“I’m going to wrangle Ro. You go…” Jamie nods his head in Grayson’s direction, who’s now slouched down on the couch.
“Okay, lo—”
“No. We’re not doing that, Nix. It sounds too much like goodbye, and I am holding it together by the tiniest of threads. You tell me when you win this thing, and we’re free of that bastard once and for all. Got it?”
Jamie runs his thumb over Nix’s bottom lip and gives him the smallestsmile before disappearing upstairs.
Pulling a blanket with him, Nix curls up against Grayson. He lays the blanket out over their laps while Grayson folds an arm over his shoulders and kisses his cheek.
One of the best things about being with Grayson is that he can justbe, so Nix lets his soulmate’s heat warm him as his singed basil scent fills his nose.
They’re still sitting on the couch when the others come dressed and ready to go. They have to leave soon, or they’ll be late, and while Nix doesn’t think there’s a penalty, he does not want to find out.
He’s not nervous, exactly—that much he knows for sure. Maybe it’s anticipation because his wolf is ready and already pacing.
It suddenly occurs to him that maybe his soulmate isn’t coming with him today, as he’s still in his pajama pants and hoodie. Even Luca reluctantly wears a pair of cozy leggings under a big sweater. He’s adorable in a floppy hat and fuzzy mittens.
“Gray?” he whispers.
Grayson shakes his head and covers his eyes with his hands. “Can’t.”
“Can’t what?”
“Can’t watch him hurt you, Angel. I’m not strong enough to do it.”
He curls into Nix, folding himself small, his breath hitching in sobs that shake them both.
Nix hears the door close quietly after the others.
That’s not what Nix had expected—not at all.
Of course, it had always been possible that at least one of his mates would stay back—heaskedthem to, after all—and it makes sense that it’s sweet, sensitive Grayson.
It makes sense, but it doesn’t make iteasy.
Nix rubs his nose along his ear and whispers, “It’s okay, my darling. It’s okay. I’ll see you when I get home, then?”
That fissure that had wavered for the sweater and cracked open for Jamie now opens even further, and he is even more grateful he locked his scent back under wraps.
The door opens again. They’ve sent Finn to be the bearer of bad news.
“Nix, we have to go, or we’ll be late. Sorry.”
Nix nods and then kisses Grayson’s cheek. “Love you, Gray. I’ll be back soon.”
He’s almost out the door when he hears Finn say, “Gray, he needs you there. I believe you can do this. If not for yourself, then for him. Don’t leave him out there with a piece of him missing.”
Finn offers Nix his arm after closing the door and helps him into the back of the white Mercedes, where Leo is waiting. Finn gets into the black sedan, but they don’t start up the drive right away.
“Gray?” Leo whispers.
Nix just shakes his head. Ithurts,and even though he’s locked the bonds down, it’s impossible to shut out half of his soul completely.
“We should go,” he murmurs, hiding his face in Leo’s sturdy shoulder, wrapping his hands around his biceps so he can knead the muscle for comfort.
“Give him one more minute, baby boy,” Jamie says.
They wait and wait, and finally, Gideon starts up the drive.
