“Of course he is.” Judd was part of Beta team, who were all former Rangers. Judd was the leader. Then there was Hux, Owen, and Beck.
He shut the door behind him. He didn’t want anyone overhearing what he had to say.
Judd turned away from the windows.
“Judd, everything good?” he asked.
“Of course.” Judd looked mildly insulted by the question.
Caleb just sighed. Guy needed to loosen up. Aleki liked to joke that he needed to get laid and have a pie. Then again, Aleki thought everything was better after pie.
“Drink?” Kassim asked.
He shook his head. He needed sleep. He’d spent most of the flight home setting things up so he had time to take off for their Marjarsom but that meant he was now exhausted.
“Got to get back to Vivi before Aleki and Wolfe smother her to death.”
“Wolfe? Smother someone?” Kassim asked.
“He’s different with Vivi.” They’d see.
“Tell us what’s going on,” Kassim demanded, sitting on an armchair.
Caleb took one across from him while Judd stayed by the window. He told them everything that had happened since they left Escana.
“You have someone watching the father? Looking into this mystery guy?” Kassim asked.
“Yes, we’ve got an old friend from the SEALs watching him. He’ll follow him. Try to see if he meets with this mystery man.”
“And you’ve no idea if her husband’s death was really a heart attack? Or who shot at her?” Judd asked.
“No. Not yet.”
“And how is your bride?” Kassim asked.
“She’s been unwell and upset. The doctor in San Francisco warned us that she needs rest and as little stress as possible.”
Kassim nodded. “We will not keep you from your Marjarsom. Congratulations, my friend.”
“Thank you,” Caleb replied. This felt right. She was exactly where she was meant to be. Where she would stay.
“I’m not going to cut myself off entirely.” Traditionally, during Marjarsom there would be no outside communication with others. “With everything going on, it would be foolish.”
Kassim nodded. “That is probably for the best. And we will keep an eye on things as well. An elder will visit her soon.”
He stood. “Wolfe is sending for Obian.”
“That ought to be interesting,” Kassim said.
Judd straightened. “I got a request from Wolfe to have a bowl from the plane tested at the lab. Any idea why?”
With Wolfe? It could be anything.
“I’ll check with him.” He said goodbye then quickly left.
“Caleb, wait up.”
He had to hold back a sigh of frustration as Judd called out. He paused and turned, making sure his irritation didn’t show.
Caleb didn’t like to be away from their girl. Especially now when she was finally right where she was supposed to be.
“Hey, man, everything okay?” he asked.
“Yes, of course,” Judd said stiffly.
Judd seemed to have an issue with him. Aleki and Wolfe as well. Which wasn’t unusual where Wolfe was concerned. If he didn’t like you then he wasn’t interested in being polite. And he rarely liked anyone.
“Then what can I do for you?”
“Just wanted to talk to you a moment.” He gestured to a room, opening the door to check it was clear before stepping inside. It was one of the many sitting rooms in the palace.
“I just wanted to talk to you about the princes’ cousins.”
“Oh right, I saw your report that they’d arrived. Is there anything you wanted to add?”
“Yeah.” He rubbed his hand over the back of his head. He looked unusually uncertain. “The youngest cousin, Jeric, has been throwing his weight around a bit, demanding shit. Causing some trouble.”
“Anything you can’t handle?”
“Of course not. Just wanted you to know.”
Caleb nodded. “Good. Let me know if that changes or you need any help with anything. Well, I best go.”
Talk about awkward.
When he returned to their house, it was surprisingly quiet. He strode into the master bedroom, which the guys would have given to Vivi, to find Wolfe pacing up and down outside the closed bathroom door.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“Vivi’s taking a bath,” Wolfe said tensely.
Caleb raised an eyebrow. “And that’s a problem?”
“I don’t like closed doors between us,” he muttered. “She wouldn’t let me stay in there with her. What if she falls asleep and drowns? What if she slips and cracks her head open?”
“Is the door locked?” Caleb asked.
Wolfe shook his head. “Not locked.”
He knew that Wolfe’s reaction likely had something to do with his messed-up childhood.
“Then you can get in at any time, can’t you?”
Wolfe nodded, his gaze still intent on the door.
“She got in the bath on her own?” How did she manage that with an injured ankle?
“No, Aleki helped her while I was unpacking and arranging things. But now she won’t let me in.”
Which was tearing Wolfe up. He had to calm him down.
“Where is Aleki?” he asked.
“Making her a pie.”
He should have known. Moving to the door, he knocked.
“Wolfe, I’m fine,” she called out. “Stop pacing and go relax.”
“It’s Caleb,” he called out.
“Oh. Well, I’m still fine.”
“That’s good. I know having a bath probably feels good, but you need to eat and the palace doctor will be here soon.”
“All right,” she mumbled.
He grinned at the note of disgruntlement in her voice.
“And don’t get out on your own, call one of us.”
“I can do it.”
“Vivi, call one of us. You can’t get out alone with your foot as it is.” Caleb made sure his voice was calm but firm. He wouldn’t be disobeyed in this.
“Fine,” she snapped.
“She’s cranky, she needs food and sleep,” Wolfe commented.
“I am not cranky!” she yelled.
“See, cranky,” Wolfe said. But he whispered this time. He was learning.
“I’m going to go take a quick shower,” Caleb told him. “Good luck.”
21
Cranky.
She’d give him cranky.
She’d go all cranky on his ass.
You’re an idiot.
She glanced down at the dirty bathwater with a grimace. She’d gotten Aleki to grab a razor before he’d helped her into the bath. It was easier, somehow, to be naked around him. Maybe because they’d had a relationship in the past.
Or maybe because he wasn’t as intense as Wolfe. Or so perfect like Caleb. She knew he wasn’t actually perfect, but he was always so confident and put-together. And she felt anything but.
Aleki had taken her on a quick tour as the enormous bathtub was filling. There were four bedrooms all with attached bathrooms and a huge open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area. She’d imagined something far simpler and smaller but this was a proper house.