When the alarm went off, Julius curled himself tighter around Kat instead of getting up.

She growled. “Jules, if you don’t shut that thing off, I’m going to throw you at the alarm clock.”

“I’m up.” He nuzzled the curve between her shoulder and neck until she giggled and swatted him. “Go on, big DDC agent. Go get the bad guys.”

He got out of bed and put on his pants. Even the nagging sensation they were doing something wrong couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. They’d done everything exactly like Lilith and Trina suggested. The Watchers—all but Tamriel—now thought Kat was in an open relationship with a doppelgänger. For the first couple of weeks, Trina and Duncan had moved their quarters next door to his and Kat’s room at the Citadel so they could get used to the new name without the Watchers seeing and hearing their every word.

Two weeks ago, they’d moved to Seattle where they shared an apartment with Harrison. They were safe from prying eyes and ears while inside—Lilith had shielded the place from the Watchers. At night, he went to work with Scott and Harrison.

He finished dressing in his DDC uniform, gave his sleepy-eyed mate a kiss, and headed into the shared space of their living quarters to get his weapons.

Windows covered the majority of one wall of the room. They were set on a timer that automatically closed them from sunrise to sunset. Kat had decorated the place. Not like her yellow-bright kitchen, but in earthy tones, with large pieces of furniture and a wall dedicated to all types of electronics. The whole place screamed man cave and he loved it.

Harrison stood in the kitchen staring down at his open laptop. He glanced up. “You read about this?” He turned the device.

George was sprawled out on the counter, tummy up, so he gave the minion a rub. On the screen was a picture of Senator Dorset and his daughter, Angie, with the headline, “Dorset’s Anti-daemon Plan Goes Awry.”

“What’s it say?”

Harrison pulled his keys out and unlocked the safe bolted to the counter so Julius could get his weapons.

“Dorset’s facing charges of embezzlement—guess we know where all the DDC funding went—and breaking treaty laws. Even better, his little pet is going back to jail.”

“Good.” Julius shuddered. “That woman was terrifying—a cross between Jessica Rabbit and the Woman in Black. I can’t believe you left me alone with her.” He grabbed his sidearm and holstered it. Reached for his Guardian blade and had to jerk his hand back as Harrison snapped the lid shut.

“What did you say?”

He looked up. Harrison was staring at his chin instead of his eyes. “I said, Angie was fucked up.” Had he said something wrong? “Why, were you into her or something?”

“I didn’t . . .” Harrison snapped his mouth shut. Clenched his jaw. “You fucking bastard.” He came around the counter. “Pull up your shirt.”

Shit. He’d known that someday, this whole whack-a-doddle plan would fall apart. That one of them would say or do something to give the game away. He was constantly catching himself before he said something Julian couldn’t possibly know. And now he’d fucked up. What the hell had he said? “Think that’s more Scott’s gig, man.”

Harrison snorted, didn’t even acknowledge the barb. “I never left Julian alone with Angie. I left Julius alone with her.”

You gotta fix this, boss. “Look at me, Harrison.” He could hypnotize him. Make him forget the last few minutes. Everything would be fine again.

“I thought it was weird, you know, Kat switching allegiances so quick. Didn’t fit with what I knew of her but, hell, people do weird shit when their grieving, right?”

“I can fix this, pup. It’s nothing to worry about.”

“You’re slipping, Jules.” He chuckled but still wouldn’t look him in the eyes. “That’s twice now. Julian didn’t know about that.”

Things were just starting to go right, damn it. He had a job he liked. He enjoyed working with Harrison and Scott. Things were going spectacularly good with Kat. “Look at me.”

Harrison didn’t lift his gaze. “How? How did you do it?”

Someone knocked at the door. Scott, no doubt, here to give them a lift. If they didn’t answer, he’d let himself in with his key. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will. Look. At. Me.”

Harrison shook his head. “After you saved my life twice? Fuck off or answer my question.”

He grabbed the lapels of Harrison’s uniform and shoved him against the wall. “Damn it, look at me!”

“Jules?” Kat’s voice called. “What’s wrong?”

Harrison’s eyes were closed. He couldn’t even try to edge into his line of sight.

The door opened. “Hello?”

“Jesus, please, look at me.”

Scott walked into the entryway, pausing when he saw what was happening. “Bad time?”

“Fuck.” Julius released Harrison. Turned to find Kat staring. “He knows, butterfly. I’m sorry.”

Her eyes widened. Her gaze jerked to Harrison. To Scott. “The apartment’s protected. Harry, just look at Jules. You know he won’t hurt you.”

“Yeah, I do. But after his fuck-up this morning, I’m thinking he’s gonna need help keeping this ruse going. Someone to smooth over his blunders. You weren’t always with him, Kat. But Scott and I were when you weren’t.”

A breath shuddered out of Julius. “Jesus.” He turned to look at his partner. “You’ll keep the secret.”

Harrison rolled his eyes. “Someone’s gotta keep you from sticking those size tens in your mouth.”

Scott folded his arms over his chest. “What’d I miss?”

Harrison grinned. “The Harbinger is working for you, boss.”

Scott’s gaze shot to Julius. The corner of his mouth kicked up and he nodded. “Kinda wondered. When you asked about my daughter last night, you called her by name.”

Julius dragged his hands through his hair. “How many other times have I done something like that? Christ, the Watchers’ must’ve figured it out by now.”

Kat shrugged. “Maybe. But the humans have accepted that you’re dead. They’ve accepted that you’re Julian Crowley, the Harbinger’s brother. No one’s asking about you, so the Watchers have no reason to tell.”

Maybe.

“She’s right, man.” Harrison shrugged. “You’re just another lemming now, working nights, doing the happy-home-life thing during the day. No one gives a shit. As long as you walk the straight and narrow, no one’s going to question it.”

“All right, boys.” Scott clapped his hands together. “If the drama is over, we gotta go to work. Kiss your mate, lover boy. Time to go.”

Julius turned to Kat and gave her a peck. Did that just happen? Did they just accept him as he was? For who he was?

Kat pulled him back. “You’re not getting away that easy, baby.” She gave him a long, slow, thorough kiss.

He shook himself out of his stupor and looked at his mate. Everything was going to be fine. “I love you like crazy, butterfly.”

“If you hurry home, with no injuries, I’ll show you exactly how much I love you when you return in the morning.”

He grinned. “Deal.”