“But it’s a party. You don’t have to do those things,” Casey said.
He yanked his tie out to the side and mimicked choking. “Our enemies could hang us with these.”
“No one’s going to hang you today,” Uncle Max said as he joined them. “And if you want to look like a human, you have to dress like one. Besides, the rest of your pride—and all of us—are wearing suits.”
Casey’s heart fell when Uncle Max went straight toward Lion, but Miss Wynn redirected him. “Max, can you untangle Owl’s tie? Somehow he’s gotten it in a knot.”
Oh, God. That meant that Casey really was going to get to help Lion with his. Her mouth went dry as she went up to him. Would he notice how her curves stood out so nicely in this dress? Or the lemon-scented bath wash she’d used?
“Can’t do it?” she asked, trying not to smile as she looked at him.
“No.” He looked disgruntled.
“Want some help?”
“You ever wear a tie before?”
“Sometimes. Girls can wear anything they want.” She couldn’t let him know she’d been practicing for this very moment.
He put his hands on his hips. “Do your worst. It has to be better than my worst. Which is every damned time.”
She smiled. He handed her the tie. She reached up to unbutton the wings of his collar. It seemed he’d gotten taller than when she’d first met him. And she was wearing heels today. His body was hard beneath her wrists. She tried not to linger, shooting him a quick glance to see if he’d noticed her touching him. She flipped his collar up. “You have to bend closer so I can get this around your neck.”
He did. She almost fainted…and then he sniffed her, making her skin tingle. “You smell good. Is that lemon?” he asked.
Casey knew she had to be blushing because her neck and face felt on fire. “Yes.” She made short work of doing his tie, then drew him close so she could fold his collar over his tie and button it down again. She didn’t lift her gaze above his neck the whole time. And when she finished that, she adjusted the lie of the tie, smoothing her hand over it down his chest.
“Thanks, sweet pea. Your best is a whole lot better than my worst.”
“Sure.” She stepped back, wishing, wishing that had taken a lot longer to do. The rest of the boys were all tidied up. She met Max’s gaze and got a raised eyebrow from him.
Aunt Hope came in then, thankfully stealing his focus. The boys began filing out. Jim had promised all kinds of delicious-sounding appetizers to hold everyone until dinner. The feast was scheduled early, so they’d all skipped lunch.
Hope checked Lion, then kissed his cheek. “I’m so happy we’re together, Lion.”
He gave his sister a big hug. “Me too.”
Casey followed Miss Wynn and the boys out.
Max drew Hope into his arms as the gym cleared. “You see Lion and Casey together? I think I need to tell that boy how to play it cool with the girls.”
Hope looked shocked. “Casey’s thirteen. He is not thinking about her, so you’ll do no such thing, Mads.”
He grinned and kissed her.
“Is that playing it cool?” she asked.
“No. That’s me, hot as fuck for you. We could be late to the feast…”
“Not a chance. We’re all here, all of us together. And the war is over. Mostly. I don’t want to miss a minute of today.”
He kissed her forehead. “I love you.”
She sighed. “I love you too.”
Owen reached over to take Addy’s hand. Everyone was out on the wide patio, sitting at two rows of tables. Russ and Jim had made everything look amazing, with tablecloths, autumn flower arrangements, and little gourds scattered here and there.
The entire pride, who looked great in their suits, were enjoying the feast. His fighters were relaxed and happy. All down the line, the families sat together. Ty’s dad was there. So was the sheriff. Even Owen’s dad. Jax sat across from Addy. Troy was next to her, but Augie was with the watchers. Owen tried not to fixate on that. His son was here. Safe. The rest they could work on. It just wasn’t easy seeing the sadness in Addy’s eyes when she looked over at her boy, who was sitting with his back to them. Maybe it was time he had a talk with him.
A convo Val was having midway down the table caught his attention. “…So I guess Ace and I will be going to physical therapy together in a few weeks.”
“And we just have to walk out to the stables for our sessions,” Ace said.
Val frowned and looked from Ace to Mandy. “Don’t tell me I have to ride a horse.”
“Nah, Val, you don’t have to ride one,” Rocco said. “Mandy knows how fussy you are. You can bench press one so you can get your arm strength back.”
Mandy laughed. “Look at it this way, Val. If you do start riding, you can get a whole new wardrobe…”
Val’s brows went up. He smiled at Ace. “I would look good in a cowboy hat.”
Blade shook his head. “Nothing like a rhinestone cowboy to put a shine on the place.”
Owen felt an odd swelling in his chest. It was happiness, through and through. He looked at Addy, wondering if she felt the same. He’d never expected to have so large a family, and now he couldn’t imagine life any other way.
Owen was in the sitting room outside in his bedroom wing with Addy and Troy that evening. She was reading her son a bedtime story. It had been a hectic day. It was nice getting to unwind with them. There was just one thing missing: Augie.
Owen’s phone buzzed. Partners’ meeting. Den. 5 min.
“Hey. I have to go talk to Val.” Owen kissed Addy. “Wait up for me, okay?”
“We will. You’ll go get Augie afterwards? I think he’s still with the pride. It’s time for bed,” Addy said.
“You bet.”
Owen got to the den first. Val closed the door behind him, then perched himself on the arm of the sofa.
“What’s up?” Owen asked.
“Today was a good day.”
Owen nodded, waiting for Val to get to the point.
Val read his impatience and grinned. “Just wanted to touch base, see how you’re doing. I’m glad the guys know and are cool with my being a silent partner.”
“Silent, right,” Owen scoffed.
“So how are you doing with the dad stuff?”
Owen sighed. “I’ll figure it out.”
“I don’t doubt it. But what’s it like?”
Owen absently stared at the edge of the carpet that framed the sitting area of the den. “It makes my heart hurt. I get the feeling Augie doesn’t want to be my son.”
“I don’t think that’s true. He doesn’t know you yet. When you were gone, your absence affected all of us. For a quiet guy, your not being here was sure loud. You’re not a helluva lot older than I am, but you pull us all together. Like a dad. Augie will learn that about you in time.”
“I hope so.”
“He hasn’t had a lot of experience with dads. The first one he had really fucked him over. Then three years with the watchers—which, was probably the best thing that could have happened to him under the circumstances—saved his life. Lion, and whoever was his leader before that, were good guys. But being a cub is his norm now. Fitting in, being needed…having something important to do. Somehow, you may need to appeal to that. Talk to him. Listen to him. He’s not a fighter waiting to take orders. He’s a boy who needs to know there’s a spot for him in his family.”
“Of course there’s a spot for him.”
“You know that and I know that, but does he?”
“I just don’t know how any of this works.” He looked over at Val. “It’s not like we had normal childhoods to pull from.”
“Who does? What the fuck is normal anyway?” Val laughed. “We all just survive our childhoods so we can spend a fortune on shrinks. You are’t going to go wrong with him…or not so bad the shrinks won’t be able to fix, anyway.”
Owen laughed. “Great.”
“So what’s the plan w
ith Addy? She’s not out of the woods yet, not when someone with an app can still take her out.”
“We’ll continue to work with the Ratcliffs and the other scientists my dad found. Thing is, they said the nanos need periodic renewal. I don’t know how frequent that is, but she only had one dose—from the bee sting, I’m guessing. Unless the doctors who examined her gave her more of the modifying agent. I wonder if she’s one of the people whose physiology is taking over from the nanos. On the one hand, we may be able to just let the nanos wear out and pass from her system. On the other hand, she may have to maintain a certain level of them. I don’t know. But I don’t like the idea that she will be forever young, while I age and die.”
“You could take the modifications, too.”
“Addy and I talked about that. But what’s it like never getting old? Living longer than your children and friends?” He shook his head. “This is not something I ever expected to deal with.”
“Talk to your dad. Ask him. He looks like your brother now. It’s so fucked up it’s cool.”
“And we’re definitely going to need to increase or improve our technology. Anywhere Addy goes, she’s going to need to be protected from another cyberattack. And I don’t know what may happen to Wynn from the bumblebee that stung her. Maybe it was just a sedative that was delivered. Maybe it was the nanos.”
“We need our own lab.”
“We do. I’ll talk to Ratcliffs, Doc Beck and my dad. We could build one here, but there might be another place that makes more sense, like at the clinic.”
“And what about Jax? We joining forces with his team?”
“Yeah. I think so. We have a lot to still figure out.”
Val got up and came over to put a hand on Owen’s shoulder. “Okay. Just remember, you aren’t in this alone.”
“Thanks, Val.”
It wasn’t until the next morning that Owen caught Augie by himself. He and Addy wanted to break the news to the boys that they were going to be married. His boy’s security necklace placed him in the movie room. Alone.
The room was dark. A faint bluish glow came from the blank screen. Augie was sitting in the back row. Owen sat next to him. “Want me show you how it works? Might be more fun than watching nothing.”
Augie shrugged.
“Want to talk?” Owen asked.
“No.”
“Mind if I talk?”
Augie shrugged again. “Go ahead.”
Owen suddenly didn’t know what to say. How do you tell your own flesh and blood everything that’s in your heart when there’s no foundation to base it on? Jeez, how the hell do you talk to a kid?
Augie looked at him. “You got something to say or not?”
Owen looked at the blank screen. “I have so much to say that I don’t know how to do it in a way that makes sense. I didn’t know about you until a few weeks ago. When I learned your mom and I had a son, my whole life shifted. For a long time, it hadn’t been about anything. And suddenly, it was. I know you’re a kid and that probably doesn’t make any sense at all. One day, we’ll tell you what happened and how it was that I didn’t know about you.” He looked at his boy. “I would just like to say that I’m very glad to have you in my life. I have no idea how to be a dad, but I’ll figure it out.”
Augie nodded. “I don’t know much about being a son. I was a good cub.”
“I know you were. I’m proud of you for that. Being a cub isn’t something just any boy could do.”
“I thought my old dad killed Mom the day they took me.” Tears were filling his son’s pale blue eyes.
“She was hurt pretty bad. Spent a while in the hospital. She’s one tough lady, your mom.”
“What’s going to happen to her with her sickness?”
“I don’t know yet. It’s brand new territory for all of us. I do know she’s safe here. You and your brother are safe here. We have the experts on hand to help us work through this. We’ll take it a day at a time and figure it out.”
“What if she dies?” The tears that had been gathering splashed down Augie’s cheeks.
Owen shook his head. “I can’t even think about that. I’d be wrecked. You and Troy would be crushed. But the truth is, life would go on. It has a way of healing. Maybe it’s just its relentless march forward that stops for no one. If something happens to your mom, you’d still have me. And if something happens to me, then one of my friends here will take you and Troy into their families. You know why?”
Augie shook his head, his eyes still swimming tears.
“Because that’s what families do. And that’s what we are. It’s pretty damned awesome. There is one thing I’m going to need your help with eventually.”
“What’s that?”
“When it’s safe to do so, we may try to reconnect Lion’s cubs and the boys from other prides with their families.”
“Lion said the watchers were orphans.”
Owen nodded. “Some of them are. But some may still have families out there who are sick with worry like your mom and I were when we didn’t have you. You may need to help them make that transition.”
“What if they don’t want to go?”
“That’s something we’ll have to work through. They should never have been taken from their families in the first place. You reconnecting with us will be a help to them down the line, when and if that’s something they may face. You good with that?”
“Yeah. I could do that, Dad.”
Owen smiled at his son. “Thanks, son. Now let’s go find your mom. She and I have some news for you boys.”
They stood, but before they could walk out of the movie room, Augie had another question. “When you and Mom get married, will you be Troy’s dad, too?”
“How’d you know we were getting married?”
“Your men were watching you from the living room windows the other day.”
Owen shook his head. There was no frickin’ privacy here. “So that’s the news Mom and I wanted to break to you boys. Pretend you’re surprised and delighted. And about Troy—you bet I’ll be his dad, too. I love you both very much.”
Augie hugged him. Owen returned the embrace, feeling happier than he’d ever been or ever even knew he could be.
Owen had a hand on Augie’s back when they joined Addy and Troy in the little living room in their suite. Addy studied Owen’s face, terribly nervous to see how his talk with their son had gone. Looked like it went pretty well.
“So, boys, Mom and I have some news for you.” Owen looked at her. “Do you want to tell them or should I?”
“You go ahead.”
“Mom and I are getting married.” He grinned.
Augie hugged Addy, then hugged him. “That’s great.”
Addy looked at Troy. He looked a little sad. “Does this mean I have to go be a cub now, since you aren’t my dad?”
Owen looked shocked. He knelt in front of Troy. “I can understand that thinking, but that would break my heart. I already consider you my son. Our marriage just makes it official. I’d really like to be your dad.”
Addy started to cry silent tears.
Troy looked at her then jumped into Owen’s arms. “I thought you were going to get rid of me, since you had Augie back.”
Owen tried to chuckle, but it just came out like a choked sound. “What kind of father does that sort of thing?” He hugged Troy, then squeezed his head against his face and kissed his temple. “Not the kind of father I am.” He reached a hand over to Addy, who took Augie’s hand, too. “We’re a family. We stick together.”
Troy climbed off Owen’s lap and onto Addy’s. “Okay. Then you can get married.”
Augie laughed. Owen leaned forward and hugged Addy around Troy.
“I guess it’s official. We’re going to be Tremaines soon,” Addy said, smiling as Owen gave her a quick kiss.
“Do I get to call you Dad?” Troy asked.
Owen’s brow lifted. “Try calling me anything else.”
Other Books by Elaine Le
vine
Red Team Series
(This series must be read in order)
1 The Edge of Courage
2 Shattered Valor
3 Honor Unraveled
3.5 Kit & Ivy: A Red Team Wedding Novella
4 Twisted Mercy
4.5 Ty & Eden: A Red Team Wedding Novella
5 Assassin’s Promise
6 War Bringer
6.5 Rocco & Mandy: A Red Team Wedding Novella
7 Razed Glory
8 Deadly Creed
9 Forsaken Duty
Men of Defiance Series
(This series may be read in any order)
1 Rachel and the Hired Gun
2 Audrey and the Maverick
3 Leah and the Bounty Hunter
4 Logan’s Outlaw
5 Agnes and the Renegade
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at [email protected]
Published by Elaine Levine
Copyright © 2017 Elaine Levine
Last Updated: November 26, 2017
Cover art by The Killion Group, Inc.
Cover image featuring Chase Ketron © Golden Czermak @ Furious Fotog
Editing by editing720
Proofing by Carol Agnew
All rights reserved.
Print ISBNs:
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About the Author
Elaine Levine lives in the mountains of Colorado with her husband and a rescued pit bull/bull mastiff mix. In addition to writing the Red Team romantic suspense series, she’s the author of several books in the historical western romance series Men of Defiance.
Forsaken Duty, The Red Team Series, Book 9 Page 31