Page 214 of Barinov

Zeke just looks amused, which I’m damn glad to see. He could use this distraction after everything he’s been through.

“Just tell her, mon n’amour,” Sabine says far too quickly to Tex. “Before they all start writin’ their own versions of it in their minds.”

“Oh believe me, the story’s already in here,” Lex snickers, tapping his temple. “You. Tex. Tangled up in some bayou somewhere…” He grins. “Hell fucking yes.”

“L’ombre,” Sabine snaps, shooting a heated glare in Lex’s direction. “That’s quite enough from you.”

“What’d I do?” he laughs, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Not like I’m the one trying to sneak out of Tex’s room before the sunrise.”

Tex sets his mug down on the counter with a quiet, clink. “Barinov.”

“Just tell them,” Nate mutters, pushing up from the couch before striding toward the kitchen. “That way I can quit pretending like I don’t know.”

Bella gasps, her eyes flying to Nate. “You knew?!”

“Where’s Little Whitmore when you need her?” Lex says, already ripping out his phone. “She’s gonna flip her shit when she hears this.”

“Don’t even think about it,” Tex warns, efficiently snatching the phone right out of Lex’s hand.

“Hey!” Lex protests, reaching back for it.

I laugh to myself, setting a platter piled high with pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs in the center of the table. Steam curls into the morning sunlight, carrying the rich scent of maple and bacon through the room.

“Alright,” I say. “Everyone sit down.”

I glance between Tex and Sabine, both of whom suddenly look like they’d rather face a firing squad than another one of Bella’s questions.

“You two can tell us your story over breakfast.”

Chairs scrape against the hardwood as everyone slowly migrates toward the table. Bella, Lex, and Marisol still tossing loaded glances, smirks, and quiet chuckles across the room. Once everyone is seated and plates are full, Bella lasts all of three bites before breaking the silence.

“So,” she says, pointing her fork between Tex and Sabine. “Start talking.”

Tex swallows hard. “Fine.” He glances sideways at Sabine before looking back at Bella. “What do you want to know?”

Bella and Marisol answer at the exact same time. “Everything!” They both stop, blink at each other, and then point accusing fingers across the table like teenagers. “Jinx!”

Zeke snorts into his coffee, the sound turning into an honest laugh that makes all of us look his way for just a brief moment. It still catches me off guard hearing it.

Sabine smiles to herself before intertwining her fingers through Tex’s beneath the table. He doesn’t hesitate to lace them back.

“Well…” she begins, her dark eyes catching the morning sun. “To be honest, we’ve been seeing each other off and on since a little after I had Carlos tied up in my bayou for you, honey.”

Bella nearly inhales a piece of bacon. She coughs once, her steel eyes widening. “Hold on.” She points her fork at them again. “That long?”

“Oui, chérie.” Sabine’s smile grows as she gives Tex’s hand a gentle squeeze. “That long.”

“So what happened?” Bella inquires. “How did everything, well… you know?”

Tex huffs. “After you lit Carlos’s ass on fire, Sabine called me. I was furious at first for not being looped in on killing the bastard, but—”

“But I calmed the storm brewin’ in him,” Sabine cuts in smoothly. “Told him that the vengeance was yours to carry out. That you needed to handle that man on your own.”

“We needed,” Bella corrects, her eyes turning glossy as she glances over the table at her brother.

“We did,” Zeke echoes with a small nod. “And I’ve never been prouder of you, Bells.”

Bella’s brow pinches. “You saw?”