Chapter 45
Bryce
I was flipping pancakes, humming along to Strauss’s On the Beautiful Blue Danube when Hunter emerged from Seb’s room—the room that had once been Serenity’s—hair and sleepwear disheveled, eyeing the bacon sizzling on the backburner.
Although, he didn’t look eager to eat.
He grunted by way of good morning, snatched yesterday’s paper off the coffee table, and shambled over to the breakfast bar. He crinkled its pages clumsily and smacked the first article he flipped to.
“Whole city is going nuts,” he grumbled. “They shut down the high school early yesterday. Three kids overdosed on campus before lunch.”
I turned a frown his way. “Really? That’s awful. I need to call Dagger’s chief, see what kind of donation they’d need to get more manpower on the D.A.R.E. squad.”
Hunter grunted again, jerking his head in a half-nod. As I finished up breakfast and tented tinfoil around everything to keep it warm, he sighed through his nostrils every few minutes.
Both of us shot glances at the closed bedroom door half-visible inside the hall, but I suspected we each did so for slightly different reasons.
I just wanted to see Serenity’s face light up when she saw her favorite applewood bacon.
Every time I thought I heard a creak or shuffle, my heart quickened, eager to kiss her good morning.
After years of loneliness, I had someone to wake up to. Someone I could greet without the slightest wince of trepidation, and I treasured these early morning moments. Even if I wasn’t the one waking up right next to her this morning.
I got the impression Hunter didn’t exactly share the sentiment.
Probably because Dagger in particular was one of the bodies on the other side of that door.
I’d went in and kissed Serenity goodnight and heard her go out and ask Hunter if it was okay if the other guys stayed in their room—he’d said yes—wanting him to join them too.
Hunter had a huge bed, though we’d definitely need to look into an even bigger one for our new family.
But he hadn’t joined the others. Because of Dagger, was my guess.
That was the biggest strain on our family arrangement right now, bar none. Even with vamp gangsters out to steal the treasured heart of our group.
Still, I’d always felt this whole arrangement was great for the twins, a chance to finally be true brothers again after their parents’ tragic demise.
I stood by that even as I watched Hunter glower from behind his paper.
Where time hadn’t healed, shared love of one human could.
After all, there was no binding stronger than love.
Or fated mates. It seemed they couldn’t ignore the fact fate had destined them to be part of one family.
The door cracked open, and we both snapped to attention. Serenity emerged from her and Hunter’s room with Dagger and a slightly sheepish Seb. She was still in her cute flower-patterned pajamas, while the two guys were in jeans and T-shirts.
“Morning!’ I called.
Hunter watched in silence as Serenity clunked the bedroom door shut behind them all, but when she caught his eye, he acknowledged her with a subdued nod.
I readily opened my arms for her, saying, “I made your favorite.”
“I smell it,” she said with a happy sigh, stepping into my hug.
God, I’d never get used to how amazing it felt to hold her.
I kissed her soft mouth, losing myself a moment in the warmth of her curves, my hands sliding from the small of her back to the generous curve of her ass.
When she pulled back, I let go reluctantly, then set to work unwrapping breakfast and setting out plates.
“Sit and dig in everybody. Plenty more pancakes and bacon on the way. I bet a few of you have an appetite.”
She shot a sweet grin Dagger and Seb’s way. “We had a great night.”
I’d already guessed, from how they’d looked after. The entire night I kept waiting for the jealousy to burn me from within, but it never did. I was happy she was happy, and I knew that soon, I’d get a chance to pull those same sounds of ecstasy from her lips.
I concealed my smile behind pursed lips as they sat along the bar with Serenity in the middle.
I basked in her glow, noting the color high in her cheeks, eyes bright, and her every movement easy and comfortable as she maneuvered between us all to heap food on her plate. Each and every day she seemed more comfortable in her own skin.
Last night, she’d chosen Seb and Dagger, but she was our mate.
She’d never leave any of us out. She took care to make us all feel special in every moment we shared together.
Like now, dishing a pancake on Dagger’s plate and smoothing an Alfalfa flyaway on Seb’s hair while asking Hunter if he wanted her to pour him some coffee.
“I’d love some.” His posture loosened a fraction.
She brought him the brew and touched her lips to his as she set it down.
Hunter kissed her back but didn’t linger against her mouth. “Thanks, baby,” he coughed out through a strained smile and went back to staring into the folds of his paper.
Her eyes darted back and forth toward him, her smile dipping into a serious line each time, as we ate and chatted about her and Seb’s anti-Temple propaganda project and this Mr. Winterborn weasel’s political aspirations.
Sitting nearby, I crunched bacon layered on maple-drenched pancakes, enjoying the contrast of salt and sweetness as I said between chews, “This Winterborn creep is really bad news. I can only imagine how terrible it’d be if he got into the governor’s office.
Especially with Blunton whispering in his ear.
I’m going to donate some serious campaign contributions and free advertising to Governor Andino, when the time comes. ”
“Have you met the governor a lot of times?” Serenity was fidgeting with her napkin, glancing constantly at Hunter from the side of her eye.
“Met him more times than I’d want to. Once,” Hunter chimed in, winking at her.
She broke into a broad smile and stroked his hand. “Why’s that? Is he mean?”
Hunter paused, and I answered instead. “He’s not mean at all. He’s got a good heart, and a great sense of humor once you get to know him. He’s just…”
“Just what?”
I clinked my platter onto the coffee table and searched for the proper word.
Governor Aiden Andino wasn’t exactly the party person of the century—his absence yet again from another Annual Charity Ball being proof—but he did have a fun-loving side, deep down.
“Well, you know better than anyone how insane New Nebraska can be, right? I mean, there are a lot of problems, violence, gangs, a lot of powerful magic floating about, and that magic’s not always used for good, as we all know.
You can’t govern successfully here if you’re not a focused, serious person. ”
Hunter turned a page, not looking up, he said with a wry smile, “Serious? That time you introduced me to him, he was stiffer than a goddamn hickory.”
“But you didn’t feel the urge to rip his throat out, did you? See the difference between him and a certain Fae who might end up in that office?”
Hunter shrugged. “You convinced me. I’ll take stiff over sleazy any day. He’s got my vote.”
Serenity swept her eyes across us all. “And I think it’s safe to say he’s got four other votes here too.” She rubbed Dagger’s shoulder. “You’re not saying much this morning. Everything good?”
“Everything’s great.” He scooped up Carrot, who instantly purred and pressed her chin against his jaguar-tat knuckles. “Just enjoying Bryce’s breakfast, just listening.”
Hunter turned to the next page, flapping the paper out to straighten it, mumbling just loud enough so everyone could hear. “Breaking news from Midas, supercop’s listening for once.”
They met eyes, scowling. Hunter was the first to look away, eyes skimming the paper to read what looked like nothing in particular. At some point I was going to get double-gloved and knock their heads together. Multiple times if I had to.
But not in front of Serenity. And not until I’d exhausted my last peacemaker idea.
I cleared my throat. “Who wants to see some more of Nebraska, by helicopter? I know a fantastic place in New Lincoln for lunch too.”
Serenity gasped. “I’ve always wanted to fly.”
After that, no one in the room could say no.
But when Dagger and Hunter both stood to clear their plates at the same time, caustic energy crackled between them, and I thought they might square up then and there, each perceiving the other’s innocent movement as a challenge.
I hoped I hadn’t just suggested putting two bombs in my copter.
Well… no one exploded.
But Serenity and I had tamped out a few sparking fuses.
The worst was when Dagger had given Serenity’s butt a playful pinch, making her scream in giddy fright as she peered out the side of the copter.
I couldn’t tell whether Serenity’s choice to squeeze herself between the twins on the copter’s cramped, welded bench seat had been a conscious olive branch or not.
But with her wide-eyes and oohing over all the sights in her too-big headset, the twins kept their tones cordial and their eyes on her instead of each other.
When we’d landed to stroll through New Lincoln on the way to the bistro I’d picked for lunch, everyone had been in brighter spirits.
For a few hours there, I had a fantastic time.
Almost as if the glow all of us saw in Serenity, as our mate, had begun forming golden threads between us, binding us closer than ever.