Page 3 of The Evening Wolves

“Just because he’s staying at his place,” Colt said, darting another big-eyed glance at Nico, “it doesn’t mean anything. Like, he could just sleep on the couch. Nico could sleep on the couch here, and it wouldn’t mean anything.”

Emery looked at his son a little longer this time. Face on fire, Colt took out his phone, apparently to set a third timer.

“I appreciate the concern—”

“It’s not concern. I simply don’t want to have to hire another administrative assistant and teach him how to file.”

“—but you’re not my boyfriend, and you’re not my brother, and you’re not my dad.”

“You don’t talk to your brother,” Emery said. “And for someone who’s not your dad, I spent a lot of time figuring out that ridiculous health insurance you have through the college.”

“Ok, yes, that was really cool of you. And I appreciate it. But Emery—and I mean this with a lot of love—it isn’t any of your business. You’re my—” He stopped, and the unfinished sentence hung in the air.

“Ex?” Emery said drily.

“Ree,” John murmured.

“Boss?”

“A little help,” Nico said to Auggie.

“Kind of like a general in an army, only you used to have sex with him. Oh, a sex general.”

Emery cut his gaze to Auggie.

A huge smirk spread across Auggie’s face. “I’ll go check on Theo and Lana.”

“Excellent idea, August.”

For whatever reason, that only made Auggie’s smile grow as he left the room. He even did a little jump at the end and slapped the top of the opening to the living room. It reminded Emery of something his son would have done. Or, for that matter, his husband.

“You’re my friend,” Nico said. “And I hope you know how much you mean to me. But I’m an adult, and when I’m ready for you to meet—”

“The word is interrogate,” John said.

“—someone I’m interested in, I’ll introduce you. Like an adult. Not because you were skulking outside his window and when he got a little aggressive, you started tapping on the window and saying, ‘Hey, you!’”

“Oh my God,” Colt muttered.

“He peed himself.”

John gaped at Emery.

“Don’t act so shocked.” Emery settled himself at the counter again. “Very well, Nico. If you refuse to tell me, I can’t force you.”

“And I don’t want you following me.”

Emery snorted.

“Promise.”

“Why would I follow you?”

“Emery Hazard.”

For a moment, Emery considered a lie. Then outrage won out. “For heaven’s sake, Nico, it’s for your own good. The one in July was running a meth lab and had three restraining orders filed against him!”

Nico shoved the pen and paper across the counter. A blush swam under his coppery skin, but his jaw was set. “Promise.”

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