Page 114 of King of Tides

I wave Lee off as she scurries off before I can grill her any further. When I look at my phone, a smile comes to my face as I see it’s Eddy. I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve talked to him.

“Hello,” I sing into the phone.

“She’s alive,” he croons on the other end.

“Oh, shut up and stop being so dramatic. I finally took a vacation like you guys are always telling me to do and you all freak out. Thank God I’m home. Papi can relax,” I huff.

“You’re back? I was just calling to see when you were heading back. I leave for Japan at the end of the week and thought we could hook up there, but if you’re home, you can come out and hang with us for a few beers. Carson is here.”

“Bro, I’m exhausted. Besides, Ardan has a lot of catching up to do. Maybe another night.”

“Since when can’t you come out if some dude can’t make it?”

“Since I have a man who’s crazy about me and I’m crazy about him. No, seriously, I want to hang, but I’msoootired. I’m going to drop in on Papi in the next few days. I’ll see you then?”

“Yeah, I’ll be around. Listen, kid, you should call Carson. He’s pretty messed up. I’m not saying you’re wrong to be happy and living your life, but the guy just wants to talk. You were his everything before this new guy showed up.”

“He’s going to have to get over that. This guy isn’t going anywhere, and I never made any promises that I’ve broken. This isn’t fair to me.

“I’m finally happy and starting a family with the man I love. I don’t ask for much, but I’m asking this once for everyone to chill.”

“Wow, starting a family? I didn’t know it was that serious.”

“Eddy, come on. I’ve been away for three months with the guy. I would say, considering we’re talking about me, that’s pretty damn serious.”

“I’m happy for you and can’t wait to meet him. Papi already loves him. I’m proud of you, Billy. You never settled. You deserve nothing but the best. I’ll see you later. Love you.”

“Love you too, Eddy. Thanks.”

I hang up with a smile on my lips. I want to take the boys to meet Mack. I don’t know if Ardan will be okay with that, but I plan to ask.

I can already see the look on his face as I introduce my two sons. Placing a hand over my belly, I smile wider. What if Lee is right? I could be carrying Ardan’s baby.

No. That know-it-all said sons. Plural. Their daddy is a twin, so I wouldn’t be surprised.

“Well, little demigods. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had enough excitement for one day.”

Ardan

“You want to talk about it?”Reilly asks as he comes to sit by me at the bar in the main hall.

“No, not entirely sure I do.”

“Well, as my big brother, you can listen. Having a mate isn’t as easy as I thought it would be. I mean, I love her. Gods, I love her. I didn’t think I could love anyone or anything as much as I love her.”

“So why do I hear a but?” I murmur.

“Because I’m still learning. I smother her because it would kill me to repeat the past. This time, she’s my mate.

“That would finish me, but I’m starting to see she was designed to be my match. I can go all alpha and shit, but Lee is the real fucking deal. If all our mates are as powerful asshe is, this war or whatever is coming is already won,” he says thoughtfully.

“That’s the least of my problems. Worrying about how powerful she is. I already know the answer to that. Billy is scary powerful. I think she would need to wear more iron than me to lock all that power down.”

“Then what’s the problem? Why have you been down here sulking instead of being upstairs with your mate and your two boys? Congratulations, by the way. I think it was the best decision.”

I’m still too pissed off to talk about it, so I show Reilly what I found in that courtyard after finding out my stone was gone. My head is still spinning. All this time, while we were looking for that water spirit, he’s been living inside my mate.

The worst part is, I think I brought him to her, but Kenji had to have a hand in binding him to her spirit.

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