with a stranger. I was hotheaded. Took my pain out in ways that would make you cringe.” He leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling above them.
“I’m sorry,” Vic said.
Neither Finn nor Murphy had ever really talked about the time before they joined the Marines. She knew they had dual citizenship with Ireland and the U. S. but had never figured it was any of her business.
“Murphy was supposed to be sent alone. Punishment for something that was never his fault. But I couldn’t let him. I knew he needed me.”
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked.
“Because we’re a lot alike,” he said, glancing down at her once more. “I saw how family could fail you, how everything you loved in the world could be snatched away just like that.” He snapped his fingers. “I joke with Murphy. I watch his back. But I shut him out just as much as I do everyone else when it comes to feelings and shit. It’s easy to be the loneliest man in the room when you hide it behind a quick wit and charm.”
“Finn,” she said, but he placed his finger over her lips, silencing anything she might have said.
“Don’t let fear build walls you can’t knock down,” he warned her.
“I’m not afraid of anything,” Vic replied, turning back around and setting her coffee on the counter untouched.
“We’re all afraid of something,” he said quietly.
She took a minute to gather her thoughts, figure out how to respond, but when she rotated to face him again, he was gone.
“What the hell,” she muttered to herself.
What was going on with Finn? That conversation had come out of nowhere. How could the scent of Gideon on her bring about a heart-to-heart with Finn? It was eye opening to realize that in all the years she’d known the group, she knew very little about them outside of being soldiers. What she did know, she’d learned since coming here. They’d always been a unit, but since everything that had happened recently, since Abby really, they’d become more. They’d become family, one completely different from what she’d known.
Should she go after Finn? Talk to Murphy? Or let it go? She finally decided to shake it off for now. Everyone was on edge lately, and it was starting to take a toll. The trip to Denver, the move, the knowledge that hunters were closing in on where they were. Any one of those things would be stressful, but with them occurring at the same time, it was overwhelming.
She headed down to Tah’s office and was surprised when she caught him alone. He said nothing as she entered, and she felt guilty for interrupting him. From what she saw, he very rarely had time alone any more. With how much she valued her private moments, she hated disrupting his.
He inhaled and shook his head. “You smell of Gideon.”
“Yeah. Who knew you couldn’t wash shifter off?” she joked with a shrug.
“Did he mate you?”
“I already told you, I’m not his mate,” Vic answered.
Tah didn’t say anything, just watched her with a hooded gaze that made her feel as if he were seeing inside her, deep into places she tried to hide—even from herself.
“We need to move, Tah,” she said. “This waiting and planning is frying us. We need to do something already.”
“I’m actually calling a council meeting,” Tah said. “We’ve planned enough.”
“When?”
“Now,” Tah replied. “I figured Reno sent you but apparently you just have great timing. Reno went to grab Logan and Murphy. He was also planning to look for you. Abby went to get the Professor. I had her ask Gideon to join us, as well.”
“Why? He’s not part of the council. Hell, he’s not even part of the pride,” Vic said. She wasn’t sure she could keep her hands off him. Last night should have sated her. Instead, it only made her want him more. And after the chat with Finn earlier, she wasn’t on her game at the moment.
“Exactly,” Gideon agreed, surprising her as he walked in with the Professor and Abby behind him.
Abby
“I’m sorry,” Vic said.
Neither Finn nor Murphy had ever really talked about the time before they joined the Marines. She knew they had dual citizenship with Ireland and the U. S. but had never figured it was any of her business.
“Murphy was supposed to be sent alone. Punishment for something that was never his fault. But I couldn’t let him. I knew he needed me.”
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked.
“Because we’re a lot alike,” he said, glancing down at her once more. “I saw how family could fail you, how everything you loved in the world could be snatched away just like that.” He snapped his fingers. “I joke with Murphy. I watch his back. But I shut him out just as much as I do everyone else when it comes to feelings and shit. It’s easy to be the loneliest man in the room when you hide it behind a quick wit and charm.”
“Finn,” she said, but he placed his finger over her lips, silencing anything she might have said.
“Don’t let fear build walls you can’t knock down,” he warned her.
“I’m not afraid of anything,” Vic replied, turning back around and setting her coffee on the counter untouched.
“We’re all afraid of something,” he said quietly.
She took a minute to gather her thoughts, figure out how to respond, but when she rotated to face him again, he was gone.
“What the hell,” she muttered to herself.
What was going on with Finn? That conversation had come out of nowhere. How could the scent of Gideon on her bring about a heart-to-heart with Finn? It was eye opening to realize that in all the years she’d known the group, she knew very little about them outside of being soldiers. What she did know, she’d learned since coming here. They’d always been a unit, but since everything that had happened recently, since Abby really, they’d become more. They’d become family, one completely different from what she’d known.
Should she go after Finn? Talk to Murphy? Or let it go? She finally decided to shake it off for now. Everyone was on edge lately, and it was starting to take a toll. The trip to Denver, the move, the knowledge that hunters were closing in on where they were. Any one of those things would be stressful, but with them occurring at the same time, it was overwhelming.
She headed down to Tah’s office and was surprised when she caught him alone. He said nothing as she entered, and she felt guilty for interrupting him. From what she saw, he very rarely had time alone any more. With how much she valued her private moments, she hated disrupting his.
He inhaled and shook his head. “You smell of Gideon.”
“Yeah. Who knew you couldn’t wash shifter off?” she joked with a shrug.
“Did he mate you?”
“I already told you, I’m not his mate,” Vic answered.
Tah didn’t say anything, just watched her with a hooded gaze that made her feel as if he were seeing inside her, deep into places she tried to hide—even from herself.
“We need to move, Tah,” she said. “This waiting and planning is frying us. We need to do something already.”
“I’m actually calling a council meeting,” Tah said. “We’ve planned enough.”
“When?”
“Now,” Tah replied. “I figured Reno sent you but apparently you just have great timing. Reno went to grab Logan and Murphy. He was also planning to look for you. Abby went to get the Professor. I had her ask Gideon to join us, as well.”
“Why? He’s not part of the council. Hell, he’s not even part of the pride,” Vic said. She wasn’t sure she could keep her hands off him. Last night should have sated her. Instead, it only made her want him more. And after the chat with Finn earlier, she wasn’t on her game at the moment.
“Exactly,” Gideon agreed, surprising her as he walked in with the Professor and Abby behind him.
Abby
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