Nix released a breath and stared out at the pond. “I love you, River. I will come home to you.”
“I trust you will.” River’s words were firm, but his voice trembled, and Nix felt it in his heart.
“Tell peanut Daddy loves her, and he’ll be home soon,” Nix said.
“Her?” That got a smile from his mate. He could hear it.
“I think we’d be awesome girl dads, wouldn’t you say?”
“You’ll be an awesome dad in general,” River replied. “But now I hope we have a baby girl.”
“I love you,” Phoenix whispered and quickly disconnected the call before he totally lost it. He pulled his knees to his chest and stared out at the pond. He’d lost his omega father. He wasn’t about to lose his omega brothers. He refused to let that happen. It was time to get his brothers up-to-date so they could get all the omegas out safely.
Chapter Nine
River
River woke up with a start. “Nix!” he called out. His heart raced, and he glanced over to the clock. It was two twelve in the morning. He tried to relax, but when he closed his eyes, that pit of unease grew. Something was wrong. Nix was in danger. He sat up in bed. He tried to get their earlier conversation out of his mind, but no such luck. It was on constant replay.I need to get Cal and Jacobi out of there. I will come back to you.He couldn’t come back to him if he was lying dead somewhere.
Don’t think like that.No matter how much he told himself that, it didn’t seem to help. His brain wasn’t cooperating.
River grabbed his phone from his nightstand and pulled up Nix’s number. He just needed to hear his voice so he could squash all those fears. Before he could hit send, though, he paused. It was after two in the morning. Everyone would be sound asleep. Or what if they were out on the mission … or worse, what if Nix had gone in by himself? Fuck, River knew he wouldn’t be able to get any sleep until he heard Nix tell him he was alright.
He needed to hear it from him. Both he and his wolf were in agreement. River hit send. Nix’s phone rang and rang. Then it went to his voicemail. That sinking feeling now intensified by a thousand.
River sat there and kept glancing at the clock, but time seemed to be crawling by. Finally, he got out of bed and grabbed Nix’s hoodie—he’d been wearing it around the house—and put it on, then went downstairs to the living room. He grabbed the blanket and covered himself up, then sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. When the image of him resting against Nix’s chest as they watched Netflix together flashed through his mind, River closed his eyes and told himself firmly that Nix had never broken any promises, and he wouldn’t start now. Especially with their lives together just getting started.
He cupped his belly. “Daddy will come home to us. He promised.”
River attempted to settle into a binge-worthy show on Netflix but kept getting derailed by the clock on his cellphone. Time had never crept by more slowly.
If he didn’t know any better, River would say time was fucking with him.
He tossed his phone down next to him, not that it helped. River turned back to the TV and the menu screen, looking for something else to watch. Then there was a knock at his door. His heart skipped a beat and he grabbed his phone again.2:45?He got up from the couch and went over to the front door. “Who is it?” A huge lump formed in his throat. Was this where they came to give him the bad news?
Nix was alive. He could feel his mate. River had to hold on to that. He leaned against the door, his back to it.
“Open up and find out.” Of course, he recognized Ronin’s voice and quickly opened the door. Ronin, Roman, Rick, and Finn all stood there. Ronin held up a bag. “I come bearing junk food, won’t you let me in?”
River stepped back and allowed his family to enter. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Well, we had a call from my brother,” Finn said. “He said you just might need some company.”
River frowned. “It’s nearly three in the morning.” He laughed then, a bit of hesitation in his voice.
“Hence the ice cream, I would have gone with coffee.” Ronin gestured toward Ryder. “But as Ryder reminded me, sadly, brother dear, you’re stuck with decaf.” He smirked. “But it’s the price you pay for being prego.” He clapped. “Now … how about we get this party started?”
River wrapped his arms around his body. “Some party … Nix is out there somewhere, and who knows what he’s going through.” He looked down at the floor and sniffed. Someone put an arm around him; River looked up and saw Ronin looking back at him with a tender brotherly look he sometimes got, reminding him that Ro was the older one. He leaned into Ronin and his brother squeezed him comfortingly.
“Believe me, River. I know the kind of thoughts that are running through your head right now,” Ronin said. “I felt the same way when I knew Ollie was in trouble. So, I feel ya, but Nix is smart, and he’s strong, and if anyone can get out of any situation, it’s going to be him. You just have to have faith and trust in him. You’ll see.” Ronin nudged him. “Besides, he has a lot to live for, now more than ever.”
River managed a smile at that. Plus, Ronin knew his mate very well, so his words helped. He felt a little more at ease, and seeing his family there to rally around him made him feel incredibly loved. “You just need to take care of yourself and this baby,” Finn said. “Let us take care of everything else. Now … what about that ice cream?”
River chuckled and stepped out of Ronin’s arms. He used the sleeve of his hoodie to wipe his face before ushering them into the living room. They each sat down, but Ronin detoured to the kitchen and came back with spoons and bowls. He handed them out and took a seat next to River. “I got your favorites.”
Ronin pulled out Peanut butter and coffee. “Ryder suggested you have more of the peanut butter than the coffee.” With that, he handed everyone the tubs, and he chuckled when he saw that they didn’t bother with the bowls. “You guys have no idea what this means to me.” He lifted a spoon of peanut butter and coffee; of course, he had to get both the first time around.
He moaned and everyone laughed.
