Page 29 of Cuckoo (Kindred)

When she was in need of a female perspective, there was only one woman she trusted: Bess, Art’s sister, Thad’s mom. Bess knew about the Kindred, although she didn’t travel with them and so probably didn’t know too many of the gorier details.

Brodie was still out. Tuck and Thad were still working on their tasks, but Zara had taken a break and stolen a few moments of privacy to come down to the security room and talk to Bess via secure video link.

Zara had relayed what was distracting her to the patient real-time image being beamed from the other side of the country while hoping that Bess would support her point of view. As ever, Bess smiled and listened, but she hadn’t been as empathetic as Zara might have liked her to be.

“So I’m just supposed to sit here and pretend it’s okay that he’s going to confront his ex?” Zara asked after hearing Bess’ perspective. “I know what he’s like when his temper heats up.”

The others were focused enough on their research that Zara was confident they wouldn’t be interrupted, at least until there was something significant to report. During Brodie’s dark period of grief, Zara had spent a lot of time talking to and consoling Aunt Bess, who lived most of her life in Zave’s island home.

Bess was calm and warm. Zara could tell she was used to staying neutral. Offering an ear to whichever member of the Kindred needed to vent, Bess was the non-judgmental matriarch who had no interest in vying for a top spot. She had the respect of all of the men and knew enough that no one had to watch what they said around her. On some nights, sitting in the security room talking to Bess was like sitting in the confessional.

“You trust him and he is protecting you,” Bess said, just the sound of her mothering voice was soothing. “I know it’s hard, but you’ve been through plenty together. He loves you. You don’t think he’s going to betray you and be intimate with her.”

It had been a long time since she’d had a mother figure in her life. Even when her mother was still alive, she’d been sick so often that long, heartfelt conversations were rare. Once she’d begun to bond with Bess, after Art’s death, Zara had latched onto Bess’ encouragement and acceptance. “No,” Zara said, huffing and dropping her chin into her hand. “But I don’t trust her, what if she hurts him? Or manipulates him into doing something we’re all going to regret?”

“Brodie isn’t a man who has regrets, you know that. You said he took Zave with him, they’ll keep each other safe. It’s priority one.”

Zara knew Brodie didn’t mention regrets. But he’d replayed that day in the Atlas warehouse through his mind’s eye on a loop, thinking of ways he could have gotten them all out of there alive. Guilt was a large part of his struggle to come to terms with losing Art.

Bess was right that watching each other’s backs was a priority, but Zave wasn’t a marksman and hadn’t contributed much in terms of physical force to their previous missions. She didn’t know how he’d hold up in a fight or how far he’d be willing to go. Brodie was happy to beat the crap out of men who deserved it, and he’d have no hesitation about using fatal force if he needed to. Tuck had once told her that no one was full Kindred until they’d killed. Somehow, Zave didn’t seem like the sort to get his hands dirty, not out of any righteousness, just because it would be inconvenient and taxing.

Zara wasn’t as worried about their relationship as she was frustrated by how quickly Brodie had benched her. “I don’t like it when he treats me with kid gloves.”

“He wants to protect the woman he loves. You can’t fault him for that. And you’ve abandoned him twice in the last month, so you can’t blame him for wanting to keep you at home either.”

Like she was some sort of disobedient filly, Zara sighed and looked into Bess’ soft face with its generous laughter lines and crow’s feet. She wasn’t as keen as Art or as reserved as the younger generation. Knowing Bess helped her to understand where Thad got his easy smile and positive attitude.

Brodie had done enough chasing. It made sense that he didn’t want to do any more. “I guess not.”

“You know that if you need to get away, you can come and visit us here. We’d love to have you for as long as you want to stay.”

“Thank you, that’s kind of you.” It was, but a vacation wasn’t much of a priority.

“Where is that spirit?” Bess asked, adding some pep to her voice. “My brother told me you weren’t scared of anything.”

“I’m not scared.”

“Of losing Brodie?”

She conceded that with a nod of her brows as her head tilted. Identifying her grievances was the only way to address them. “It’s embarrassing,” Zara said. “I’m not worried about losing our relationship. But I guess that what Cuckoo said is still bugging me. She was right, when Brodie was in a pinch, he called her.”

“And that insulted you?”

“He didn’t consider letting me deal with Cuckoo and Kahlil tonight. How can I be a vital part of the Kindred if Brodie can’t rely on me?”

“You kept him alive for three months, he knows you’re capable.”

“Of making soup and picking up after him?” she asked. “I’m not his mother.”

“So this is about sex?”

Growling in frustration, she pushed the chair back into a brief recline and ran her hands into her hair. “It’s not about sex. We have plenty of sex.”

“You don’t know what to think, do you, dearie?” Bess asked. Sorrow took her over, and Zara leaned forward again, bending to rest her head on her arms when she crossed them on the desk.

“He’s been gone for hours,” Zara said.

Worry for Brodie made her itchy, it made her fidget and over think. She just needed him back with her to give her a grounding. She wouldn’t be able to rest until he was with her. He’d be pissed at her for checking up on him, but she was pissed at him for dismissing her, so as far as Zara was concerned, after this, they’d be even.

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