“You didn’t get in on that action?” I asked Liam.
“He can’t.” Nathan unfolded the bills, admiring them for a second before tucking them into one of his pockets. “His marriage gives him insider information. It wouldn’t be fair to the rest of us.”
Thomas fumed. “Can we get back to the subject at hand?”
Nathan mimed zipping his lips.
Liam chuckled, sliding his thumb along the curve of my waist before withdrawing his hand. “Good luck,mo chuisle.”
He stepped back, leaving me to face my sire on my own.
“Traitor,” I muttered.
So much for in sickness and health.
“You made this mess. You can be the one to clean it up.”
“Did nothing we talked about earlier get through to you?” Thomas asked.
“I agreed to play the dutiful yearling at this event. I never said I’d forget about Brax.” Of course, I also hadn’t thought my brother would go gallivanting off with no one but a hunter at hisback. “Connor’s a big boy. He can take care of himself. He’s just gathering information right now.”
I really hoped that last part wasn’t a lie.
Damn you, Connor. I can’t believe you left me to deal with this in your absence.
Deborah raised a hand. “I’d just like to point out that Connor left this morning while Aileen was unconscious. She couldn’t have stopped him even if she wanted to.”
Uncertainty flickered across her face as she became the focus of every vampire in the room. Her hand slowly lowered. “I thought they should have all the information before they raked you over the coals.”
“Such loyalty,” Thomas drawled with an irony that had Deborah dropping her gaze.
“Indeed. She is,” I declared, giving him a look that said “stop intimidating my companion.”
Thomas stared at Deborah for a beat longer before shifting his gaze to mine. “At least tell me you have his location.”
“Of course I do.”
Thomas’s shoulders relaxed. He signaled Liam.
“Anton,” Liam ordered.
Anton sighed and sauntered toward the door. “Guess it’s my turn for babysitting duty.”
“You act like Connor is a defenseless lamb,” I argued.
Anton’s smile was slow. “Two vampires are always better than one, Lena.”
For heaven’s sake.
“That’s a family nickname.”
Only a very few select people had permission to use it. Anton wasn’t one of them.
“Convenient, given you just married into mine.” Anton winked at my look of protest as he strolled toward the door, calling over his shoulder. “Remember to text me his location.”
I pinned Liam with an accusing stare. “What’s this?”
Nathan cackled from the couch. “Welcome to the family, A. You’re one of us now. We’re not always easy, but we’ll fight for you until the very last breath in our bodies.”
