Chapter Fifteen
Jay
Getting home almost three hours late, both of us completely drenched in Harper’s perfume, we don’t quite get the inquisition I was expecting. I lock the apartment door as Harper kicks his shoes into the nook at my side.
“Anyone home?” I call out, only halfway joking as I toss my keys on to the side table.
The heavy footsteps of our lead Alpha precede his arrival in the living room doorway.
Falcon’s frown is deep as he directs his stare at me. “Where were you all this time? And why didn’t you answer your phone?”
“We took a detour,” Harper tells him, presumably cutting in because he can feel the tension Falcon’s energy is bringing into the room. “We would have called, but Jay’s battery died, and I left my phone here by mistake.”
Falcon doesn’t look pleased as he turns his attention back to me. “Make sure you have a spare charger on you next time you go out. I was ready to call the cops.”
“Thank God you didn’t,” Harper jokes. “If they’d found us, we might have been arrested for public indecency.”
I can’t help the snort that slips out, but Falcon clearly doesn’t find it amusing.
“You’re supposed to be looking after Harper when you take him to work,” he tells me, his voice low and full of jagged anger. “Don’t indulge his reckless nature when you’re with him. All that does is puts him at risk.”
I press my lips together tightly as I consider my response.
If Falcon was just being an asshole because he’s in a mood, I would have already snapped back at him. As it is, I know he was actually worried about our Omega. He’s mad at me for a reason.
I can’t fault him for that. I’d feel the same way if he’d done the same thing.
“It’s fine,” Harper murmurs, already on his way towards Falcon, ready to try out that calming touch trick that usually mellows him out. “We’re fine. Nothing bad happened. Nothing bad even came close to happening.”
“That’s not the point,” Falcon grumbles.
“I know,” I tell him. “I’ll make sure we’re beyond reproach from now on.”
Falcon nods after a beat, once he’s sure I mean what I’m saying.
It takes Harper slightly longer to realize I’m not soothing our Alpha’s anger.
He makes a disappointed sound as he reaches Falcon.
“We were only having fun,” he mutters, as he snuggles into Falcon’s side.
Our Alpha shakes his head. The slightest hint of a smile flickers at his lips, but it leaves as quickly as it comes. He wraps his arms around Harper and keeps his gaze on me.
“We have fun at home,” he tells Harper, as if he’s still any part of what goes on in Harper’s nest.
“Well, sure, we do, but sometimes it’s nice to have fun someplace less … enclosed.”
Falcon raises an eyebrow at me, clearly wondering what that means, exactly.
I give him a shrug. “You two should talk more about that. I’ve got dinner to make.”
I move toward the kitchen and Falcon clears his throat.
“Shayne just left to grab a couple extra ingredients.”
I blink at him. “Did you just say Shayne’s dealing with dinner?”
We all take a turn, but if someone’s not feeling it, I’m usually the one who steps in.
I wouldn’t say it’s one of Shayne’s favorite things, even if he is good at it.
So, it’s kind of strange that he’s volunteering when he doesn’t have to.
“Did he say what he was making?” I ask, wondering if there’s any prep I can do to help.
Falcon frowns for a second before shaking his head. “Nah. He just said he was missing some things. I’d better let him know you guys are home, finally. We were planning to drive out to the city if you weren’t back before he got home.”
He pulls his phone from his pocket, and I nod slowly.
“I’ll grab a shower. I can help with dinner when he’s back.”
I know Harper will try to entice Falcon a little before he decides to wash up.
He hardly ever wants to have the first chance to shower.
These days, I don’t blame him.
If I thought it might get Falcon to relax, I might try the same thing.