“Me three!” Colter shouted from the dining room.
Zeke rolled his eyes. “You two just had to butt in, didn’t you? Couldn’t let our Alpha have a sweet moment with his mate.”
Jasper strolled over to Zeke, tossing an arm around the male’s shoulder. “Come on. Tell us you love us too.”
“No.”
“Tell us you love us,” Jasper sing-songed.
Zeke ran a hand down his face. “Fine. I love you guys,” he grumbled.
“Good.” Jasper smirked. “Now let’s get out of here before Constantine shows up.”
“That is the smartest thing you’ve ever said,” Zeke remarked. Then he grimaced. “Last thing I want to see right now is a leech.”
“Will you stop by Tank’s cabin on the way and debrief him?” Murphy asked. “I spoke to him on the drive back, but I’m sure he’ll want all the details.”
In fact, Tank had insisted on more information when they’d spoken, but Murphy was too exhausted to recount everything tonight.
“Will do.” Jasper tossed a hand up in farewell before he and Zeke followed Marcus out the door, closing it behind them and leaving them alone, aside from Colter and her brother in the next room.
“I’m so ready for bed,” Nessa commented quietly, snuggling in closer to Murphy. “I just want to take a bath and try to forget the last several hours.”
“Me too, little mate.” Murphy wrapped an arm around her, pulling her fully onto his lap. She settled against him with a small sound of contentment, burying her face into his neck as she had earlier.
He cupped the back of her head, fingers sifting through her hair. “Are you okay?”
“I will be,” came her muffled reply. She curled more firmly around him, her body going lax on his.
He shut his eyes, savoring the peace between them.
He’d never take moments like this for granted. The feel of her against him, her scent filling his lungs with each breath he took. The warmth in his soul that she stoked.
Murphy wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, wrapped up in one another, but all too soon, they were interrupted.
A firm knock on the front door had Nessa startling awake in his arms. Blearily, Murphy pried his eyes open. “That’s Constantine.”
It was time to handle her brother.
“What do we do now?” Nessa asked tiredly, sinking into a dining room chair an hour later.
Murphy shook his head, unsure of how to answer.
The list of complications seemed to keep growing, but all he wanted to do was push it away. Nessa needed to rest andrecuperate before they tackled anything else. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be happening soon enough.
Constantine had just left, and with it, Murphy’s hope of handling Nessa’s brother in a cordial manner.
The vampire had been unsuccessful in compelling Angelo, and after several labored attempts, had given up on it entirely. He’d left shortly after that.
Now Murphy was in the hole with the vampires yet again, and it hadn’t even proven beneficial this time.
Muffled grunting from across the table had Murphy breaking eye contact with his mate only to glare at the human tied to a dining room chair.
“Should I take the gag out?” Colter asked cheerfully from beside the human, his lips twitching in amusement. “I kind of like that he can’t talk, though.”
Nessa nodded toward Colter. “Yes, take it out. I feel like it’s the least I could do.”
“You don’t owe him anything,” Murphy insisted passionately. “One good deed from him today doesn’t excuse his past transgressions.”
