Page 38 of These Little Heirs
What I wanted was not to be stuck between Morvan and my brothers. Though, we were both stuck in that spot. So I nodded for Ciro to bring me my pants. Morvan waited patiently. This wasn’t the first time he’d woken me up at this time of the night. When I opened the door he waved a six pack of MoonSparks beer and asked if he could come in.
His blond hair was in need of a trim and he carried bags around under his eyes that looked large enough for him to tuck a few extra bottles into. Jail hadn’t been kind to him.
“He could’ve left,”my dragon huffed and I had to stop him from sending smoke billowing out of my nose.
“Guess you heard by now that Torvan got out,” Morvan said, glancing around the kitchen. “Went to the wrong house at first. Didn’t think Cobalt was going to tell me where you were and he didn’t. Neither did Indigo but to be fair I didn’t see Indigo. At least, I don’t think I did. Had to go over to your parents’ house and ask and Nicky nearly set me on fire for startling him.”
“Sit down,” I pointed to the table and then plopped down in my usual chair.
Ciro was in the living room, but ears were open wide over our mating link. I didn’t think Morvan would throw a haymaker but what the hell did I know anymore? He sat down and for a long moment neither of us said anything.
“If you had told me Nicky had his baby, I wouldn’t have gone over there at all. Man is scary enough when he’s not a flaming wolf ready to eat me. His little girl is adorable, though.”
I smiled despite myself.
“Baby Nicobell is adorable,” I nodded.
“Manny’s turn to name the baby again?” Morvan smirked, popping open a beer on the edge of the table.
“Yeah. Easy enough to guess, huh?”
“Yeah,” he nodded and passed me a beer. “Still cold too.”
I popped it open and we drank in silence for a long time neither of us sure how to be on the opposite side of things. For years now, we’d worked, built, and killed side-by-side. I didn’t hold what Torvan did against him. I didn’t even hold his fraternal loyalty against him. I just didn’t know where we stood. Maybe Cobalt was right and we couldn’t just pick up right where we left off.
“How is he?” I asked when I couldn’t stand the silence any longer.
“He’s fine. He did well in jail. I mean it’s a Moonscale jail not some ancient human prison. They fed him filet mignon for the love of Juda. They fed me too even if they kept threatening to arrest me for not leaving. Clarence wouldn’t let them,” he smirked. “He doesn’t want anymore trouble with you.”
“You know at the very least Torvan did a really fucking dumb thing, right?” I asked.
“He thinks the same thing about us and you can’t say we’ve never offed anyone because we have.”
“I don’t think this is something we can find middle ground on, Mor,” I said. “I hate that it’s come to this but when it comes to life and death there isn’t a middle ground. There’s alive and there’s dead. I meant it when I said I’d do anything to protect my family, friends, and the people within our territory. I still mean that. More than anything I meant it with Ciro. Coming after me is whatever. That’s a daily occurrence but he came after a house where my brothers and their mates could’ve been. After the petrol station explosion everyone knew at least one of them was pregnant. He’s not on our side, Mor.”
“So am I just supposed to leave him out to dry?” Morvan asked, leaning back in the chair but sitting his beer on the table.
“I’m not telling you what to do. That’s not my job. If Ciro hadn’t been there Guardie would’ve killed him. You were there at Reve’s murder scene. You know what he can do. So, that’senough for me. We spared his life and gave him a chance to do better with other people.”
“Are you saying I’m out?” Morvan asked, his voice lowering.
“I’m saying you can’t be in if you think Torvan is any different than the man you took Indigo to kill,” I nodded.
“Do you think they’re going to let you toss me out?”
“You wouldn’t be here if they were still letting you into the warehouse and we both know it. You’re already out by popular vote,” I said. “I’m sorry, Morvan.”
“Are you serious?” he asked me, his voice going quieter with each word. “You’re going to cast me off too like we’ve never been friends? Like I haven’t taken heads over your little aunt and uncle?”
“Morvan, I won’t let anyone hurt you if I can help it. I’d never –”
“Just Torvan, though, right?” Morvan growled. “You at least going to give me a head’s up on when they’ll come for him?”
“What?” I blinked.
“What do you think they’re going to do? Do you really think I sat in that place that smelled like stale peanuts to make a point to your grandparents? He tried to fucking kill you. He says he wasn’t going for the house but he’s a dumbass. From the outside it looks like he tried to kill you and even if I think he’s just a stupid mother—Even if I think he’s that big of an idiot I know what it looks like. They’re going to go after him. They’re going to try to anyway, but I know how they work and how—”
“Shit!” I pushed myself upright ready to find my boots, but Ciro was already bringing them into the kitchen along with socks and a shirt.
