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Tolkien’s incredible dragons and mighty heroes in The Hobbit had delighted Nic when he was a boy. Despite the struggles and hardship, the good guys in his books always won in the end. But now Nic knew that wasn’t always the case.
“No more stalling. It’s best I get out of here.” He walked directly to the hotel.
When he entered the lobby, the man at the front desk waved him over.
“Yes?”
“I have a message for you, Mr. Walker.” The young man behind the counter nodded. “You are supposed to go to the Rocky Mountain Room. It’s down that hall, the last door on the left.”
“Do you know why?”
“No, sir, I don’t. I just started my shift.”
As he walked down the hall, Nic wondered who might be waiting for him in the Rocky Mountain Room. The only people he knew in Destiny were Ashley, Phoebe, and Phoebe’s husbands.
Once he opened the door, Jason, one of Phoebe’s husbands, greeted him. Behind Jason were several men sitting at a conference table. He spotted Sylas first.
“Hi, Nic.” Jason was in his uniform, with a gun holstered to his belt.
“Hey, Jason.” He recognized Mitchell and Lucas, Phoebe’s other husbands, who he’d also met at the rental house. Phoebe’s plan had been for him and Sylas to share the place. Share? That seemed to be the main word for Destiny’s citizens. Living with Sylas wasn’t going to happen.
It was a good thing he hadn’t given notice to Braxton, since he had no intention of taking the job with Phoebe.
The only other men he recognized at the table were the O’Learys, Patrick and Sam, who had been with Sylas at the diner this morning.
Jason led him to a seat at the long conference table.
“What’s this about, Jason?”
“First, let me introduce you to everyone.”
“I know you and your brothers. And I’ve already met the O’Learys.”
“This is Matt Dixon and Sean MacCabe, who work at TBK. And this is Eric and Scott Knight, who own TBK.”
“It’s very nice meeting each of you, but I still am wondering what this is all about.”
Sam rose from his chair. “Nic, I am the one who organized this meeting. As you probably know, we had an appointment with Sylas. He had come to us with many concerns about Destiny’s lifestyle.”
Nic stood. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I’m planning on leaving here.”
“Hold on, Nic,” Sylas said. “Please, just hear us out.”
“I guess since Sam has gone to all this trouble, I don’t want to be an ass.” He sat back down.
“Thank you, Nic,” Sam said. “I appreciate it. As I was saying, when Sylas came to us his biggest concern was you. I understand that you two are like brothers.”
“We were, once.”
“Just like I told Sylas. Once brothers, always brothers. Sylas cares very deeply for you. And if I’m not mistaken, you care very deeply for Sylas. Brothers can disagree, but they don’t lose their love and respect for each other.”
“Thank you, Sam. But this isn’t going to change what I’m going to do. I am leaving as soon as this meeting is over. It’s for the best.”
“The best for who, Nic?”
“For Sylas and Ashley, of course.”
“Can you really say what’s best for Sylas and Ashley? My understanding is that they want to make a life together with you.”
