“I told Darius you wouldn’t take being cooped up in here much longer.Frankly, I’m surprised you haven’t bolted before now.Granted, Darius has a point wanting to keep you safe.But really, what’s it going to hurt if you take a walk around the block?”He sounded cranky, partly, I suspected, because he hated sitting inside with me.
“I’m sorry,” I started, but he waved away my apology.
“Don’t be.It’s my own fault.Marcus and Darius have jobs, and Aerolus, well, I’m not sure what he’s doing right now.”The gray-eyed brother had been gone the last few days.“But as I’m the only one available at the moment to babysit—” at my look, he quickly amended “—I mean, to protect you.”
“Thanks,” I said wryly.“You know, the first day I met you four, I was baffled by how alike you were.Now I can’t imagine why I thought that.”
His brown eyes sparkled with mirth, and I meant it.Though identical in appearance except for the eye color, all four brothers had distinct personalities.Darius, I knew instinctively.I felt his presence when he entered the room, could sense him drawing near without looking.His rage burned like a flame, his angry need to control everything around him based on defending those under his protection.
Marcus (or Marc, as I sometimes called him because it annoyed him,) had a tendency toward arrogance far beyond Darius’s capacity to condescend.Marcus acted like royalty, as if I should cherish every moment spent in his presence.Yet beneath the attitude, I sensed warmth and acceptance, and I had to admit I loved his dry sense of humor.
Cadmus, on the other hand, was easygoing and openly affectionate.He constantly joked.Despite his nature as a quadruplet, he really did seem the baby of the family, and the others treated him as such.Though he had to resent it, he treated Darius and Marcus with tolerance and ever-present amusement.
He was also incredibly in tune with nature.The small greenhouse attached to the kitchen flourished with plant life, courtesy of his green thumb.Being inside stifled him.I could see the toll it took on him to remain with me and wished it could be otherwise.
“You sure are thinking hard.”He finished his banana and slurped his coffee.
“Yes, well, that’s all I can do in here.No offense.I love your house, but really, do we have to stay inside?”
Outside, the clouds parted and the sun hovered over Mount Rainier.He followed my gaze and shot me a sly look.
“You know, if we snuck out now, we could get a nice walk in before anyone noticed.”
“No.” Darius stomped into the kitchen looking bleary-eyed.Secretly thrilled to see him, I focused on keeping my inner shields intact and my heartbeat steady.
“Aw, come on Darius,” Cadmus protested.“We’redyingin here.It’s so boring staring at each other all day long.Though come to think of it, we could find something else to entertain us if you’re planning on going out again.”
The suggestive leer he sent me made me want to laugh.
But Darius didn’t find Cadmus amusing.
At all.
Chapter21
Samantha
Darius growled something in a foreign language that had Cadmus arching his brow.
“Touchy.”
Darius studiously ignored his brother.“Samantha, would you like to go out with me tonight?”
“Really?Where?”
“I thought we could grab something to eat downtown,” he said casually, his gaze intense as he waited for my answer.“It won’t be fancy or anything, but I thought you might want a break from my family.”
I forced myself to pay no attention to Cadmus and his cheeky grin.“I’d love to.”
Darius seemed to relax, as much as he ever did lately.“Fine.I’ll pick you up at six.”So saying, he shot Cadmus a warning glare and left without another word.
Staring after him, I wasn’t aware I’d frowned until Cadmus mentioned it.
“I know he’s a pain in the ass, but he’s got his reasons.”He grabbed another cup of coffee, offering me one as well.
“He’s been busy this week.”It bugged the hell out of me that he remained so secretive about his whereabouts.Because I knew the schedule, and he’d had a few days off but had still been gone from the house for hours at a time.Where had he been?
Cadmus snorted.“Yeah, right.With the exception of working at the club and his time spent helping Father Denton, he’s been going out of his mind staying away from you.”
