” He searched Phoenix’s eyes. “If this is something you feel you need to do, then do it. I don’t want you to regret anything.”
Nix nodded before saying, “I’ll always come home to you, you know that, right?”
River grinned even as his heart sped up. “And I’ll always be here waiting for you.” He poked Nix. “But you sure as hell better not make me wait for too long.”
Nix snickered. “I’ll be home before you even know I’m gone.” He moved in and pressed his lips to River’s. River moved closer to him, and they fell down to the bed, their bodies pressed against one another as they continued to kiss. River couldn’t imagine Nix taking off, but he didn’t want to stop him from doing something that could ultimately help him to find out the truth about his past, and he would be as supportive as he could, now and always. Until then, he planned to have his way with his mate.
River stretched out in bed. When his hand brushed over the sheets, he noticed Nix was no longer beside him. He opened his eyes and sat up in bed. “Nix?” he called out as his eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, but there was no response.
River got out of bed and went over to his dresser, where he pulled out a pair of lounge pants and slipped them on. He then headed out of the bedroom to see what Nix was up to.
As he got downstairs, he saw the light was on in the living room, so that’s where he went next, the soft carpet meshing to the bottom of his feet. He found Nix on the couch, staring down at the laptop on his lap. He was looking at something intently, and for a moment, River just watched him. After a few minutes in that position without Nix noticing his presence, River cleared his throat.
Nix looked up and smiled. “I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”
“Your absence woke me,” River said. He moved over to the couch to take a seat next to him, and Nix immediately put his arms around River. “Whatchu doing?” River asked, snuggling up to him.
“Research.” He looked over at River. “I have to brief the guys since I know the area best, but I’ve not been back in so long. There’s a part of me hoping we’ll get there, and it’ll have been for nothing. I swore I’d never set foot back in that town.”
“I understand.” He snuggled closer to Phoenix. “But maybe that’s why you have to. Besides, if we weren’t expecting, would it really be easier for you to leave?”
Nix snorted. “Probably not, me and my tiger don’t want to leave our mate unprotected, and we don’t want to be away from you.”
River definitely got that because he and his wolf didn’t want Nix to go anywhere either.
River smiled. “I know, and I love you so much for it, but I also can’t let you sit back here because of me.” River lifted his head from his mate’s shoulder. “If you stay here because of me, and something happens to one of the guys …” River shook his head.
“I know.” Nix nodded. “Yet when I’m there, I’ll only be thinking of you,” he said.
“I don’t doubt that,” River said. “But you are good at what you do, and you deserve to be there with the rest of your team.”
“But what about you?” Nix rubbed his side. “I won’t be there to watch over you.”