16. Killian

Chapter sixteen

Killian

J ules slept with me when I made it to bed. Alex and Rhys had gone to bed with their papas, too. I’d scared the hell out of the little ones, but according to Jules’ memory of the event, Indy explained to all three boys what was going on. It was a teaching moment for future Kings, and Indy had told Jules I’d done what a good King was supposed to do.

After talking to Zander, I fell asleep and didn’t wake up until Jules patted my cheek. “Papa, it’s nine. Uncle is makin’ breakfast.”

I scrubbed a hand over my face and smiled at Alex and Rhys, who were standing beside the bed. “Let me get up then.”

“Papas went to see Reaper,” Rhys said.

“They be back. We have lunch here, and then we go home,” Alex said.

“Uncle said we can play on Saturday. That’s in three days!” Jules grinned.

“That is awesome!” I grinned back. “Gimme a sec.” I counted spaces to the bathroom, and when I finished, I washed my hands, opened the door, and found all three waiting right where I’d left them. I scooped Jules off the bed, causing him to giggle, and then set him on his feet. The boys took off down the bedroom hall, and I followed, listening to their plans for Saturday. I had a feeling Indy, Gio, and Dante didn’t want to leave me alone until I had a handle on the Pride.

Well, and the boys need play time, Indy thought when I reached the kitchen. Lou’s daughter can’t touch Rhys, Killy. There isn’t another Flèche like Jules so far.

Y’all are welcome any time, you know. You don’t need an excuse. Sorry I interrupted last night.

You didn’t. We were going to sleep when you roared. I went to get the boys, and Dante and Gio went to back your play. Dante said he’d seen you do that to the Guard. They messed up, and you summoned them all, Indy thought. It’s a King thing, you know. Dante just didn’t know which Pride was yours.

They were all taken at the time, Indy. I smiled and took the strawberry Jules offered me.

The doorbell gonged, and I kissed the top of Jules’ head, telling him to be still before I went to see who was there.

I opened the door to a man with MacLaden blond hair wearing a ‘Luciano Builders’ hat. “My lord, I’m Jenkins. I’m Zee’s foreman. Got what we need for the pavilion. If you show me where you want it, and we’ll run the water lines first.”

“Papa?” All three boys were at the door then, with Indy behind them. I scooped Jules up and kissed his cheek.

“Y’all eat, and after, you can watch for a little while,” I said.

“Ooh!” the boys clapped, and I set Jules on his feet again. Indy closed the door, and I headed down the steps with Jenkins. Had a feeling he was the one who’d defended me last night.

We picked a spot, and he whistled. Three trucks had come, and all were MacLadens. Each one smiled at me before they started working, and when the boys came out to see what was happening, Jenkins showed them what the crew was doing. The boys thought it was the best thing ever.

Another car pulled up, a beat-up Nova that had seen better days fifty years before. Maisy climbed out of it, and Jules reached for me. I scooped him into a hug and told him she wasn’t there to take him away. She didn’t even look at him when I went out to talk to her.

“My lord, thank you for gettin’ rid of Gerald. I didn’t wanna mate to ’im, but Papa is set in his ways,” she said, watching another young man on Jenkins’ crew. “Axl saved me the first time, and Gerald left me alone until Papa called him a couple of days ago.”

I went through her memories then, discovering she’d given herself to the young man watching us. Axl ‘saved’ her by feeding her his blood and claiming Jules because Barnham wanted her to get rid of the cub so she could marry Gerald. In her mind, Jules didn’t belong to her after that.

“Who is he?” I murmured.

Maisy sighed. “Cully. His daddy’s Naven. Papa got to keep his store, but Naven lost several hogs to Xeno. Papa thought he was better than Naven after that.”

“Does Naven have a problem with you and Cully being together?” I asked.

Her gaze met mine then. “No, not at all. Just cain’t pay the price Papa wanted for me.”

Shifters were always trading their kids for money, and it pissed me off. In Fire Ridge, the girls chose the boys, and the boys had to pay.

“How old are you?” I asked.

“Twenty-five,” she said.

“Then you’re grown, and your Papa has no say.” I smiled. “You tell him his King said so, and if he has a problem, he can talk to me. If you and Cully want to get married, then go for it.”

“Are you sure?” Maisy whispered. “You’d marry us?”

Hell. Was that one of my duties?

It is, Indy thought.

“Yep, I’ll marry you to Cully,” I nodded.

Cully hollered behind me, and I laughed softly.

“Anything else I can do for you?” I asked.

“No. Thank you, my lord.”

“Please call me Killy.”