“I don’t think I want to be a tutor anymore. Honestly, with the way my memory is, I don’t feel confident teaching kids.”
Dilen groaned. “I was afraid you were going to say that.” He moved closer to Fox. “I and everyone in the family will support you in whatever you decide to do.”
“Why do I feel a but coming?”
“Because there is one,” Dilen said.
“All right out with it, I’m not getting any younger.”
“You can’t become a cop.”
“What? Why not? And why do you think I want to be a cop?”
“I can see the look in your eyes, Fox. You thrive for excitement. But you have limitations, Fox.”
His heart. Everything came back to his heart condition. From what the doctors and his family said, Crevan Hannigan was a healthy baby, but he developed a heart condition at eighteen, just before graduating from high school.
“What if…”
“No what if’s and no arguments, Crevan,” Dilen said, through gritted teeth. “I’m certain the rest of the family will agree with me. You’re a fucking genius, yet you do the stupidest things...like putting yourself in danger. As adorable as Genesis is, you knew the risk of having a baby, yet you went ahead and got pregnant anyway.” Dilen stepped back from Fox and pointed at the bassinet. “Let her be the last risk you take with your life.”
“Do you know how dramatic you sound? Listen to me clearly, Dilen. I refuse to live my life in fear, not after…” Fox stopped, realizing he was about to say something he shouldn’t. “Let me live my damn life.”
“Live it however you want without putting your damn heart and child at risk. And to make sure you don’t try to join the force, I’ll make sure you’re blacklisted from joining the academy.”
Fox would have liked to say Dilen didn’t have the power to stop him from joining the police force if he wanted to, but he was learning the Hannigans and the Rosses had a long arm as to what they could reach out and touch.
“Fuck, why are you being an asshole?”
“I’m trying to protect you from yourself, Fox. Why can’t you see that?”
“Fine, you don’t need to go that far,” Fox said, shutting down Dilen’s rant.
I wasn’t planning on going back to the academy anyway. So rest easy, Dilen. I’ll go after my dream and get my law degree. Maybe then you and everyone else will get off my back.
Dilen glared at him suspiciously. “You’re trying to shut me up.”
“Whatever gave you that idea?” Fox asked innocently, then heavily sighed. “You’re right, okay? I need to think about Genesis in regards to my future.”
“I didn’t hear you promise me you’d stay away from the law enforcement field, but I’ll take that for now.”
Fox placed a hand on Dilen’s shoulder. “That’s because I didn’t. Look, Dilen. I’m not going to make promises I might break. All I can tell you is I don’t want to be a tutor anymore. I think I’ve been feeling this way even before I lost my memory.”
Dilen shook his head. “Fuck, you might have amnesia, but you’re still the same Crevan Hannigan I know.” He cupped Fox’s left cheek. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, just please stay out of trouble.”
“I’ll think about it.” Fox smiled. He liked Dilen. Unlike Aria, Barret, and Zev, Dilen was upfront and didn’t pull any punches with him when speaking his mind.
“You’re hopeless.” Dilen pulled him into a hug, kissing him on the side of his head. “Get some sleep. I’m sure the little princess will be up soon.”
“I will.” They separated, and Dilen headed for the door but stopped when Fox spoke. “You didn’t tell me what you know.”
“About what?”
“Vale. What do you know about him?”
Dilen looked away for a second, then back at him. “As I said, not much. He’s been in town for little over a year. The office rumor mill is that he lost his mate a while back and is still mourning the man.”
His mate? Vale had a mate?Fox did a quick memory check trying to recall if Vale talked about having a lover, but nothing came to mind. Granted, they hadn’t told each other everything, Fox especially, but he thought they were friends.Maybe he found a mate after I died?
