Evander’s gaze flickered to me. “Kasey? You, okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
Rowan sighed. “I scared him. Since someone hasn’t mentioned having a double ganger in their house.”
“You didn’t think to call beforehand?” Evander gritted through his teeth, taking off his bag and setting it down before rounding the coffee table before kneeling in front of me.
“I’ve never had to before. You live alone. Or you did. Apparently. A few days. Really, Van. What the hell?”
Ignoring the brother in the room, Evander’s focus was on me. Only me. Like I was his entire world.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah.” I wasn’t hurt. I wasn’t panicking. I was just unsure.
“Van- “
“It’s up to you on what I tell him. Do you want him to know?”
Did I? Did it matter?
“Some, maybe? I don’t know.” My voice was small, smaller than I intended it to come out as.
“Okay. Do you trust me? Trust me enough to talk him down from exploding?”
I nodded. And I trusted him. Trusted him more than I probably should have, but I wasn’t ever all that smart.
“Good boy,” his hand cupped my cheek. Its warmth grounded me when I didn’t even know I needed it.
He let it stay there for a second before pulling it away. He didn’t go far, only sitting on the couch beside me after handing me the notebook, a raised brow as he did so.
“Rowan,” he sighed, like he was tired. “Next time you decide to come by, please call. Andknockbefore entering.”
“It won’t happen again. Promise. But….” He trailed off, and although he said the words, he didn’t seem like he’d remember to do that.
“I found him at Lockswell. He was…wasn’t well. You know how I am. I see someone hurting, and I want to save them, to give them the world. So now, Kasey is my property, so to speak. I’ll care for him how I see fit.”
“But dude! He’s…”
“Yes. I’m well aware, Row. And he knows about the…situation.”
“And?”
“And what?” Evander tilted his head to the side, like he was in total control of it all.
“How? This is…I know you…. but I think this has gone too far.”
“I…. it’s not his fault.” I spoke up, making both of the men freeze. I froze myself, surprised by the words that came out. “Icamefrom Lockswell. Now I’m here. Healing. And….and I’mKasey. That’s all there’s to it.”
I hadn’t meant to speak, hadn’t meant to interrupt. Omegas were to be quiet, to stay out of the way, to not speak unless spoken to. But I wasn’t a trained Omega anymore. At least at the moment.
Rowan stared at me like I’d just rewritten the laws of the universe.
Evander blinked hard, like he needed to reset his brain. “Right.”
“And…” I glanced at Evander before dropping my eyes to my knees. “He’s not moody. He’s not stuck up. He’sEvy.” My Evy.
“That’s all you need to know, Rowan. I promise, when andifwe want to share more, we will.”
