Cal looked down at the baby in his arms. He rocked him for a minute, swaying side to side and humming lowly. Nix smiled at him, his heart warm for the two brothers he now knew he had. He sat there for a moment, debating whether he should tell Cal who he was to them? When Cal looked up at him.
“Your name isn’t James, is it?” Cal’s voice was low.
Nix shook his head, and in a whisper, he said, “My name is Phoenix, but you can call me Nix. I’m going to get you guys out of here.” He added, “I promise you can trust me.”
Cal’s eyes narrowed. “Why do I feel this connection with you?” He looked down at the baby. “The same way I feel with him,” he added in a hushed voice. “My tiger says you must be blood—are you our brother?”
“I believe so.” Nix couldn’t stop the grin that spread over his face, and joy filled him. He stood up and moved towards Cal; he looked down at the little guy in his arms and brushed his cheeks. Then and there, he swore, “I promise I will get you out. All of you.” Cal’s eyes met him, and hope shined there, but before he could speak, a knock sounded on the door, interrupting their conversation. When the door opened, he saw Tre standing there. “Time’s up,” he said. “If you need to ask any more questions, you can come back later.”
Nix stepped back and Cal looked away from him. He knew that Cal wanted out of there just as much as Nix wanted him out. Probably, even more, so he knew that Cal would keep his secret. Cal slipped past him, with baby Jacobi against his chest, and moved to leave. Before he reached the door, however, he glanced over his shoulder.
Nix could see the question there, but of course, he couldn’t ask. “I’ll see you tomorrow Calliou.” He leered at him and immediately wanted to puke, but he had to keep up appearances. Cal’s lips lifted but only slightly, then he hurriedly left the room.
Tre moved closer to him. “So, see anything you like?”.
“Perhaps.” He was non-committal. “Although Calliou might suffice.”
Tre frowned at that. “You aren’t going to want Cal.”
“Why not?” Nix realized he’d raised his voice, so he drew in a breath. “I mean, why?”
“Cal is pregnant, and why wait when there are so many others to choose from.” Tre gestured. “You’re going to want someone more readily available …”
“Cal is actually perfect,” Nix said. “My guy is looking for someone seasoned, and he can wait until after Cal delivers before he produces his offspring.”
Tre shrugged. “Whatever your guy needs or wants. Long as the money’s good.”
Nix inclined his head. “Money is not a problem. I am confident he’ll be pleased with my selection. I have to report back, and if he’s happy, we can talk money.”
“I’m always ready to talk money,” Tre said. Nix held out his hand to him, and Tre shook it.
“I will be seeing you tomorrow,” Nix said. He smiled, then left the room. As he walked through the other room, he spotted Cal looking at him. He nodded but didn’t do anything else that might draw unwanted attention their way. All the while, Nix made sure to take in the number of guards as he passed, the cameras, the weapons they carried. The layout of the areas he’d seen.
He knew he was being watched, so when he stepped out of the warehouse, he didn’t go back to Dax and the guys immediately. He wanted to make sure he wasn’t being followed. When he was sure he wasn’t, he told the guys that he was on his way back and doubled back to the path he’d taken earlier until he met up with his team. When he reached him, he motioned for Dax to follow him, and they headed back to the van to meet up with Maddox and Zander.
“How’d it go?” Maddox asked before anyone else could say anything.
“We’re in.” And that’s all he said to them as they loaded up the van. He was anxious to get back to the warehouse, so he could start the process of getting those omegas out of there and finding out which omega was his father.
Chapter Seven
River
River picked up his phone to look at the time, and he groaned and tossed it down. How could twenty-four hours pass by so agonizingly slow? It was practically torturous for him, and it didn’t help that he had this horrible feeling that something was wrong with Nix or that he was going to be in a heap of trouble, and River was stuck there, unable to do anything about it.
Goddess, please bring my mate back safely.
He picked up his phone again and stared at the screen. Time crept past. As he looked at his phone, he swiped the screen with his finger and moved on to the screensaver of Nix and him together. He smiled. Gosh, he wanted to see him in person. Sleeping alone last night had sucked, which was crazy since he’d done just that until just recently. River couldn’t have imagined the pain of missing Nix. It was like a physical ache. Should he call? What if it was a bad time, though, and he put his mate in danger. Then again, Nix would probably have his phone off. As he stared longingly at his phone, trying to decide, he heard the doorbell.
River dropped his phone back down on the table, got up, and headed to the front door slowly. What if his mate was hurt and they were coming to tell him? He looked through the peephole and saw Ronin, Ollie, and the twins standing on his doorstep. For a moment, he didn’t want to open up. But finally, he did.
“Hey you two … What’s up?” River asked them as soon as he opened the door. He plastered a smile on his face trying not to show his panicked thoughts.
Ronin held up the baby carriers. “Four,” he said.
River laughed. “I stand corrected.” He stepped back so Ronin and Ollie could come inside. The carrier looked heavy, and River supposed he’d want to put it down. “What’s up?” he asked again.
Ronin put the carrier down on the floor and looked over at Ollie. River could tell they had something on their mind because it wasn’t like them to just stop by announced like that, especially with their newborn babies in tow. River loved all of his brothers, and if he was to choose one he was closest with, then he would probably say Ronin, but still, there were times he felt like the odd man out between him and all his brothers. Since River was the only omega, he’d never truly felt like he belonged. Not that his brothers did anything to make him feel that way. But it was something he struggled with from time to time. But one thing he never doubted was that they loved him.
