Corbin sneered, stepping closer to Fox. “What? No snappy comeback? Usually, you’re filled with them. I guess having a baby makes you soft.”
“Are you going to continue to be an asshole for the rest of your life? I get you’re jealous of how close Zev and I are, and you’ve never had that with your brother. But whose fault is that? He begged you to go and see him when he was in the hospital dying, but you refused to see him, and now he’s dead. And now all that guilt is eating you alive. Hate me all you want, but don’t place your guilt on me, and here’s some advice—the more you try to keep me and Zev apart, the more you push him and Moressa to my side.”
“You’re so full of your-damn-self, and I knew you were faking.”
“Faking what?”
“Amnesia.” Corbin smirked as if he’d found out Fox’s secret. “I knew this was another one of your woe is me plots to get everyone to rally around poor little Fox with the bad heart.” He snorted. “Give me a fucking break.”
Fox wasn’t in the mood to keep arguing with Corbin. “How the hell did we get here? All I did was ask you to hold my daughter for a few minutes, and you go off on a tangent. Goddess, you have no fucking manners. Did you forget we’re not at home?”
Fox growled low, trying to not only keep his voice but his temper down. Genesis, who had been content on sucking on her fist, started to get fussy, feeling his irritation.
“Well, then let me give you the answer I should have at the beginning of our conversation. I don’t want to hold your bratty ass kid.”
Fox sneered, wanting to punch Corbin’s lights out. “Count your lucky stars we’re not at home or I’d kick your scrawny ass.”
“You don’t scare me, Crevan Hannigan,” Corbin growled.
“I’ll hold her,” a deep, sensual voice whispered in Fox’s ear.
He slowly turned to face Vale, who’d showed up without him even sensing his presence.
“Are you sure?”
“Are you going to keep asking me that every time I say something?”
Fox smiled adoringly at the deputy. “I guess it would get tiring to hear.”
Neither man reacted or paid Corbin any attention when he growled behind Fox. “Why don’t you two just fuck and get it over with already?”
Vale extended his hand. “Give her to me and go do what you need to do.”
“Thanks.” Fox carefully set Genesis in his arms, then leaned in, bringing their faces close to each other, but stepped back quickly, realizing what he was about to do.
Shit, I was going to kiss him. Not yet. It’s too soon.
Not wanting to look in Vale’s face, Fox rushed over to Nafri, grabbing his hand, and pulled the god outside where they’d be able to talk without ears listening.
Fuck, I forgot my coat. Fox rubbed his arms, trying to stay warm.Oh well, I won’t be outside that long.
“What did you want to talk to me about?”
“Did you know Crevan Hannigan was going to die?”
“Yes.” Nafri sighed. “He’d escaped death twice but couldn’t on the third.”
“Twice?”
Nafri nodded. “When he was eighteen and had his first heart attack and when he got kidnapped. The kidnappers did plan on killing him. I was there waiting for him to die, and suddenly his fate changed.”
“Does that happen often?”
“No, but who am I to question the fates when they intervene in the human realm. It would be my death.” Nafri turned, placing his hands on Fox’s shoulder. “You’re going to have to let things go, Fox, or you won’t be able to move on completely with your man.”
“I want to tell him who I am.”
“You can’t.”
