But the phone buzzed again. And again. Someone was persistent.
Rafael sighed. "Fine. Go check."
I grabbed a towel and padded back into the office, leaving wet footprints on the hardwood. My phone was still in my jeans pocket, tangled up with my belt on the floor. I fished it out and checked the screen.
Diego had sent three messages. The first two were just question marks. The third was a photo.
I opened it and couldn't help grinning.
Eight was covered head to toe in mud, her hair plastered to her skull, her clothes completely ruined. She was holding a massive bullfrog in both hands, beaming at the camera with pure joy. Behind her, I could just make out Diego's aunt Florica's garden in Seattle.
Diego
She insisted on catching it herself. Jasper is having a crisis about tetanusshots.
I was still smiling when Rafael emerged from the bathroom, towel around his waist, hair dripping.
"What's so funny?" he asked.
I showed him the photo, and his expression softened immediately. "She looks happy."
"Yeah." I scrolled through the other photos Diego had sent over the past few weeks. Eight helping Florica in the garden. Eight threatening him with a fork. Eight asleep on the couch gripping a pair of fabric shears.
My phone buzzed again.
Diego
We're leaving for Europe next week.
Lorenzo
You sure about this?
Diego
We need to disappear for a while. Keep Eight safe.
My jaw clenched. Rafael leaned over my shoulder, reading the messages. His hand came to rest on my hip.
"They're right," he said quietly. "Constantine's last words weren't just threats. Zeus will retaliate eventually."
"I know." I turned to face him. "We need to keep watching them. All of them. Diego, Jasper, Luka, Vincent. Anyone who helped us. If Zeus makes a move—"
"We'll be ready." Rafael kissed the top of my head. "I've been building contingencies. Safe houses in six countries. Emergency extraction protocols. The moment we get wind of anything, we move."
"Good."
He kissed my forehead. "They're family. We protect family."
I leaned into him, breathing in the clean scent of soap and Rafael's skin. Outside, the waves crashed against Copacabana beach. Inside, we stood together in the ruins of his office, still damp, still tangled up in each other.
My phone buzzed one more time. I glanced at the screen.
Diego
Take care of yourselves. And watch your six.
Lorenzo
