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But it was time for him to be brave. He might not be a powerful or fierce vampire, but he certainly wasn’t helpless. Hunting was easier now. His confidence was steadily building as he did more on his own. He could do this. He could reclaim his life. His maker had not taken that away from him forever.
“Gideon?”
His head snapped up to see Ryder watching him with a worried look as they sat at a red light. He flashed him a bright smile. Maybe too bright, because Ryder lifted a questioning eyebrow, so Gideon toned it down.
“I’m good. Everything is good,” Gideon chirped, nearly bouncing in his seat with his hands tucked between his thighs to stop them from fidgeting as he talked.
Ryder grunted and turned his attention to the road. The light shifted to green, and he smoothly continued along the nearly empty road. Water and slushy snow made the streets messy, blurring the reflections of lamps and the glow from the shops they passed. Hartford wasn’t a bad town.
“It’s okay to be nervous.”
“I’m not nervous!” Gideon piped up, earning another skeptical side-long glance. “I’m not. Okay, maybe I’m a little nervous. It’s that there have always been other people close by for as long as I can remember. Even when I was human I lived with four other dancers in a tiny apartment. The idea of it being just me is…exciting…and scary. But it’ll be good. I can decorate how I want and do what I want in my spare time.” He bit his bottom lip to stop his babbling.
Yeah, okay. He was definitely nervous, but Ryder hadn’t needed to call him out like that.
Another block and his companion was settling the truck by the curb. That saved them both from his out-of-control mouth. Ryder parked behind Rafe’s sedan. It wasn’t surprising in the least that Rafe was there. He could count on Philippe being present as well.
Gideon jumped from the truck before Ryder could come to help him and raced up the four stone stairs, but a locked door stopped his triumphant arrival.
Locked out of his own place.
He jabbed the doorbell with his finger three times, barely resisting the temptation to stomp his foot. Rafe’s deep chuckle echoed through the hall as he approached.
The suave vampire smirked at him as soon as he opened the door. “Impatient?”
“Impatient was a month ago,” Gideon teased. “Why did you lock us out?”
“We had to make sure the place remained safe for you and Ryder.” Rafe reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring of shiny silver keys along with a metal keychain in the shape of a phoenix. After those bastards had dared to burn Rafe’s first nightclub, Blush, the wicked vampire had gone all in with the rising-from-the-ashes phoenix imagery. Now everything was red, orange, and black.
Gideon snatched the keys and threw himself at Rafe, wrapping him in a tight hug around his middle. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
Rafe huffed a soft laugh and ran his fingers through Gideon’s messy blond hair. “Be a good little tenant, and I’ll be happy. Now, go check out your place.”
He released Rafe and ran up the stairs in a flash. He caught a whisper of the conversation between Rafe and Ryder, as his boss told the other vampire that they had safely delivered his few things to his place on the first floor.
Gideon hesitated on the landing outside of his door for a second, curiosity nibbling at him. What did Ryder’s place look like? When Rafe had bought the building and hired a crew to remodel it, he’d asked Gideon to pick out the colors, cabinets, countertops, and all the fixtures. That part had been fun. He and Philippe had spent hours together pouring over books, swatches, and color palettes to select all the right things.
But what had Ryder selected?
Hell, he couldn’t imagine Ryder doing something like that.
Maybe he could beg Ryder to let him see his place later. Or maybe he could wheedle his way in with a housewarming gift like a plant. Maybe an orchid.No, a cactus!
Smiling to himself about his evil plan to get into Ryder’s apartment, Gideon unlocked his new front door and walked into his very first place.
“Welcome home!” Philippe shouted as he stepped over the threshold.
Gideon giggled and hurried down the short hall to the living room, where Philippe stood amid stacks of boxes. Gideon wove his way through the box maze and launched himself into a tight hug with Rafe’s mate.
“Thank you so much for making this happen!” Gideon gushed into Philippe’s shoulder. While Gideon was nervous about moving out on his own, Rafe had been terrified. There were plenty of times Rafe had questioned the decision and tried to coax Gideon into changing his mind, but as always, Philippe had Gideon’s back, keeping them moving forward.
Philippe squeezed him. “I’m so happy for you.” As Gideon released him, Philippe caught his slender shoulders. “The rest of the clan wanted to be here today, but I thought it might be too overwhelming amid all the chaos. They’ll stop by over the next several days. However, Marcus and Aiden asked me to stress that if you want to return to the clan house at any time, you are very welcome there. No questions asked. Please, keep that in mind.”
Gideon nodded, his heart about to burst in his chest. This was what it was like to have a big family that loved you. Even if he had his own place, they were his true home.
With a last squeeze of his shoulder, Philippe released him. “Fox and River were here when the movers dropped off all the boxes and furniture. They said if you don’t like where the sofa or the bed are, they’re happy to get Wyatt to move things for you.”
Gideon snorted. “Of course they are.” Naturally, they’d wrangle the big, strong werewolf into moving heavy objects. But Gideon was pretty sure he could handle things.
