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“No.” I shook my head. “Appreciate it though. If I go digging behind his back, I’m just another person taking away his choices.”

Choices mattered to me, especially with my mate.

“Ain’t got that in you,” Reaper said with a touch of pride. “You even give Crowbar’s dog options.”

The German shepherd had grown on me. Whenever I went for a run in my wolf form, she was right at my side, keeping pace.

“Gotta treat a lady right.” I picked up a stray coffee bean from the counter and rolled it between my fingers. “Phineas just needs time.”

I could give him that much. But if he showed up with another bruise, all bets were off.

Mayhem nodded once, a small dip of his chin. “Respect, brother.” We bumped fists.

“Offer stands,” Merk said. “If you change your mind.”

“Which one?” I asked.

“Both, but definitely the second.”

Mayhem stared up at the ceiling, hands on hips. “If he’s that twitchy, why give his monster another shot at him?”

That thought had crossed my mind over a hundred times already, and every time I thought of Phineas getting hurt, I had to fight back my wolf.

“You heard him,” Reaper said. “It’s about giving Phineas choices. I might not agree with Drift, but he’s said his piece.”

“Gee, thanks for the ringing endorsement, jackass.” I knew they meant well. Even if Phineas wasn’t my mate, they would still be pissed off. No one deserved to live like that. “You don’t drag a frightened animal to safety. It doesn’t work that way.”

Especially someone as small and afraid as Phineas.

“Well, this got heavy. Next time feed me more croissants. I’m an emotional eater,” Reaper said.

“Next time you can pay,” I said, grateful for the shift in tone.

“Then you must be an emotional catastrophe,” Mayhem said with a smirk.

“I don’t think you wanna pull the strings on that one. Might not like what unravels.” Reaper polished off the croissant, licking his fingers when he was done. “Damn, that was good.”

“Still manning the grill for our Friday cookout?” Reaper looked seconds away from licking the plate.

“Have I ever missed a Friday?” I took the plate before Reaper embarrassed himself.

“Invite your mate,” Merk suggested. “Male could probably use a day pass.”

From prison.

Actually, it wasn’t a bad idea. Maybe Phineas would stop by before Friday. “We’ll see.”

The three said their goodbyes then they were gone, the bell chiming behind them, and I was alone with an espresso machine that still had a temper and a skull full of dark thoughts I needed to bury.

I spent the next hour going through the motions. Backflush. Test shot. Adjust grind. Test again. The machine begrudgingly cooperated, delivering shots that were improving.

For a piece of equipment that cost a ridiculous amount, it should be delivering gold-plated shots. But I wasn’t going to let it get the better of me.

It would bend to my will…eventually. “I’ll make a deal with you. Stop being so temperamental and I won’t introduce you to my grills. Agreed?”

The bell chimed, and I instantly glanced at the door, proving my brother right. Didn’t care.

Phineas stood in the doorway, backlit by afternoon sun that caught the edges of his hair and turned them gold. He wore another soft T-shirt, this one navy blue with an exhausted bunny rabbit. The caption under the fuzzy creature read, “No Brains until caffeine.”