“I think we need to keep her busy. Each of us could use the help, and it would be a way to keep her close without treating her like a child.”
“Where were you five minutes ago, and why didn’t you stop me before I pissed her off?” Cole grumbles.
“Despite popular belief, I am not your keeper.” As soon as it leaves my mouth, I’m stunned. So is Cole apparently. His eyebrows almost hit his hairline as his lips tilt in a small grin.
“I didn’t know you had it in you, Mack.”
“Neither did I. What the hell is wrong with me? I’m...I...” I stand there, staring around the room, trying to work out what just happened. It’s like my brain is malfunctioning. I don’t snark. Ever. It’s just not in my vocabulary or cellular makeup.
Knox just shakes his head. “Don’t worry, Mack. Damn woman is going to drive us all to drink.”
“Truth.” I run my hand through my hair, wondering where my logic has gone. Where is my rational brain, the one that deals in facts and never emotion? Crushed to dust right along with my hundred years of celibacy no doubt. That fact unsettles me because rational is my safe zone, yet it makes me want to grin at the same time. Maybe I need to have my head examined.
“Ok, so how do we fix this?” Knox asks.
“You mean, chaining her to the bed isn’t a viable option?” Cole snarks.
“Wait. That’s not a bad idea!”
Knox’s head whips my way. “Mack, you can’t be serious.”
“What? Oh...no. That’s not what I meant. I just thought that while we might not be able to chain her to the bed, we could metaphorically chain her to the Gateway. Tout it as her needing to learn her role. Holding court in the main chamber while the doors open for the first time in a century. It should be enough to keep her occupied for a bit while the rest of us pack up here. Plus, Reggie will be with her, so she won’t be alone.”
Cole’s finger runs along his bottom lip as he thinks it through. “Damn, that’s an excellent plan, Mack.”
“Think she’ll go for it?” Knox asks.
“I think if we approach it the right way, play off the empathy she showed that spirit tonight, she’ll feel obligated to see it through.” I start running through possible scenarios in my head.
“Okay then. Who’s taking charge of the Keep Fate Occupied Movement?” Knox asks.
Cole and I share a look before we both turn to face Knox.
“Wait, what? Why me?”
“Because you can accurately assess her feelings and steer her toward the end goal.”
Cole smirks. “What he said.”
“Fuck me.”
“That’s Fate’s job.”
Knox shoots a questioning glare at Cole. “Since when do you make jokes?” Then he sighs, wagging his finger at us. “Fine. I’ll make sure she’s on board, but both of you will owe me one.”
“I don’t think this needs to be said, but you need to handle it with more care than Cole did tonight.”
“Thanks, Mack.”
“Got it. Don’t be Cole. Don’t piss her off. Easy peasy.”
Cole gives Knox a dirty look, raising one eyebrow. “Now that the situation with Fate has been handled, tell me about the book.” He’s all business, the simple statement holding a hint of his power. It’s just enough to be noticeable, sending the message that he expects the question to be answered now, but not enough for it to have us jumping to comply.
Knox runs his fingers through his hair. “Shit, man. I have no idea how we didn’t put two and two together. But dammit, that was fifty years ago.”
“He’s right. We really should have figured it out sooner. It was in my pocket when I woke up in New York, and as soon as I connected with Knox, I showed it to him. We couldn’t figure out how to open it, but I didn’t want to get rid of it. It’s not like we had a home or anywhere safe to stash it, so we found the local library and talked our way into the restricted section. We hid it high up on one of the top shelves. Time passed, and...well...we both forgot about it.”
“You need to get the book before we’re operating solely out of the Gateway. Once that happens, I want us all to stick together as much as possible. No unplanned trips.”
“Got it.” I nod. “So, what are our long-term plans? She’s not going to sit quietly, doing nothing in the Gateway forever.”
“We need to track down any lead we come across. Find a way to draw the culprit out. Somewhere safe and far away from Fate.”
“She’s not going to like that,” Knox says, pulling a candy bar from his pocket, ripping it open, and taking a bite. When he feels my stare, he asks, “What?”
“Have another one for me?”
“Actually…” He pauses, his hand going to his pocket and pulling out another candy bar. “Here you go, mate.”
Chuckling, I open the wrapper and take a bite of my own. Damn, this is good. Didn’t realize how hangry I was. Guess great sex and the best blowjob of your life will do that to a man.
“I don’t care if she likes it or not. She’s been through enough, and I’m not going to risk her again.”
“She’s not going to see it that way. We’re supposed to be a team, and she’s going to feel like we’re excluding her.” The look on Fate’s face earlier was one I don’t want aimed my way again. But at the same time, I want nothing more than to keep her safe, and sometimes, that means doing what needs to be done despite someone else’s displeasure or discomfort. It’s called love.
“Well, she’ll just have to get over it.”
“I want to hear you tell her that when shit hits the fan.”
Cole just rolls his eyes at Knox. “I’m going to go pack up my stuff. Get started on the cameras and other equipment. I want to be out of here in under forty-eight hours. Then we’ll start hunting down leads, see if we can find the fuckers who did this and get it handled before she even realizes it.”
Knox and I share a look, both of us knowing the chances of either of those things happening are slim to none.
Cole stalks off, grumbling to himself about headstrong spirits.
I take another bite of my candy bar, going over our options. How does one draw out a bad guy who hasn’t been found in over a century, that always seems to be one step ahead?
“You know this isn’t going to end well, right?” Knox asks, his mouth full of chocolate and caramel.
“I know. But if we succeed, then at least she can be pissed off safely.”
He eyes me a second before his lips tilt. “I think I like you like this.”
“Like what?”
“Relaxed. More open. Giving shit, not just taking it. I’m proud of you!”
“Well, geez. Thanks, Mom.” Rolling my eyes, I take another bite.
“See? That’s what I mean. Sex looks good on you. Now come on, we’ve got a lot of work to do, and, since you nominated me as Fate’s keeper, you’re going to talk me through what I need to say so I avoid screwing this up worse than Cole already has.”
And just like that, I grin. From celibate nerd to giving someone else advice on women. My shoulders straighten as I take the last bite of chocolate, thinking of all the ways I want to thank Fate for making this my reality.