Chapter 27
Tyce and his men waved off the last of the StoneCrow Sentries who’d come to protect their women while they’d been at StoneCrow. Thanking them, and catching up with a few he considered friends, had taken much longer than Tyce had expected. He hadn’t been surprised when Briel had come to him and whispered she was going up to take a shower and change. He didn’t want her out of his sight, but he understood, even if his dick ached like a bad tooth to follow her up to that shower.
Now the sun was setting across the snow-crusted plains as the last of the vehicles pulled out. Sighing, he knew he’d have to wait until tomorrow to show Briel what she needed to see.
In the house, Conn met him in the foyer. “The alarms have been checked. James in on video surveillance tonight. We’ve also got four Sentries from StoneCrow who’ve agreed to stay on until we can get more men assigned here. We’ve got a full team out on patrol and they’ll swap out at o-four hundred. I’m taking a team out in twenty.” He grinned, “Me and the boys are going hunting. You want any prey brought back or just disposed of?”
“Bring me whoever’s in charge. I need to find out how much they know and how far they’re willing to take this.”
Conn nodded and turned to leave.
Weary, Tyce intentionally stood a moment and assessed whether he was actually satisfied with his directive. He wouldn’t be caught slipping again, not where Briel and Fena were concerned. Yeah, he needed Intel. Someone had to be brought back. He took a step and then stopped. “Commander?”
Conn stopped and turned back to him.
“Conn,” Tyce began again, less formally. “I’m sorry.”
Conn’s brow furrowed.
“I’m sorry I didn’t do right by you before. Once you found Aries, I should have turned this place into a fucking fortress. I failed again with York, Sky, and little Olivia.” He shook his head dejectedly. “I never understood the true value of what you had, and I apologize.”
“Apology not needed.”
“Yeah,” he scrubbed a hand down his face. “It is. I can’t change the past, but from here on out, things’ll be different. I’m gonna give StoneCrow a run for its money and with any luck, I’ll have you and York back here on a permanent basis. I should’ve made changes before, and I failed, but I’m gonna fix that, and not just because I want more Sentries here. I want you and York’s families here because you all are my family. I haven’t taken good care of you all, but I vow to change that. I’m gonna make this place so damn safe that Fena, Wynter, and Olivia will be able to play in the front yard unattended.”
Conn grinned, but didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. If Tyce said he was going to make changes then that’s exactly what he’d do.
“You’re gonna have to hire staff. We’ll be needing schooling for our kids.”
Nodding, Tyce agreed, “Already on it.”
“Good. I was getting worried. I like it better here, but I’ve got to do what’s best for my girls. If my Wynter can get schooling here, and you vow my Aries will be safer, then we’ll be here full time.”
The relief that flooded Tyce was weighty. He hadn’t realized just how much he’d been hoping to get Conn and his family back at Apex full time until now. “Consider it done.”
“Done and done.” Conn dipped his head in a nod and then grinned. “You look like shit, man.”
Tyce snorted a laugh. “Thanks.”
Jerking his head toward the stairs, Conn grinned. “Your girls are in Fena’s room, giggling and telling stories last I checked. You best go check on ‘em.”
“Will do, thanks. And be safe out there.”
Conn nodded and then made for the door.
Glancing at his watch, Tyce was surprised that Fena and Briel were still awake. It was later than Fena usually stayed up, but he figured that after what she’d been through, Briel probably needed to spend some time with Fena.
At the top of the landing, his intention was to head to the guest room he’d been sleeping in. It was on the other side of Fena’s room, putting her room between his and the large suite where Briel slept. Briel’s suite was actually his, but he’d had his things cleared out the second he knew he’d be bringing his Angel back to Apex.
Stopping at his door, he listened to Fena’s peel of laughter roll down the hall. The sound never failed to make him smile, and while he wanted to give the sisters some time alone, his inner beasts had to lay eyes on them. He needed to see that they were both okay.
Fena’s door was partially open so he peeked his head inside. The room was all pink paint, lace fabrics, and satiny sweetness. On the large canopied bed, Briel cuddled Fena close as they whispered and then laughed. His gut clenched with the need to go climb on the bed and pull them both into his arms. Instead, he cleared his throat, “Mmhmm.”
Both their heads jerked up.
“Uncle Tyce!” Fena jumped up and ran to the edge of the bed in her bright purple zip-up pajama with slipper feet. Entering the room, he caught her just as she vaulted off the edge of the bed and into his arms. He was surprised at how trusting she’d grown in the time since she’d been at Apex. He loved it. There wasn’t any awkward phase where he had to work hard to earn her trust. She simply gave it. His eyes shifted to Briel, and he wondered what he’d have to do to earn the same reaction to his presence from her.
“If it’s okay,” Briel started, “I’m gonna sleep in here with Fena tonight.”
“Of course it’s alright. He sat on the end of the bed, nestling Fena close. “And you don’t have to ask, Angel.” Without thought he reached out, wrapping his warm hand around the arch of her socked foot and squeezed once. She didn’t jerk back, and even that small gesture felt like acceptance.
“I’m sorry, Briel.”
She dipped her head. “Don’t.”
“I made you a promise, and I didn’t keep it.”
“A pinky promise?” Fena asked, looking up at him and using a finger to trace the scar that ran through his lips.
He smiled at her innocence.
“Fena!” Briel admonished.
“It’s fine.” Tyce pulled back and kissed Fena’s finger. “Not a pinky promise, sweetheart. A Walker promise. It’s like a pinky promise, but bigger.”
Fena held up her pinky and pinched one eye closed as she pulled her finger close to her open eye to study it. “How you make a Walker promise?”
Tyce linked his pinky with hers. “It’s like a pinky promise, but you kiss instead.”
Fena looked at Briel. “You kiss?”
Briel blushed but nodded.
“Promise!” Fena released Tyce’s pinky to cup his cheeks before pecking him on the lips. Pulling back, she laughed and pointed at Briel. “Promise.”
Tyce slid his gaze from Fena to Briel.
“Promise!” Fena jabbed her finger repeatedly at Briel.
“Oh, it’s okay, nerd. He already…”
Fena sprang to her feet and started bouncing up and down as she chanted, “Pro-mise, pro-mise, pro-mise!”
Tyce got up and circled the bed, his eyes locked on Briel who starred up at him wordlessly. He crawled onto the bed behind her, and it dipped with his weight, making Briel’s body roll until it was flush up against his. She tried to scoot back, but his hand on her hip stilled her.
Fena stopped chanting and dropped to her knees to watch. Leaning forward, she whispered in awe, “Promise.”
Leaning down, Tyce covered Briel’s mouth with his own.