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CORBIN
I gulped my cold coffee and stared down at the table, cringing at the chatter around me. If I was with my brothers, I’d tell them to shut the fuck up. But I wasn’t.
Instead of being in our cocoon of just us for a couple of days, our time was interrupted when Riker received a call about a job. Now I sat at the kitchen table in Riker’s house with Kieran, his parents, and Ruth. Rio was in the kitchen again, half listening about wedding plans. They’d been at it a while, but before we got to this subject, they’d explained a few things about what it meant to be a fated mate when it came to the people surrounding me. My brothers. My club.
My body was still tense after discovering I’d age at a slower rate like Riker. That eventually we’d have to leave town and start somewhere else so people didn’t question why we weren’t aging. My gut had twisted over the thought of leaving the club and brothers.
Yet I would choose Riker over anything and anyone.
Knowing the club would be in good hands once Spade stepped into the president role helped ease the twisting to my gut over the news.
What also helped was knowing I’d be with Riker no matter where we went.
Maybe later, I’d consider more everything I’d learned, but it wasn’t what was consuming my mind. It wasn’t what had anxiety spiking.
Anger also pushed at me.
All of it was because I had to stay behind when Riker and his brothers got called out for work.
I swiped my hands down my thighs and gripped my knees, narrowing my gaze on the coffee mug that sat on the wooden table.
Lifting my head, I looked at Kieran who’d just pulled his hand away from patting my arm. “I’m worried too,” he admitted.
“Same,” Rio called.
Grinding my teeth together, I nodded.
“Sitting back and waiting never gets easy,” Ruth said.
“That’s what I don’t get. Why the fuck do I have to sit back? I could help. I’ve done things like they do all the time when it comes to protecting people.”
“I know you have, Razor. But you’re not employed by our council. I’m not even sure Riker would want you in any danger?—”
I thumped my fist on the table and leaned forward. “And you think I want him in danger?”
“Whoa, big biker guy,” Kieran’s father called as he stood with his hands up. “We’re all a bit tense. You fated mates more so. But it’s not worth taking it out on anyone.”
Christ. He was right, and I already knew my actions were uncalled for toward Ruth. She’d be just as worried, being their mother.
But it seemed that the worry was getting to me that much more.
“Sorry,” I muttered, jaw clenching.
Ruth smiled. “It’s okay. I think—” Her phone rang, and she quickly snatched it up. “Hello?” She turned her back to us, but I saw the tension entering her. “Yes. … Shit. … I understand. … No. I don’t care what my fellow council members will say. We’ll leave now, and everything will be fine. Keep an eye on the situation until we get there.” She ended the call. “Razor, you’re with me.”
I stood, heart in my throat. “What is it?”
Kieran jumped up, too, and Rio moved around the counter.
Ruth raised her hands. “No one is hurt. There’s a situation with the people the boys were sent after.” She turned her full attention to me. “Riker is struggling because it involves children. This is something that we didn’t expect. Deacon’s worried Riker will lose it, and if that’s the case, he needs his fated close.”
I nodded. “Let’s go.”
She reached out to Kieran and Rio, taking their hands. “They’ll need you when we get home.”
Rio curled an arm around Kieran’s waist and nodded.
“Of course,” Kieran replied, tears welling, but I saw him steel himself as he drew in a breath.
