Amaryllis tightened her fingers around Malichai. “Yeah, I wouldn’t be that happy.”
“You remember that,” Mordichai said. “Or you’ll get yourself in trouble.”
The laughter was genuine and eased some of the tension in the room and the pressure in Malichai’s chest. “What did Pepper and Wyatt name the twins?”
“Grace, after Nonny, and Fleur, after his mother.”
“That’s so beautiful,” Amaryllis said. “I love their names. I don’t have a mother or father.” She looked at Malichai.
He shook his head. “I think a lot of little girls are going to be named Grace after Nonny.”
Ezekiel inclined his head. “I have to agree with that. She’s going to have an entire slew of little grandchildren running around all with the name of Grace.”
They laughed, but Malichai thought it might be true. He certainly would want to name a daughter after the woman he admired so much. “How is Pepper doing with all those little girls?”
“I think a better question is, how is Wyatt doing with all those little girls?” Ezekiel corrected with a grin. “The little viper trio think the babies belong to them and insist they take care of them. Wyatt is concerned about accidental bites. Pepper is exhausted trying to keep up with the feeding. Nonny, as always, is the calm in the center of the storm. Wyatt has at least two little girls on him at all times, although I think Diego is now having to hold babies whether he likes it or not.”
Malichai nearly choked on the water he’d been sipping on. Diego? Holding babies? He’d like to see that. He snuck a glance at Rubin, but if Rubin was aware of the conversation floating around him, he showed no signs of it. His face really showed signs of strain now. Of pain. It put things instantly back into perspective for Malichai. Talk of home and family had helped keep the worry of losing his leg at bay, but one look at Rubin, and he knew it was no small battle to try to save his leg.
Hours had passed and Rubin had worked steadily. He’d paused only to drink a little water and rest before taking up the task again. He didn’t talk the times he rested. He didn’t look at any of them, Malichai included. That was unusual for Rubin and boded ill as far as Malichai was concerned.
Amaryllis had to leave him, going back to work, making certain the guests had dinner and they were all reassured that everything was just fine, and they would be able to use the front entrance very soon. The fight that had broken out concerned the military, and the family would be leaving soon so no other enemies would be trying to get to them.
Because Trap and Cayenne were in the basement and just about every guest was aware someone was down there, and nurses came and went, they decided a good explanation was that Trap was a part of a team terrorists had targeted to assassinate. Those coming after him had been stopped before they could get to him and his family. His family was being moved, and that would take the threat away.
Most guests were very sympathetic and wanted to meet with the hero and shake his hand. That was impossible because his identity and that of his family had to be kept secret. Those who knew Billy were very upset and Tania and Tommy were particularly distraught. They raged at Amaryllis, Tania screaming and crying until only Tommy could comfort her, pulling her into his arms and letting her cry on his shoulder while Amaryllis stood by helplessly. She’d told Malichai she felt terrible, as if she was somehow at fault. She expected the two to leave the inn, but they didn’t, they just went to their rooms and refused to come out. The other guests heaped flowers and cards of sympathy at their doors. Amaryllis didn’t know whether to leave them there or clean the hallway, so no one tripped or got hurt.
Malichai wished he was up so he could help her. She was already looking tired and strained, having to run the entire inn on her own without Marie. Making decisions for her friend wasn’t easy. She texted her often, but knowing the bed-and-breakfast was targeted by Callendine and his crew had to put extra pressure on her. She was worried about the guests—and Malichai.
Trap, Cayenne and little ones are away safely, Draden reported. Shylah and I are returning to the inn to help out. Will be there in under an hour.
Malichai breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t realized how worried he was about those babies. They were in a safe house, surrounded by an army of guards and the best medics the GhostWalkers had. Paul Mangan, the only other psychic surgeon, a young man on Team Three, had been flown from San Francisco to San Diego to help Trap out. With him had come two other members of his team, Javier Enderman and Gideon Carpenter. They looked unassuming, but Malichai knew they were there more for the protection of Paul than anyone else, and both were extremely lethal individuals. He was grateful they were with Trap and his family.
Good hunting, Trap added.
Take care of your family. Malichai couldn’t help putting his hand on top of his hip, wondering if the next time he saw Trap he would have a leg or if it would be gone.
Rubin suddenly stepped back and staggered. Ezekiel caught him and guided him down to a chair. Mordichai handed him an open bottle of cold water. The room went eerily silent. Rubin didn’t seem to notice that they all waited for his assessment, like he hadn’t already given it. Malichai didn’t necessarily want to hear it again, not with his brothers in the room. Not with Ezekiel standing so close to him.
He wasn’t going to fall apart. He knew what Rubin was going to say because he’d watched his foster brother’s face. He knew that bone was Swiss cheese. The damage to it was accelerating. Ezekiel, like Rubin, was going to sideline him, but if he was going to lose his leg permanently, then what difference did it make? He’d rather go out on a mission than lie in a bed feeling sorry for himself.
Rubin drank half the bottle of water and then pressed the cold bottle to his forehead. He stretched his legs out in front of him and leaned back, his eyes closed. “You have one hell of a high pain tolerance, Malichai.” There was respect in his voice.
That was the last thing Malichai expected him to say and it embarrassed him. “It does hurt,” he conceded. “I guess I should have warned you.”
A faint smile curved Rubin’s mouth, giving his face that younger look he usually had. Right now, his color was nearly gray. “I don’t think even a warning would have prepared me. That bone is disintegrating at a rapid rate. If second-generation Zenith caused this, we all have to stop using it until Lily can figure out why and what happened.”
“Could it be I have an unusual reaction to Zenith? An allergy like Trap or Wyatt suggested?” Malichai asked. He didn’t know why he wanted the explanation to be a simple one. One he could understand.
“It’s possible. That’s not my field of expertise. I only repair things that are broken or damaged. The rest of you is strong and healthy, but that bone, which has always been extraordinarily dense, has been chewed through with tiny holes. The attack on it is nothing I’ve ever seen before. I tried to send the pictures of what I was seeing through Joe to Trap, Wyatt and Lily. I don’t know how successful that type of thing is going to be telepathically, but if this destruction is from Zenith, seriously, Malichai, no one should use it.”
“How do we prove it, one way or the other?” Malichai asked.
“Hell if I know. That’s all Trap, Wyatt and Lily. But your leg.” Rubin sighed and rubbed his temples with his fingers, looking down, not straight at Malichai the way he normally would have. He was frowning.