He wraps his arms around his body in a comforting gesture I’ve seen before. “But who? And why the pet shelter? Is it Nine?”
“Yes.” I know it’s her.
I omitted Jacob’s connection to Nine. Sully thinks he got angry at him to screw with Ren, but it’s better if he knows how really dangerous she can be.
“Why would she go after me? Or was it Ren?” His brow furrows, and I pull him against me.
“I don’t know. Maybe both. She is fucking insane.”
The doorbell rings. The damn family is here. Fuck!
“Put the socks on,” I kiss the top of his hair. “They are here.”
I walk to the entrance, check the outdoor security cameras, and leave the gun in the entrance drawer before opening the door. Lori is the first to get inside.
“Prepare yourself,” he whispers cryptically, patting my chest twice.
“Whoever made that bomb knows their onions.” He raises his voice, turning his face back to Gabriel.
“That’s for sure,” Ramiel agrees, followed by Hunter.
“Shit just got real,” Michael declares.
“It was already real, babe,” Raphael counters.
“Are you okay? Where’s Sully?” Sariel sounds worried.
“They are both fine, Baby Blue,” my brother tells him, his eyes sliding down my body like he’s checking I’m in one piece.
Sully comes to the entrance, and everybody quickly surrounds him. There are hugs and relieved comments and worried questions. After a while, I’ve had enough. I grab his hand and pull him to me.
“Let’s go to the living room,” I say, leading them inside the house.
I tried to decorate the cottage thinking about Sully’s taste and mine, but I just bought the essentials. He has one more year of college, and will start vet school in September, which will take him to Chicago twice a week. We will need another place near the school.
The living room is spacious with exposed stone, wooden floors, and ceiling beams. The walls are white, and three single-hung windows overlook the garden on the south side. Two large sofas and an armchair are positioned near the metal fireplace—I lit the tinder on top of the stacked logs and started the fire to make the room warmer. Sully gets cold easily.
I’ve just sat on the armchair with him on my lap when his brother barrels into the room. He’s panting, and as soon as his eyes find Sully, he makes his way through the others still standing, pushing and elbowing to get to his brother, and yanks him off my lap and into his arms.
They look at each other exchanging a conversation only they can hear for a moment, before Oliver starts with the questions.
“Are you okay? Let me see you. What’s with all those pink Band-Aids? Are those hearts on them?”
“Ezra made them,” Sully explains.
“He did?” Rague chuckles.
“That explains the one on his cheek.” Hunter raises an eyebrow at me. I feel more questioning looks from the others.
“What?” I snap.
“Why didn’t you call me? I had to hear about the pet shelter from Rami. Do you know how scared I was?” I hear Oliver nagging at his brother.
“Rague needed you and I wasn’t alone.” He glances at me, which makes Oliver grit his teeth and glare my way. I reciprocate, sending him a scalding look.
“You are staying with us until Nine is taken care of.” Oliver thinks he still has control over his brother.
“No, he isn’t,” I coldly counter.
