Page 105 of Crimson Flames

“Batman? Do you mean your brother? Alexi?”

Kai laughs. “Yeah, he’s basically Batman. Rich, obsessed with the color black, drives a batmobile, and does all the badass stuff Bruce Wayne does.”

I shake my head knowing that is Evie’s nickname for him when he is being sassy or when she needs his attention. I bet he loves that Kai calls him that too.

“Okay, I have another question for you,” I say, knowing I need to get started on dinner soon.

“I’m an open book.”

“What can we do to make you feel safe here?”

I need him to know it isn’t just about the fancy things. His room should be his safe space, and I want to make sure he feels that way too.

“I overheard Evie say something, and I would actually really like to talk to you about it.”

Leaning forward, I make sure he knows he has my undivided attention. “I am listening.”

“She said they all have trackers that can monitor their heart rate and ensure they find each other if anything happens.”

I nod. “They do. A few years ago Evie was kidnapped, and they felt a tracker would be best.”

Kai swallows before looking me in the eyes. “I want one.”

Startled by his admission, I sit back against the desk. “Why?”

“I just have this feeling,” he presses his hand to his chest, “and I think we need them. Besides, if I ever decided to hang back, I could still monitor you all and know you’re safe, and you would be able to do the same. It takes away some of the guessing or worrying if we ever have to be apart.”

He makes a good point. I have to admit I have thought about it a few times, but actually following through made me feel like I was grasping for too much control.

“I understand, and we can talk with Nessa and Cillian to see how they feel. How does that sound?”

He shrugs, glancing down at the bed and playing with the edge of the soft sheet. “I want to know what you think first.”

“I honestly love the idea. It would give us all some reassurance. But as you know, we all come with our own set of baggage and trauma, so I would like to discuss it with Nessa and Cillian to ensure they are comfortable as well.”

Kai seems to sigh in relief now that he knows I am on his side.

“Thank you for telling me,” I say.

His stomach growls as he stands. “Thanks for listening, Pops.”

“I’ll always listen,” I promise.

“And I know I can always come to you.”

I may have been a shitty father the first time around, but I have a feeling that this time, I just might get it right.

Chapter 41

My arm still aches a bit where the tracker sits. After Kai and Boris came to us last night, everything happened pretty quickly. I had no issues with the device, especially after everything that’s happened to us in the past, and Cillian was on board too.

He was so on board that he nearly spit his drink across the room shouting that Kai was a little genius. I got the feeling he was a big fan of that nickname too.

It helps knowing I will be able to check in on Kai if we are ever separated. I know he won’t be going on some missions with us, and it’s nice that we can know the others are safe as well astheir exact location. Lev programmed them so that we can even see how high in the air the person is, which makes it possible to detect the exact floor someone is on in a building.

I hope Kai knows this means he won’t ever get away with shit, but I have a feeling he doesn’t want to. We are doing our best to create a relationship with him where he can trust us with the truth, and I hope it stays that way.

“Are you ready?” Laney asks as she buckles the twins into their car seats. Akio and Adrian needed some alone time, and Laney thought we could all take the girls to get their nails done. Evie’s coming too, but only because she wants a massage at the spa.

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