This was going to be a long morning.
Chapter 27
Aftertheguysweredone taking care of me in the bath and getting me, and themselves, in some comfy clothes, they tried to convince me to go to sleep. They promised they would wake me up when Lex got back. They said they would take care of any issues that arose. Avery even upped the ante and said that he would take on organizing my dad’s desk. All of it was tempting, especially that last one, but there was no way I would be able to sleep.
The way Lex took that tablet, the way he looked at that tattoo... I knew his uncle was involved, but I also needed to trust him. Lex was a loose cannon, a black horse, a wild card, but I couldn’t help but trust him. I just didn’t know if that was wise or not.
The fact we’re mates helped in that decision, but with Lex, it was more than that. Before the mate bond even happened, he was devoted to me, wanting to be with me, and even asked to run away with me. He had watched me since I was young and could’ve easily used my weakness against me, but it hadn’t even occurred to him. He wanted to be with me, making it loud and clear right away. So when the guys all asked me if it was wise to let Lex go on his own, my immediate response was yes, but there was something else weighing on my mind, causing me hesitation.
It was eating me up inside. I still hadn’t told the guys about Lex’s involvement with a rival uprising, nor my theories that his uncle was the one behind the drugs. It felt like I was lying to them, and I knew when it all eventually came out, they would be mad at me and probably hate Lex... which meant I needed to give Lex the opportunity to prove himself to them. If he did that, then I think they would have an easier time accepting him.
A sharp pain traveled from the back of my neck to the front of my head, and I groaned out. I was thinking too much, worrying too much. I needed something to focus on or distract me. I got up and told them I was going back to the office when Avery wobbled, still a little blood loss drunk.
I grabbed his arm and sat him back down while scratching his back. “You should eat something. It will help with the blood loss.”
Avery wasn’t even looking at me as he scrambled to open his pants and shoved the fabric down his left hip bone as he sang out, “Read it and weep, fuckers!” Right there was my mark, the red blood drop. He was my mate. I had five fucking mates. It was a little overwhelming.
The smug pride on his face eased a bit of my worry. “That’s not it.” He turned around and snapped out his wings, showing them off with pride. “I saw the color finally settled in when I looked in the mirror just now.” I was half out of it in the bathroom, but now that I could focus on them, I was in awe of their beauty.
Different shades of green, blue, purple, pink, and orange shimmered in the light. They were mesmerizing the way they changed as they caught the light.
My hand hesitantly touched the soft material as I ran the pads of my fingers down, and the colors danced wherever I touched.
Avery shuddered, looking at me over his shoulder with smoldering green eyes. His husky voice broke. “If you’re not wanting to go another round, mate, I advise you stop stroking me like that.”
I gave it one last touch from root to tip, and Avery’s chin tilted to the ceiling as his back tensed, and he fisted his hands at his sides. He croaked out, “Gods, your evil.”
That made me grin, and a sassy remark was on the tip of my tongue when I heard my dad’s voice yell out, “Sunshine! I’m home!”
I turned my head, eyes wide before I zoomed out of my room. I didn’t want to seem desperate, but I was only expecting Lex to be back. I didn’t think he would bring all the bosses with him. Peering over the railing from the second floor down to the foyer, there stood all the bosses and Lex, looking up at me with various stages of exhaust and humor.
“Dad!” I raced down the stairs, planning to greet him, but everything I had bottled up—the worry stewing in my gut, the rage storming in my chest, and the annoyance of that damn fucking disaster he called a desk, all came out of me and once. His arms outstretched as he beamed at me, readily prepared for a wonderful reunion. He got a rude awakening when I punched him in his stomach, and he toppled over in a groan. The guards standing around the room wisely backed away and disappeared from the area.
“What the hell were you thinking?!” I turned my furious gaze onto all the bosses, pointing at them. “What were you all thinking?! Ditching backup, planning to get caught, yet not telling us a single thing? Leaving us in the dark the entire time?” They had the decency to look a little sheepish, and they kept their mouths shut, not regretting a thing.
My dad coughed out, “Ray, sweetie. I know that—” but I wasn’t done yet.
“And you!” My anger was now boiling over as I stepped toward my dad, still toppled over. “You just wanted to cause all this trouble for me. Just to see how I could handle it, huh? Well, I’m tired of it! I have a ton on my plate already without having to deal with the chaos you leave behind!”
He popped up and sped over to me before I could react as he wrapped me in an iron grip of a bear hug. He rested his cheek on top of my head as I jerked and yanked in his arms, but he held on tighter. Everyone was quiet, just staring at the showdown between father and daughter.
My anger was melting out of me by the second, and my last bit of venom came out in a mumble against his chest, “You’re kind of a dick.”
He chuckled, squeezing me harder as he sighed. “I know. I am, but... would it make you feel any better that I felt marginally guilty when I left without telling you my plan?”
I circled my arms that had been dead weight at my sides around his waist as the worry I pushed deep down that said he wouldn’t be coming back home took over, and I was left glad he came home. “Yes.” I wasn’t worried I couldn’t handle myself, it was more that I just didn’t want to lose another parent. Even when I took over, I would want my dad being an annoyance and poking around.
His chest shook as he chuckled, and I pinched him at his side, letting him know I wanted to be let go. We broke apart, and he smiled down at my scowl. “You’re just like your mother.” My heart swelled, and happiness flooded me whenever he said stuff like that. “She would be a little rage ball, too, until I hugged it out of her.”
I rolled my eyes, and they landed on Lex, who shifted on his feet, seeming like he wanted to come up to me and hug me, but his eyes flicked to my dad, and he held himself back. Now that I thought about it... how the hell did their meeting go? I knew Lex had rough feelings about my dad and the other bosses, that’s why I didn’t expect a rescue. I furrowed my brows at him, trying to understand, but Lex’s eyes shifted away from me, which only made me more suspicious.
“Avery!” The sound of several steps coming down the stairs signaled that the others were coming down to greet their dads. “Have you been helping Rayla? This is her territory, so I expect you to help and not try and lead.” Syris’ concern seemed to shine in all the bosses’ faces as they looked at their sons.
Avery laughed out like that was the funniest thing in the world. “Yes, Father, I’ve been helping Rayla however I can.” He sent me a smirk, causing me to narrow my eyes at him to shut up and not tell him how he had been helping me. He turned back to his dad. “Plus, I don’t think Rayla would let me boss her around, even if I could.” The rest of the guys all greeted their dads, and Cosmo came up to my side and gave my dad a handshake.
I could see Lex out on the edge, looking in, not really a part of this little reunion. He didn’t have a dad to joke around with or greet when it was a hard day. I took a step, ready to go over to him to keep him company when my dad put his hand on my shoulder, taking on a serious tone. “I think we need to all talk. We have a lot to discuss, so let’s go to the war room.”
Everyone turned and walked up the stairs, everyone but Lex. I waved both my dad and Cosmo off as I turned and went to Lex. I sidled up next to him, watching with him as everyone went up the stairs. I leaned over, saying in a low tone, “Thank you. I don’t know how it happened, and you don’t have to tell me but... thank you.”
