24. Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

M itchell watched as Raylee turned more and more clingy toward Jude. Raylee clearly wanted to swim, but Jude wanted to sunbathe. Raylee stayed in the water at first, swimming close to where Jude was. Todd and Evan hung out with them. Todd was a bit more socially intelligent than Evan, so he recognized something was happening with Raylee. He went into the pool even though he'd just gotten out and started chatting with Raylee. That took Raylee's mind off whatever was bothering him. But it didn't last long. He strayed closer to Jude every few minutes and then finally got out and lay on the lounger next to Jude. But that didn't last long either. Jude patted his lounger and then opened his legs. Raylee lay in between them with his back to Jude's front.

Jude whispered something to him. Mitchell didn't hear what it was. But eventually, Raylee settled.

He smiled at Mitchell when he caught him watching. Since it was sort of awkward, Mitchell decided just to ask. "Are you alright? Do you need anything? Something to eat or drink?"

Raylee waved him off. "I'm fine. Just being ridiculous."

"You're not ridiculous, Raylee." Jude met Mitchell's gaze. "It wasn't too long ago that Daruss went on a job and got in trouble. Raylee and I had to save his life. I think maybe we have a little PTSD or something."

"That explains a lot." Mitchell smiled at Raylee, who was almost as pretty as Seryn, although no one would ever rival him in Mitchell's mind. "It's okay to let yourself worry. Perfectly natural."

"You don't seem worried about Seryn." Raylee sat up. "I'm getting all sweaty."

Jude shook his head and rolled his eyes, but said nothing or moved even a little. He'd be asleep inside of twenty minutes if Mitchell didn't watch him.

"It's Seryn." Mitchell pointed to Jude. "Don't fall asleep there. You'll get burned."

Jude huffed but sat up, putting his arms around Raylee. "Wanna make out in the pool?"

"In front of your brother?" Raylee shook his head.

"I've seen him do worse." Mitchell knew he'd said the wrong thing when Jude's eyes grew round and he shook his head, mouthing the word jealous . "Not much worse, though."

Raylee turned to try to glance at Jude, but Jude held him tighter and chuckled. "Put the green monster away, pretty. I love you so much it physically hurts sometimes."

"I love you too." Raylee sounded so put out it was almost comical.

Jude stood. "I'm going into the pool. Are you coming?"

"In a second, I want to ask your brother a question."

Jude stood behind Raylee, shaking his head and pointing to himself in a ‘don't say shit about me' gesture. And then he faked stabbed himself in the chest and then pointed to Raylee. Raylee might be almost as pretty as Seryn, but that's where any similarity ended. Raylee was about as innocent as they came. Angelic even.

Mitchell waved Jude off and smiled at Raylee.

Jude was the type to just dive into the deep end without letting himself get acclimated, so Mitchell wasn't surprised when he practically cannon balled into the water and then yelled how cold it was afterward.

"Idiot." Mitchell called after him when Jude stopped making so much noise.

Jude flipped him off and swam around.

Raylee smiled at Jude. "He's happier with you home."

"I'm happy with him close by too." Mitchell didn't want to explain how it felt those months they were separated. It was like severing a limb. "He's more like my kid."

"I can tell. You talk to him the way my dad does me."

"I won't be separated from him again. If that's what your question was about."

Raylee shook his head. "No. It was about Seryn. You're really not worried about him?"

"Not in the way you mean." Mitchell was worried Seryn would have visions in rapid number, but he didn't want to share that with Raylee. The visions were between them. No one else needed to know about them. He knew Seryn felt the same way. "He's more capable of taking care of himself than anyone I've ever met in my life, and I've fought in underground rings."

Raylee's eyes widened. "What's an underground ring?"

"Like a fighting ring, but it's until someone taps out. The winner gets money." Mitchell had doubled down when he was fighting by choice. He always bet on himself.

"And you did this to get money."

"To feed and shelter Jude." And himself, but he wouldn't have put himself through that if he didn't have to make sure Jude's needs were met. Sleeping in a box had been better than getting punched on a regular basis.

"What about you? What's your story?"

"Mine is way more boring than yours." Raylee waved him off.

"Don't mistake difficult with exciting. Those things aren't the same."

"I'm not." Raylee said it quickly, but then he stopped speaking as if thinking about it. "Okay, maybe I did. Sorry. I'll rephrase. My life has been good–normal, kinda."

Mitchell nodded to Raylee's scars. "Those tell a different story."

"My parents are doctors. My dad's retired, but my mom is still in practice. She works overseas in areas desperate for medical care. She used to take my sister and I into places, if they weren't dangerous. Well, one time the medical center got bombed while I was there. And this happened. I'm fine. No lasting damage or anything."

"Does being a doctor run in the family?"

Raylee chuckled. "I came close. I'm a nurse. My sister owns a bookstore. The one in town with the dragon theme."

"Oh, yeah. We passed that place." It was the kind of place Mitchell would have robbed if he needed a little cash to tide them over.

"No stealing from my sister-in-law." Jude said as he swam over. He hung on the side of the pool, grinning at Raylee as if he were trying to be charming. By the expression on Raylee's face, it was working. "If you come swim with me, I'll give you a little surprise later."

Mitchell chuckled.

Raylee grinned. "What sort of surprise?"

"The sexy kind."

Raylee met Mitchell's gaze. "Will Seryn keep Daruss safe?"

"Probably." But he couldn't guarantee anything. The only person safe from Seryn was Mitchell. He'd kill everyone else if he deemed in necessary. "I think Daruss knows what he's getting himself into when he partners with Seryn."

"I know Daruss. That still doesn't mean he's safe." Raylee frowned.

Jude was up and out of the water in seconds. He took Raylee's face in both of his hands. "What did Daddy promise?"

"Not to put himself in danger anymore."

"You know he'll keep his promises. So, stop worrying and come swim. Let's have fun."

Raylee nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to Daddy for doubting him when he gets here."

Raylee's eyes widened. "Don't tell him."

"We don't keep secrets. You know that." Jude held Raylee's hand as he pulled him toward the pool.

"But if we just don't tell him." Raylee used the stairs to get into the water, going slow. And, of course, Jude barreled into the water.

"Raylee. Come here." Daruss surprised everyone with his deep voice and easy command, including Mitchell.

Raylee came out of the water. He headed toward the house, where Daruss stood just outside the glass doors. "No punishment. Well, maybe edging."

Daruss sighed. "Just come here, boy."

Mitchell stood and made his way past Daruss and Raylee.

Daruss had his arm around Raylee and held him close. He whispered to Raylee. Mitchell wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but he heard what Daruss said when he came close enough. "I'll always come back to you and Jude. I love you more than anything. More than everything."

Daruss stopped Mitchell when he tried to walk past. "Seryn's waiting for you in the garage."

Mitchell nodded and went inside.

He went upstairs to grab a shirt before going into the garage.

Seryn had one of the kitchen chairs sitting on top of a tarp and Archie sitting in the chair. He wasn't tied to anything, but he didn't get up either. He shook, and he was pale as he watched Seryn organize knives, using the hood of a car as a table.

When Mitchell shut the garage door behind him, they both glanced in his direction.

Archie's eyes widened when he saw Mitchell. "Oh, shit."

Seryn's smile was genuine as he closed the distance between them. "I did what you asked me to do, Daddy."

"Good boy." Mitchell kissed Seryn. Did you stay safe?

I'm perfectly fine. Aloud, he said, "I questioned him. He says he knows nothing. But I think he just needs a little incentive."

"I think you might be right, baby." Mitchell held his hand as he crossed the cement floor. He let Seryn's hand go, cracking his knuckles. "I bet you thought I was dead."

"Terrell wanted you to be. Not me, man. We're cool."

"We'll be cool if you tell me where the guns are," Mitchell lied. There wasn't any way Seryn would leave Archie alive now that he was inside his house. But Mitchell would make sure Archie's death was quick if he complied.

Not that Mitchell thought he would. Seryn was right about him needing incentive. Archie always was a self-serving bastard.

"I don't know, man."

Mitchell punched Archie in the gut. Hard enough that it stole his breath as he fell off the chair. Mitchell picked him up and placed him on the chair again. He patted Archie's cheek. "Breathe, man. Just breathe."

Archie still doubled over, so Mitchell grabbed his hair and pulled him up. He had long stringy brown hair that felt greasy to the touch.

Seryn grabbed his favorite knife and ran a finger along the flat blade.

Mitchell made sure his gaze locked with Archie's. "Here's what's going to happen. I'm going to ask you one more time and if you don't tell me, my husband is going to make a two-inch cut along the shaft of your penis."

Husband, huh?

Archie's human. He doesn't understand about mates. And we're way beyond the boyfriend stage, considering we're living together now.

I like it.

I do too. Mitchell moved out of Seryn's way when he came over.

Seryn held the tip of the knife against Archie's genitals. I don't want to touch him there, Daddy.

Archie sucked in a breath and whimpered.

I'll do it. You just make the cut. To Archie, Mitchell said, "Where are the guns?"

"The tunnel rat kept them for Terrell." Archie started crying when Seryn pressed the knife in farther. "I swear it. Please, man. I swear to god it's the truth."

Mitchell smiled. "That wasn't so hard, was it? You can kill him now, baby."

Seryn plunged the knife into Archie's chest without missing a beat. When he was finished, he wrapped his arms around Mitchell's waist. "Now we just need to know where Davorion is keeping the guns."

"We should break into his house. He has the fights at night but he's probably home early in the morning. We can break in when he's gone and wait for him."

Seryn nodded. "He probably has an excellent security system."

Mitchell could get into some systems, even Seryn's wasn't safe enough from someone like Mitchell. Anyone would be stupid to come into Seryn's home uninvited because Seryn would kill them inside of ten minutes upon entering. But Mitchell could probably figure out the system's loopholes. "Let's find out."