“I’m good.” I tried for a smile, but when Theo snorted, I knew I’d failed.
“Relax,” he said, reaching for my hand and squeezing it tight. “You look like you’re about to burn the world down. And while that’s super hot, these are the good guys, remember?”
“I know, I’m just?—”
“Wound tighter than a drum?Oui, I know. Really, Shep, you act like we just met. You’re always wound tight when you’re here. The good thing now is that you have me. If you like, I could take you into one of these rooms and help you relax before we go in there?”
I arched a brow in his direction. “Not helping.”
“I’m trying to,” he said, his swollen lip quirking to the side and reminding me all over again what that motherfucker had done to him.
I reached for his face and brushed my thumb over the cut in his lip. “I’m good, really. Just not looking forward to reliving this. That’s all.”
“Okay.” Theo started down the hall, his hand still in mine. “So it’s not because you’re about to admit that you’re head over heels for me to a bunch of guys who think I’m a lunatic?”
I drew him to a halt and locked eyes with him, and while he might be joking,Iwas not something I ever wanted him to doubt.
“There is not one person’s opinion on this earth that I give a fuck about when it comes to you and me. Do you understand that? It doesn’t matter if it’s old man Francisco in the bodega at the corner or the men waiting for us in the conference room down the hall.” I took Theo’s chin and angled his head up toward mine. “When it comes to you and me, I’m not hiding anymore. Not from anyone.”
Theo closed the couple of inches between us and ghosted his lips over mine. “So fucking sexy, Mr. Winchester.”
I hummed against his mouth. “We need to get in there.”
“Are you sure? I’d really rather you get in me?—”
“Theo.” I pulled away, knowing that if I didn’t, we’d never do what we came here to. I tugged him down the hall. “Let’s get this over with.”
“You’re the boss,” he said, then chuckled. “Literally.”
We reached the door to the conference room, and it wasn’t lost on me that Theo’s steps slowed a little too. But just when I thought he might drop my hand to enter, he entwined his fingers through mine and walked inside, head held high like the prince he was—and I’d never been prouder of him.
He wasn’t about to let a few bruises and cuts define who he was, and he wasn’t about to run from the questions he was about to be faced with. But when the five men sitting at the enormous granite table spotted him, all talking ceased and wide smiles of relief crossed their mugs.
“Theo. Damn, but you’re a sight for sore eyes.” Lucien was the first to get to his feet, and Benoit followed, giving a mock bow.
“Bon retour parmi nous,Your Serene Highness.”
Lachlan shook his head, his eyes tracking over and cataloguing every bruise and cut he could see on his brother. Then he growled, “The motherfucker who did that to your face better be dead.”
“He is,” I said, straightening my shoulders with pride.
“Limb from limb?”
Before I could say I’d planned on just that, Theo interjected. “He was left for the vultures in the jungle. I doubt there’s anything left of him.”
Lachlan clapped me on the shoulder. “Goddamn right.”
With Lachlan being the most savage of our crew, I supposed that was a compliment, but I didn’t get a chance to answer him because King finally stepped forward, and the guys parted to let him through.
All joking ceased as King’s gaze fell to mine and Theo’s clasped hands, and just like that, our brothers finally noticed the elephant in the room. Their relief at seeing Theo alive had overtaken anything else, but now the surprise had them looking between us and King to gauge our leader’s reaction.
Theo squeezed my hand then, his reassurance all I needed as King came to a stop in front of us. I could feel the tension creeping into the room as we watched and waited for what came next. King had made it clear to me he didn’t approve of my relationship with Theo, had even dared say he wasn’t right for me, and remembering that only pissed me off.
King met my eyes, those dark depths unreadable, but when they cut to Theo, I saw it. A spark of emotion, regret and relief, the two battling it out as King rested his hands on Theo’s shoulders.
“Glad to see Shep brought you back safe to us.”
Theo’s eyes narrowed slightly.
