“Prepping for next week.” I nudged inside, scanning him. “You eat today?”
Angel took the bags from the twins, setting the haul on the kitchen counters, and shut the door in their face.
“Uh...” I said. “Isn’t that sort of rude? They helped.”
“They are only here to keep an eye on your brother, which they don’t need to do when we are home,” Angel said as he headed into the kitchen to unpack everything. The man was a master in the kitchen, but we took turns making meals.
“I ate today,” Ivan answered. “Not dinner, since you said you’d be home for dinner.”
I dumped my haul on the counter. Ivan hovered, tugging at the hem of his shirt. I knew he had a virtual therapy appointment today, but he also hadn’t checked in at lunchtime.
“You good?” I asked.
“Fine.”
Bullshit.
I leaned against the counter. “Ivy...”
He shrugged, eyes darting to Angel, who unpacked groceries with deliberate slowness, giving us space, though I knew he heard every word.
“You know how it is. Working through stuff,” Ivan muttered.
And I left him alone. “I’m sorry, Ivy...”
“No. Don’t be sorry. I’m fine. Really.”
I remembered being anything but fine at sixteen and alone. “I’ve been thinking. Next week, maybe you should stay withGrandpa. Or Xavier could set you up at the community center.” He liked hanging out there. “You can bring your computer and not be alone all day.”
Ivan’s head snapped up. “What? No.”
“It’s just a week.”
“I’m fine here.” His voice cracked, and he flushed, crossing his arms.
Angel set down a bottle of hot sauce. “Jude’s not saying you can’t handle it.”
“Then what is he saying?” Ivan challenged. His gaze turned on me. “What are you saying?”
“That I’m worried. You’ve got therapy, school, and the twins stalking the building like creepy guard dogs. If something happened and I’m not here...”
“Nothing’s gonna happen. I’m not a kid!” He kicked the kitchen island, then winced and fisted his hands at his sides. I’d rather he rage than sink into depression, but I needed to know where we stood. If his SI was acting up, I couldn’t leave him alone.
“I’ve got the military stalking me, Ivy. And some supernatural shadow god. What if they come here, looking for me, and find you? If something happens to you… fuck. I’d unravel if they hurt you.”
Ivan wrapped me in a hug. “Why are you like this?”
“Whichthisare we talking about? The brother who forgets to check in at lunch, or the supernatural trouble magnet?”
“You’re too nice. But both of those, yes.”
“Yeah, well, I tased a god today. A million volts offuck off, and the bastard still ghosted on me. Now I’ve got paperwork up to my ass and a vampire giving me the silent treatment like I ruined his manicure because I told him to stop gnawing on the bear and he actuallylistened.”
Ivan blinked. “You commanded a vampire?”
“It was an accident.”
“And tased a god? Do you have a death wish?”
