Page 83 of Shadowed Obsession

I nod, turning my face toward him and placing a kiss against his chest. “I'll be here.”

“And our backup generators didn't kick on at the clubhouse,” Silas says, brows furrows and lips pressed into a firm line.

Admittedly, I don't know a ton about generators, but I feel like that's probably not a good thing. I thought that's the whole reason you have one—so it kicks on when the power goes out.

“Shit,” Bane curses, sharing a look with Silas. “I'll check it out.”

“Be careful,” I warn both of them.

Both of them smirk at me, the corners of their mouths tipping up in exactly the same way. It's almost unnerving really.

“We'll be right back,” Nova says as he and Bane walk backward toward the stairs.

I nod and head toward Hunter on the couch. I snag a blanket from the basket next to the end table and wrap it around him. He looks up at me, his dark brown eyes wide with fear.

Sometimes it's hard to remember that he's only five, he spends so much time around adults that he's picked up these little mannerisms and speech patterns.

But then he sends me one of these looks, and it's like all these maternal instincts I didn't even know I had kick in. No, not kick in—they bleed from my skin.

It's why when he leans into me, his voice tight and brows pinched together, my heart thumps almost painfully.

“Eve, I forgot Flopsy,” Hunter whispers. His eyes widen, fear keeping his little face drawn tight. “He's all alone upstairs, and he's so scared. I just know it.”

I'm nodding and pushing to my feet immediately. “It's alright. I'll go get him.”

“No,” Silas says, startling me. I was so focused on Hunter I didn't realize he was standing next to me. “I'll go get Flopsy. You stay here with Evie, bud.” Silas bends down in front of me and kisses the top of Hunter's hair, squeezing his shoulder once.

The nickname falls from his mouth so effortlessly, like he's been calling me Evie for years. And my traitorous heart skips a beat inside my chest, letting me know exactly how that little affection nickname affects me.

35

EVANGELINE

“I'll be right back,”Silas tells me, turning around and hustling toward the stairs without looking at me. His attention is glued to his phone.

“Just one second, okay, Hunter? I gotta ask your dad to grab me some pants too.” I flash him my most reassuring smile.

Hunter looks at me, probably not really understanding that I don't want to be caught literally pantless in the slim chance that we get some truly bad weather. Nana Jo always taught me to be prepared, but somewhere along the way, I've forgotten the weather component to that particular tidbit of wisdom.

Hunter eyes my oversized tee. I thought it was Lincoln's, the one I've been sleeping with since I snagged it from his house. But I'm only now realizing that the material is all wrong. It's black and big, but it's a little longer, hitting me closer to my knees. It's soft and smells like fresh laundry though.

“It's not a sleepover anymore if we put on real clothes instead of our pjs,” he says.

I nod, my face matching his serious one. “Okay, maybe I'll ask him to get me sleep pants.”

Hunter tips his head to the side and nods a couple times. He looks like a little snowman bobble head wrapped up in the fleece blanket like that. “I'll allow it.”

“Be right back.” I pat his knee and push up from the couch. Jogging to catch up to Silas at the bottom of the stairs, I reach out and rest my hand on his shoulder. “Wait.”

He stills, his gaze dropping to my hand sliding over his bicep. “What do you need, Evangeline?”

“Just a couple of bunnies.” I deliver the line perfectly, the opportunity too good to pass up.

He turns to face me, his expression as closed off as always. “Cute,” he says, his tone saying he thought it was anything but.

I lift a shoulder and let my grin unfold. “I thought so. But I'm serious. Grab Bingo when you get Flopsy.”

“Don't act like you know my son better than I do,” he snaps, folding his arms across his chest.

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