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Rogue choked on a sip of soda. Ghost patted him on the back. The rest of them just stared until Grant said, “We all need to be alert. We can’t be sure there was only one man out there, and they may send more any—”
Blade cut him off. “Fox, do you remember where my cabin is?”
“Of course.”
“Go use it, and we’ll make sure the area is patrolled.”
“Don’t you want to stay there?”
Blade shook his head. “I don’t need it anymore. I’ll stay here or go on patrol. It’s yours for tonight.”
As Blade talked, Jacob pulled a bottle of whiskey from one of the cabinets and offered it to Darren.
TJ shrugged and got us a twelve pack of beer from the fridge. “In case you need variety.”
Grant huffed. “In case they need to be useless in the morning.”
“We need Fox ready to handle this,” Blade said. “If Darren thinks this will help, then we can take that chance, even if I have to stand guard out there all night.”
“You might want to stand pretty far away,” Rhys said. “Or else you might hear more than you want to.”
Darren gave him one of his frostiest glares, but Rhys just glared back.
Grant still looked uncertain. “You should stay here in the house.”
“Where we’re all listening?” TJ asked.
Blade glared at Grant. “Give them some fucking space.”
Grant’s eyes widened. “You really are your old self again.”
“Maybe Darren can do the same for Fox,” Jacob said, laying a hand on Grant’s arm.
Color rose in Darren’s face. “That’s not…”
“Go on and use that magic dick to fix him,” Rogue said waving us toward the door.
“Rogue,” Ghost shook his head. “I wish I was shocked.”
Darren used the hand that wasn’t holding the whiskey to reach for me, and I let him pull me outside. “I think I know where the cabin is, but you better lead.”
“We’re really going there?” I asked.
“Yes, and we’re really going to get drunk, and you’re really going to spill your secrets to me and my magic dick.”
“Never say that again.”
Darren grimaced. “You’re right. I won’t.”
We walked in silence for a while, and I marveled at Blade’s friendship. “After what happened in the desert, I don’t understand why Blade wants to help me. I don’t even understand why we’re still friends.”
Darren squeezed my hand. “Because whatever happened, he’s forgiven you and himself, and he’s found a way to move past it.”
I increased my pace. “Come on. I need a drink now more than ever.”
We reached the cabin and let ourselves in. There was a main room with a small kitchen and living area, a bedroom big enough for a queen bed, and a very small bathroom.
“How long did Blade live here?” Darren asked.
“Six months or so.” I looked over and saw the look of horror on Darren’s face. “What? Do you need a vast mansion to survive.”
“No, but I need more space than this.”
“Just because you probably have a closet bigger than this—” I paused when he looked away. “Damn, you really do, don’t you.”
“I can’t say for certain. I don’t know the exact dimensions of this cabin.”
I snorted. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Here.” He held out the bottle of whiskey. “I’m supposed to be getting you drunk, and right now, I’m hoping I like you a lot better that way.”
“I doubt you will unless you let me drink you under the table.”
“You think you can outdrink me?”
I gave him a scathing once-over. “Hell yeah I can. I’m a marine for God’s sake.”
“You might be a marine, but you’re not a Fontaine.”
I took two glasses from the cabinet and poured a large measure of whiskey into each one. “Let’s just see how you do, then.”
Darren took his and drained nearly half of it on his first sip.
“Keep drinking at that rate and you’ll be passed out before I even start talking.
“Bullshit.”
As heavy as I was feeling at the thought of sharing the events that had fucked me up so badly, seeing Darren like this, looking ready to fight instead of ready to freeze me with his chilling glance made me smile. “This is a different side of you.”
“I’m like a fucking chameleon. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”
“So I was right. It was all an act in the beginning, all that coldness.”
Darren grew bristly just like he’d been then. “That is my professional personality.”
“Who else gets to see you without that facade?” I suddenly hated the thought of anyone else seeing him like this, so open, so real.
“My sister on occasion.”
I stared at him, trying to imagine what such a woman would be like. “You have a sister?”
He frowned. “Why is that surprising?”
“I don’t know. You just act like an only child.”
“I do not.”
“Yeah, you kind of do, but it’s probably just because you’re a spoiled rich kid.”
Darren huffed. “That part I can’t deny, though there’s a lot more to my childhood than you know. It wasn’t all smiles and roses and ponies for Christmas.”
