Page 60 of Sapphire Seas

“You still haven’t explained yourself.”

“What’s to explain. I smelled ice cream and took a detour.”

“Is that going to be your story when Ronan stomps over here looking for you with a twin on each hip?”

“Ronan and the twins are with Emerson and Cade, enjoying an evening together since Caro is on patrol tonight so I’m good,” Odem declared.

“You hope.”

“Yes brother, I do.” Odem said.

Goddess I hoped nothing ever changed him.

“There was another reason I dropped in tonight,” Odem said.

“Thank you,” I said.

“But I still smelled the ice cream.”

I slapped a palm against my face, half regretting my earlier plea that he remained unchanged. Give me strength, this was one of those days when he was going to be a bigger handful than Hunter and Kane with the hiccups.

“Before you deliver whatever news you intend to deliver, please remember that there are two pregnant mates in the room so be gentle in your delivery.”

“Bro, you act like this is the first go around,” Odem said. “If I was going to accidentally scare an egg out of anyone it would have been Alex and Ionus would have fried me on the spot.”

“Just consider yourself warned.”

“Alright, alright, sheesh, you worry too much,” Odem said. “They’re both sitting right now anyway.”

My voice took on a low, growling overture when I leveled my gaze on him. “Odem, so help me…”

“That exactly what I’m here for,” Odem replied as he shoveled a heaping bite into his mouth.

“Is there any ice cream under that hot fudge?” I asked, head propped on my elbow as I watched him indulge himself.

“Somewhere.”

“Will there be a point in this conversation when you tell me what you’re doing here besides eating all the hot fudge in the house?”

“Indubitably.”

“Did you snack on a dictionary this afternoon?” I asked.

“No, I discovered a new cartoon I thought your mates might appreciate,” Odem replied. “Well, technically, it’s an old cartoon but I think they’ll love it.”

“I see.”

I rubbed my chin, eyeing my brother, waiting for there to be something more to his random visit.

“Problem?” Odem asked, but only after he’d devoured a fourth of his bowl.

“Just waiting for you to get to the punchline.”

“What punchline?” he asked, head cocked, a quizzical look on his face.

“Seriously?” I asked, my inner skeptic hesitant to believe things were truly that calm in our world right now.

“Seriously, bro, when have you ever known Ionus to send me as the messenger of doom?”