So here Mackenzie was, sitting in his car after parking in front of the coffee shop where he was meeting Nico.He couldn’t help but glance around the area, half-worried that Silas was waiting for him to leave his car to jump him.He doubted the man was anywhere in Northwood, but how could he be sure?How couldanyonebe sure?
He grabbed his phone from the passenger seat and pulled up the string of texts he’d exchanged with Nico.They’d been talking a lot, both by text and phone calls, and doing so made Mackenzie feel better.Nico understood shifters and carriers in a way that Mackenzie couldn’t, and it was nice to have another perspective.
When Mackenzie had told Nico about this dinner, Nico had been encouraging.He’d told Mackenzie to go and let go of any fear he had about his brother’s safety.Mackenzie needed to trust Dean and Jasper.
It wasn’t that Mackenzie didn’t trust them.He didn’t trust Silas not to hurt them, which was different.There was nothing he could do about any of it, though.He didn’t want to lose Dean or antagonize Jasper, which meant that he had to let them take the lead.
He sucked in a breath.He could do that.He could let them make their own decisions.They knew the dangers better than he did, after all.
I’m here, he texted Nico.He was eager for a distraction, especially if that distraction came in the shape of the sweet man he’d been talking to.He had no idea what the two of them were doing beyond becoming friends, or if anything more would come out of it, but sometimes, he caught Nico watching him with interest.
He was interested, too.He hadn’t had the opportunity to try and do anything about it because of everything that had happened, and he liked having Nico as a friend, so maybe that was all they needed.
Or maybe there could be more between them.Mackenzie wasn’t going to find out today, and that was okay.He didn’t need to.What he needed to do was go into the coffee shop and order their coffees so they’d be ready when Nico arrived.If he couldn’t take care of his brother, he’d take care of Nico instead.
Nico hadn’t said much about his personal life, but from the way he spoke sometimes, Mackenzie suspected that there were a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders.If Mackenzie could get Nico to forget about them for the hour they were about to spend together, he’d do so happily.And maybe, as he did, he’d be able to stop obsessing over his brother’s safety.
* * * *
NICO WAS ONLY PARTIALLYsurprised at how quickly the words were out of Mackenzie’s mouth once they sat down.“I’m seeing my brother tonight, and I don’t want to mess things up.I want Jasper to like me, and I haven’t really had the opportunity to talk to him yet, considering he was stabbed and everything.How do I make this go well?”
Nico pressed his lips together so he wouldn’t smile like an idiot.“You just talk to him.”
Mackenzie narrowed his eyes.“I’m pretty sure that Dean told him that I thought he should leave the forest.That means Jasper’s going to hate me, right?”
“No.It means that you’re probably going to have to apologize, but that’s okay.Jasper will understand why you said that.”
Mackenzie rubbed his face.He had two cups of coffee in front of him, so Nico hadn’t stopped to order one.Mackenzie hadn’t given him either, though, so he pointedly looked at them and arched a brow.Mackenzie’s eyes widened, and he pushed one of them toward Nico.“Sorry.I got you coffee, but I forgot about it when I saw you.”
It was sweet, even though it wasn’t because he’d been overwhelmed by Nico’s presence.No, he just needed someone to talk to, and Nico was right there.He knew what was happening in Mackenzie’s life and why he was worried.“Have you talked to your family about this?”Nico asked before taking a sip of coffee.His lips curled into a smile when he realized it was exactly the way he liked it.He and Mackenzie had only met a few times, yet Mackenzie already knew how he took his coffee.It was sweet and dangerous because it made Nico want more.
“No.I know they’d be on Dean’s side.”
“So you’ve decided not to talk to them at all?”
“They’re planning to move here.Hell,Iwas planning on moving, too.”
“Have you changed your mind because of what happened?”Nico wanted Mackenzie to move, but he understood why the man was hesitant.Through his brother, he was linked to Jasper, and there was a chance that Silas would use the people Jasper cared about against him.The first of those people would be Dean, but it was possible that Silas would just grab anyone he thought would do the trick, including Dean’s brother.
Not that it mattered.Nico was sure that if something happened to Dean, Mackenzie would never forgive himself—or Jasper.
“I haven’t changed my mind,” Mackenzie said with a smile.“I mean, my entire family is moving.Dean already lives here.What am I supposed to do, go back to my life?I’d be so far away from all of them, and I don’t want that.”
“So youaremoving?”
“Yeah,” Mackenzie said before taking a sip of coffee.“There’s no other way I can be with my family, and if it wasn’t for Silas, I’d be excited.As it is, though, I’m worried.”
“Everyone is doing everything they can to neutralize Silas.I understand why the situation is scary, but I wouldn’t worry too much if I were you.Silas knows better than to go after Jasper again.He failed the first time, and he’s not going to make that mistake again.”
“I thought the guy who stabbed Jasper was called Harvey?”Mackenzie asked with a frown.
“Harvey was Silas’s beta for decades.He’s more like his guard dog, honestly.”
“A dangerous guard dog.”
“Anyone can be dangerous with the right incentive.”
Mackenzie shook his head.“I don’t think I could be.I’m just worried about my brother.This pregnancy thing is crazy, and I want him to be safe.It’s just weird to think that he’s pregnant and that he’s not doing everything he can to protect his baby.”
