Gregory didn’t answer right away.It could be because the people doing the research for him hadn’t found anything.Tex hadn’t given them a lot to work with.It could also be because theyhadfound something, and he was thinking about whether or not he should let Tex stay.It wasn’t like Tex wanted to put himself in danger, but he didn’t want to return to Starhaven.He wasn’t sure he’d be able to once he left with Nymon.
“We did find something,” Gregory eventually said.“We have names and addresses, including one that should belong to the person who created this network.”
Tex blinked.“Addresses?In Starhaven?”
“Even I don’t know how my analyst found them, and I don’t want to know.She knows what she’s doing, though.”
“Clearly.What’s the address?What does she think I’m going to find there?”
“I don’t want to send you out there on your own.”
“There’s no need to protect me.”
“I enjoy working with you, and I don’t want to have to train someone else.You took care of a mistake no one had realized had been made.Liam could have gotten killed, but you made sure that didn’t happen.”
“I’m not the only one who can do the job, but I’m not planning on anything happening to me.I just bonded with my mate.I have plans for the future, and those plans aren’t going to happen if I get hurt.”
“All right,” Gregory said.“I’ll send everything to your phone.Be careful, though, and please, don’t involve your mate.I know he’s going to want to help because of the bond and because you’re his mate, but it would be too dangerous.”
“Trust me, I’m not letting him anywhere near this.”
“Be careful, Tex.You’re more important than this operation.”
Tex was pretty sure that wasn’t what most of the people he worked for would say, but Gregory had always been different, and Tex knew how lucky he was to work with him.Hopefully, he could continue doing so for years to come.
* * * *
NYMON WAS ALONE INbed when he woke up, but he could hear Tex’s voice coming from the bathroom, so he didn’t panic.Instead, he flopped onto his back to stare up at the ceiling with a smile.
He was bonded.He had a mate, and they’d be together for the rest of their lives.
Hehad a mate.He still couldn’t believe it, but the fact that he was naked in bed was proof of that.He looked around.The plants were still everywhere.He had no idea how he’d done that, but they’d exploded all over his bedroom last night.It was even worse now that he could see it in the daylight.This was going to be a mess to clean up unless he could use his magic, and he wasn’t quite sure how to do that.Could he simply ask the plants to retreat?Or could he only create this kind of growth?He didn’t want to hurt the plants, so he was wary of using his magic, but he couldn’t think of any other way to do it.
Maybe he could leave them be.He reached out and brushed her fingertips down the closest leaf.It moved a little under his touch, making him smile.
It didn’t matter that this was a mess.It washismess.
His and Tex’s.
When he heard footsteps on the stairs, it took him a moment to realize that it couldn’t be Tex because Tex was still in the bathroom.He jerked up into a sitting position, scrambling to grab the sheets and pull them around his shoulders.He tried to get out of bed at the same time, which was a bad idea because the only thing he managed to do was get even more tangled in the sheets and fall on his face.Thankfully for him, the plants cushioned his landing, but by the time he was sitting up, the bedroom door flew open.
Kael stood there, his eyes wide, looking around the room.“What happened?”he asked.“There are plantseverywhere.It’s like a jungle.Why did you do that?”
Nymon blinked up at him from where he was sitting on the floor.He didn’t know how to answer Kael’s question.Could he give him an explanation that didn’t include Tex?
Even if he’d tried coming up with one, he would’ve been too late.The bathroom door flew open, and Tex charged out, looking around as if ready to take on whoever the intruder was.He probably was, and it was sweet and sexy, but unfortunately for them, the intruder was Nymon’s best friend.
For a moment, Kael just blinked.Thankfully, Tex stopped before he could hurt him, and they stared at each other.It was very obvious that Tex wasn’t a demon.There was no hiding it, especially since he was completely naked.
Kael pointed a finger at Tex and turned to look at Nymon.“That is—who is—what the fuck, Nymon?”
Nymon groaned and got to his feet.He flopped back onto the mattress, wrapping the sheet closer to his body.“Don’t start freaking out,” he told his best friend.
“How am I supposed to not freak out when there’s ahumanin yourbedroom?”
Nymon grimaced.“About that.Tex isn’t human.”
“Well, he’s not a demon, either.He’s not hiding anything, so I canseehe has no demon blood in him.”
