“You bet on my personal life?”
“We bet on everything, Cap. You know this.”
I couldn't help it and I laughed and Finn grinned like he'd won the fucking lottery.
The visit lasted another hour. Finn told increasingly ridiculous stories about rookie hazing that had Jamie signing laughter and Soren grinning, and I sat back and let the warmth of it wash over me. This was what family looked like when it worked. Messy and loud and full of people who showed up because they gave a shit, not because they had to.
When Finn finally checked the time and announced they needed to head out, Jamie hugged Soren hard enough to make him grunt. Soren hugged him back just as tight, and when he signed “I’ll see you next week for our lesson,”Jamie's whole face went bright with relief.
At the door, Finn paused and looked at me with an expression that was half mischief and half something more serious.
“Take care of him, Cap,” he said. “And if you need anything—legal help, someone to run interference, whatever—you let me know.”
“I will.”
“I mean it. Soren's our people now. Which means you are too, apparently.” He grinned and clapped me on the shoulder. “Welcome to the found family, Kincaid. It's weird and exhausting and you're stuck with us.”
He left before I could respond, Jamie waving goodbye over his shoulder as they headed down the driveway. I closed the door and turned to find Soren watching me from the couch with a look I couldn't quite read.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing. Just—Finn really likes you.”
“He's a good kid.”
“He's twenty-two. That's not a kid.”
“He's a rookie. Same thing.” I crossed back to the couch and sat down next to him, close enough that our thighs pressed together. “You feeling okay?”
“Yeah. That was good. Seeing them.” He leaned his head against my shoulder, and I wrapped an arm around him automatically. “I should probably go talk to Luca and June at some point today. Let them know I'm alive and not completely falling apart.”
That was the opening I needed, and I took it before I could second-guess myself.
“I want to take you somewhere first,” I said. “If you're up for it.”
He lifted his head to look at me. “Where?”
“To meet my private investigator Leroy. And a lawyer.”
The warmth drained out of his expression, replaced by wariness and something that looked like anger. “Rook?—”
“Your parents are escalating,” I said, keeping my voice even. “The custody threat isn't going away, and you can't fight them alone. You don't have the money or the legal leverage, and they know it.”
“So you're just—what? Deciding to handle it for me?”
“I'm deciding to help you handle it. There's a difference.”
He pulled away from me, putting space between us on the couch, and I let him because pushing wouldn't help. His hands were shaking slightly, and I could see the old patterns kicking in.
“I didn't ask for this,” Soren said tightly.
“I know.”
“I can't afford a lawyer, Rook. I can barely afford rent. So whatever you're planning, I can't pay you back.”
“I don't need you to pay me back.”
“That's not—” He stopped, jaw clenched, and looked away. “I'm not your fucking charity case.”
