It was fun to see him join in on the teasing. Nolan chuckled. “I’m 306, so I’d say I’ve had plenty of time to field test the benefit of the doubt.”
Sometimes I forgot how damn old other races could get. Sure, witches lived longer than humans, but at three hundred years old most of us would look old. He looked like he’d been born twenty years ago. “Damn, you’re twice my age,” Caspian said.
“I guess you should call me Daddy, then.”
Caspian went beet red, choking on his own spit as Nolan burst out into laughter.
“I’m kidding, of course. There’s only room for one Daddy in your relationship, and that’s Shan. Am I correct?” Nolan asked with a smirk.
It was my turn to go pink, remembering how the taunt had become something a lot sexier when we’d fucked. I didn’t admit it aloud, but my cheeks were enough to make Nolan laugh to himself again as we got in the elevator.
“I’ll keep you all in the same suite, since it’s plenty big enough with two bedrooms. I can have Amabella prepare some nest materials. Pillows and blankets and other soft items, gathered from the supply closets.”
Having another Alpha’s scent in my nest would be odd, but it was better than an Omega scent or someone who harboured ill will toward me. I’d have to make sure Caspian rubbed himself all over the bedding when she dropped it off, and her scent would be erased easily enough. “Isn’t it weird to have another Alpha prepare her nest for her?” Caspian asked, tucking me close against his side. I let him. “Can you grab what she needs?”
Nolan looked down at him with one eyebrow lifted nearly high enough to meet his hairline. “You do realize you’re speaking to the CEO of an assassination company? I have better things to do, despite not being an Alpha.”
His tone turned bitter at the end, and I was reminded of how this seemed to be a sore spot for him. Caspian looked down at the ground awkwardly. “Sorry. I guess you have a lot on your plate. I’d just rather have your scent in the nest.”
For the love of the gods. He couldn’t say shit like that. It was true for me, too. Nolan’s scent was comforting, while Amabella’s was a little abrasive and far too strong. This sounded like flirting from Cas, though. Hopefully Nolan realized he was too oblivious to know what he was implying.
Or was he?
Avoiding eye contact with us both, his freckled cheeks red, Nolan probably didn’t notice. However, I saw the shy smile on Caspian’s face. Fuck, hedidknow what he was doing. He was flirting on purpose. I should have known better than to have Cas around Nolan at all. The Alpha was way too quick to develop crushes, and our Beta captor was a huge flirt.
“The incubus is going to end up with more mates than you,”Oswald said, reminding me he’d been present for this whole embarrassing conversation.
The elevator dinged and let us out on a higher floor, saving me from having to respond to Ozzy’s comment. I would agree with him, if not for the fact I enjoyed flirting with Nolan way too much.
“Clement,” Nolan said, nodding to the shifter where he stood in front of a door halfway down the hall. “You’re dismissed for now.”
He looked us over, his expression saying that Nolan had some explaining to do, but stepped aside. “I’ll go check up on the exterior security.”
Using his keys to unlock the door, Nolan let us in. We made it about two steps before Shan was on us, his taller and wider form engulfing both of us in a hug. “I’m fucking furious at both of you,” he mumbled, but his face was buried in my hair.
Something about him was different. The words were the same as what I’d expected, but having him hug me was odd. Caspian, sure. Not me.
“Don’t worry, I’m equally furious at you,” I said, patting him once on the back before I extricated myself.
Caspian cuddled closer, breathing in deep breaths of Shan’s scent. “I’m also still mad at you for forcing us to lie to Freya and then going to kill Jude alone. You haven’t made it up to me yet,” he murmured against the angel’s chest.
The short hallway was tight, but I pushed past them and into the main room. I nodded once at Emmett, who was on the couch with the TV turned on to the news in front of him. There was coverage of a ‘poorly handled bomb threat’ at a downtown club that had partiers fleeing for their lives. One hell of a cover-up by the Next Life Company.
Leaving Shan behind, Caspian came into the living room and settled himself onto Emmett’s lap. To my dismay, Nolan trailed behind us into the main living area. “Didn’t you say you were a busy man?” I asked, making a shooing motion with my fingers. “You’ve got better things to do, and we have personal things to talk about.”
“We’re partners now, darling. In crime, anyway. You don’t need to keep secrets from me,” he said, smirking.
Any earlier awkwardness over Caspian’s flirting had been dispelled, and Nolan made himself comfortable on the opposite couch beside Oswald. His hand came down to rub along my familiar’s back. Ozzy hissed, but didn’t swat at him or move away.“He really is fond of treating you like a common house pet.”
“He is extremely irritating so far. I’ll only tolerate him for so long.”
“Spoken like a true domesticated cat,”I teased, perching on the arm of the couch he and Nolan were on.
Shan sat on the couch beside Em and Cas, spared one glance for Nolan, and launched into the interrogation we’d all known was coming. One of the interrogations. Caspian was the first one Shan wanted answers from, but I would be next. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he demanded, reaching out to stroke Caspian’s arm when the man flinched at his harshness. “You should have told me ages ago. At any point, you could have been in danger, and I had the power to help you but I didn’t know you might need help.”
“Are we talking about the power of dick, here?” Nolan asked, watching the exchange with his fingers stroking Ozzy’s fur. “Ah, this is about why the incubus was desperate to feed, isn’t it? So he really did need another snack.”
Glaring, Shan shook his head. “I still want to strangle you for feeding him.”
