Page 31 of A Devious Arrangement
She huffs out a laugh. “I’ll be sure to tell Scarlet.”
“You do realize she’s more than capable of kicking my ass, right?”
She gives me an innocent look. “She’ll only do what you deserve.”
I rake my hand through my damp hair, pushing it off my face. “I can only imagine what that means. Where did your husband run off to?”
A warmth fills her gaze. “He’s putting Orion down for a nap.”
Misty and Damon haven’t been able to have biological children, but that hasn’t stopped them from filling their home with smiling faces. At three, Orion is the youngest of three troublemakers.
“Uncle Bwash! Uncle Bwash!” Tucker comes running up to me, his face and hands covered in dirt. He raises his hands high above his head and demands, “Airplane!”
“Don’t look at me.” Misty laughs, providing absolutely no help
I give a dramatic sigh but smile right back. “Only because it’s you.”
Swooping him into the air, I tuck him under one arm and run through the field. Tucker spreads his arms wide like wings and kicks his feet as he giggles. I make a sharp turn, and contagious laughter bubbles from him. The kind that can only come from innocence.
An innocence our family will protect with our lives. None of us have had it easy, but our kids won’t experience anything like we did. No, they’re going to grow up loved and cherished, knowing exactly how much they mean to us and just how special they are.
“Bath time, kiddo.” Misty catches up to us, grabbing her nephew from me.
“No! I don’t wanna.” He pouts and squirms, holding out his arms like I can somehow save him. “Uncle Bwash.”
“I told you not to play in the dirt,” Olivia says.
Damon comes up beside me, following his wife’s every move until she disappears into the house.
Matthias approaches my other side, cornering me between them.
Fuck.
“I heard about your stunt in the Vault. What the hell were you thinking bringing a girl down there?” Damon growls, totally pissed.
I make a mental note to find that Unsainted and kick his ass. It’s not like I can tell my eldest brother what really happened. At least not yet. First, I have to figure out exactly what she’s doing. That way, I can protect her against the Order. My brothers included in that.
The only one I trust completely right now is Xander, and unfortunately, he’s a couple of hundred miles away.
“What can I say? A boy has needs.” I shrug and play it off like it’s just another one of my games. For once, my reputation comes in handy.
From the way Damon’s brows pull low over his eyes, I prep myself for his punch, but Matthias cuts in before any damage can be done.
“Was it Anastasia Volkov?” he asks, and Damon’s head tilts as he watches me, waiting for my answer.
I should have predicted Matthias figuring this out. “Maybe.”
Damon grabs my shoulder, giving it a shake. “Cut your shit and tell us.”
He has reason to be angry. Bringing a girl down there would be the epitome of idiocy. That doesn’t stop me from pulling back my shoulders, chin high, squaring up. “I’m not ready yet. Just drop it.”
“If it’s her, we’ll drop it,” Matthias says, tone emotionless, a temporary promise.
“Like fuck we will,” Damon cuts in.
Matthias holds up his hand. “If he’s so far gone he’s willing to stalk her, I think we give him a chance to sort himself out. God knows we needed it.”
Damon and Matthias turn their attention on me, waiting for my response.
