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I reach for her hand. “Are you doing, okay? Lachlan is a good male. Too good—it really is shocking he ever rose to commander. And Nole’s mated. He will make sure nothing happens to your cousin and aunt. They are safer there than back with your spineless uncle.”
Eros told me they don’t know what happened to him. The security team hasn’t found any evidence of him escaping. But they wouldn’t find any evidence of his corpse either if he’d been in the building the females were taken from. Our long-range missiles destroy all traces of organics. We developed them specifically for operations like this. As much as our government doesn’t want to acknowledge it, we have been involved in human politics for way too long. They control the resources of the planet, and while we don’t like to admit that we need things from land, we do. The only way to keep our vast city going is to take what we need. And taking what we need while continuing to be a myth to them means using stealth. As much as we hate it, we need humans. We’ve been using them for raw materials for a long time. And while their technology hasn’t come anywhere near ours, eventually they are going to find us.
I’m going to put out feelers with my guys still on the ground. Because if the missile didn’t take the ass out, I’m going to take him out with my own hands. I’ll enjoy him knowing that I’m doing it for Annabelle, that his last fearful breath was taken because he caused pain to my mate. Then I’ll find a hagissa to bring him back to life and do it a couple more times. Not that I’ve thought about it too much. But I have found a hagissa near Boston and one near Athens. It would be worth the price. Maybe I’ve thought about it more than I should have.
I hold out my arms for Annabelle. “Your cousin will be fine,” I add.
Little Krill’s shoulders drop. “Marlee—ugh, yes,” she says softly. “We can talk about her in a minute. There is something important I want to ask you.”
There’s a thud in my chest. I’ve been too distracted. I should never have allowed Castor into the apartment. Hell, I told him to stay away, to stop the gifts and the meddling in our pod life, and he mostly has. But this? No. If it’s what I think it is, it’s gone too far. “No,” I growl out because of the look on her face and her being alone with Castor for that amount of time. She’s convinced him to join our pod.
“Nico, you don’t even know what she’s going to ask us. It could be ‘Do you want Nico to get first dibs tonight,’ or ‘Should Holter be the only person allowed to cook out of the pod.’ Or ‘Should I wear a gag?’ You know, things you want to say yes to.” Eros cocks his head at me.
“She asked him to be in the pod.” I wave my hand to the hallway.
Holter ricochets back with my words. “Really, Belle? Is that what you wanted to talk to Castor about? What did he say?”
“He said yes.”
“Fuck no.” I grab my face. And when I open my eyes, both Holter and Eros are hugging Little Krill. “Did you not hear what I said?”
“Yes, of course we did. We’re ignoring you,” Eros tosses over his shoulder.
A growl rumbles from my core.
“Seriously, brother. The thing you told everyone was going to happen your whole life is happening and you’re going to stand there and growl at us? If anyone should be growling, it’s me.” Holter’s arms are around Annabelle’s and Eros’s backs; they’re a tight circle.
“It’s not safe to have him in the pod.” I’m grasping at minnows.
Holter leans in and whispers to Annabelle. I feel my eyes narrow. He knows I hate it. I hate whispering. Even with my advanced hearing, I can’t pick out what he’s telling her.
She turns to him, and her lower lip moves out. “I’m not going to do that.” She gives Holter a quick kiss on his cheek, and he shrugs and falls back onto the bed.
“Relax and float, big guy. How is the golden boy not safe?” Eros sits on the edge of the bed and pulls her into his lap. “Castor isn’t going to hurt Sunshine. He loves her. Even you, with your oblivious thick skull, should be able to pick up on it.”
“I didn’t say he didn’t love her. I said it’s too dangerous. Whoever carried out the attack on the lobby?—”
“Is going to be just as upset no matter who Belle mates.” Holter tugs Annabelle onto his lap, away from Eros. Her blue eyes are glued to me, though. She hasn’t pleaded or asked again. She’s letting Holter and Eros argue it for her.
I bypass them both. “You understand what I’m saying, don’t you, Little Krill?”
“I hear your words.” She holds up a finger and moves off Holter’s lap to sit between the two of them. “I hear you say you think bringing Castor into the pod will be dangerous. It sounds like an excuse—” She stops abruptly.
Holter and Eros are both facing her. And I expect her to say more, but she doesn’t.
Eros leans over. “Is there a but in there, Sunshine?”
“But... it’s up to Nico to figure out why he’s making excuses for himself.”
This doesn’t feel like the win I want.
“So you’re going to accept Nico’s no?” Holter looks upset, and he’s had a beef with Castor his whole life. “I don’t think Castor’s family had anything to do with Richeal being killed anymore.”
“I know.” I nod. I should be happier that Annabelle is listening to me. But the pit in my stomach is open again. What does she mean by figuring it out myself? Her blue eyes haven’t moved away from my face. I can feel myself heating as if she was touching me. “Little Krill.”
“It’s okay, Nico. I know that when you’re ready, you’ll tell us.”
“Tell us. Tell him.” Holter cocks his head. “Do you want one of us to tell Castor? I can.”
