Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

LUCAS

This was a bad idea.

After I'd been unceremoniously told about Ethan not only being offered a job but accepting it, meaning he was officially relocating, my mind spun out. While ruled by blurring thoughts and possibilities, I'd invited him here. My home.

What on earth had I been thinking?

With his heat at my back, a shiver ran through me, my shoulders sagging a little.

"If you need me to book into a hotel…."

I dropped my head, trying to get myself together before saying, "It's okay. I want you here."

And I did. That didn't mean walking into my private space wasn't going to go seriously wrong. Once invited in, there'd be no going back. No pretending.

Though when Ethan's warm, steady palm pressed against my lower back in silent support, I suspected he already knew I wasn't as put together as I led everyone to believe.

"You can trust me."

The words did the trick, honesty ringing as pure as a bell in the stillness of the night. While my fear didn't subside, it eased a fraction. Ethan had already taken care of me and stepped up when he didn't have to. And not once did I believe he thought any less of me.

Far from it.

He seemed to relish the action, enjoy being there for me.

"Okay," I mumbled, letting him interpret my response however he wished.

I unlocked the first security door, which led to a small lobby. I sensed him looking around and taking in my space as well as the systems I had in place.

A retina scan and a code later, we stepped into the main area—the outer sanctum that I'd previously opened up to my team when I needed to. It was all gleaming surfaces while being comfortable and modern. Off to the side was a large workroom decked out with a wall of screens and multiple workstations my team and I had spent time using before when our base had been compromised.

"Nice digs."

We made eye contact, and a gentle smile formed.

"You want to show me the real you?"

I tugged the inside of my cheeks between my teeth, uncertainty battling with relief. "What do you mean?"

Arching his brow, Ethan tilted his head as he reached out and took my hand in his. "Matt, you can trust me."

There was no denying the small tremble in my hand. No hiding my nerves as they rolled off me, no doubt changing my scent.

With a single nod, I bypassed the door that led to the guest suite. After working through another round of security, the door opened into my private suite: an open-plan area containing a sitting room and dining space, plus a kitchen that featured high-tech mod cons. The bedroom door was closed, which led the way to the large bathroom. I glanced around, trying to imagine my reaction if I saw it for the first time.

A rush of emotions threatened to consume me as we stepped in fully before closing the door at my back, vulnerability mixing with relief. The retina scan and the code had granted Ethan access to a part of me I never revealed.

Not ever.

This space was a stark contrast to the carefully curated exterior; it was a raw reflection of my internal chaos and solitude.

The living area, though equipped with all the comforts of modern design, was in disarray. There was barely any furniture, and what remained was buried under a mountain of takeout boxes and disposable cutlery. My clothes were strewn across the floor, discarded in moments of exhaustion and indifference. The kitchen, which could have impressed any Michelin-trained chef with its state-of-the-art appliances, was instead coated in a layer of dust and cluttered with empty containers.

My apartment was no longer picture-perfect but a testament to neglect and abandonment.

Yet, despite the mess, it was mine—a space where I could cast off the weight of the world. Here, I could disappear from the expectations and demands that weighed heavily on my shoulders. It was where I would eat, then crawl into bed, or sometimes just collapse on the sofa, surrounded by a nest of blankets and pillows. The sofa felt less lonely than my sterile bedroom, where solitude only intensified my worries and overthinking.

"So this is it." I kept my arms at my side, forcing myself to stand still.

Ethan's presence was both a comfort and a challenge. His expression was carefully controlled as he observed my chaotic environment. Instead of recoiling or passing judgment, he stepped closer, his towering form wrapping me in a solid embrace. He just waited, absorbing what it meant to be part of my life, to understand me.

"I—" How on earth could I explain this?

"I'm exhausted and could happily sleep where I stand." His soft words brushed against the top of my head. "Your sofa looks comfy, and it might handle the two of us."

I sagged against him. "The bedroom's through there."

"You want me to lead the way?"

"Okay." The man I turned into around Ethan, when under his careful scrutiny, I barely recognised. But with such certainty radiating off him, I let him lead the way willingly.

Silently, he picked up the handfuls of clothes off my unmade bed and placed them on my closet floor. Once the bed was clear, he straightened the sheets, a smile slipping onto his lips. "It smells like you."

Heat danced across my skin at the gravel in his voice.

"So I don't need to change the bedsheets?" The tease in my words was instinctive as much as it was a relief.

"Fuck no. Being wrapped around your body as well as in your scent is going to make it hard as fuck not to maul you and suck an orgasm from you."

A low moan escaped my parted lips.

"But it'll also help me sleep." He dragged his heated gaze down my body. "You want to strip and join me?"

We hadn't discussed anything, not having had a moment to do so. All that had happened since the whirlwind of Victoria was a heavy make-out session in the shower, then, after stitching him up, eating and talking about the case on the flight.

Admittedly that was a lot. Truly so much had happened. But beyond me blurting out the offer for him to come home with me when everyone went their separate ways—including Valeria, who promised to see me tomorrow to talk—I had no clue what was happening.

Thinking about it just added an extra layer of shit I needed to consider, and I didn't know?—

"Matt, strip and get your arse into bed."

Instinctively, I narrowed my gaze, preparing to demand he didn't tell me what to do. At his arched brow, the determination in his eyes, and that damn smirk, the urge dissipated, melting as quickly as ice under the outback sun.

We didn't take our eyes off each other as we stripped. When I got into bed and he pulled the sheet up over me, he made his way to the door.

"Where are you going?" The panic took me by surprise.

I wasn't needy. Ever.

He strolled back to me, his heavy dick swinging in his half-hard state. It was difficult to pull my gaze away when he stopped, groin close to my face. Before I could act on the urge to lean forwards and lick him from top to root, he bent down, his face now close.

"I'm just getting us some water." He searched my gaze. "Do you need blood?"

At the mention of blood, a thirst hit me. It was nowhere near as bad as when we were outside Warwick, but I hadn't drunk enough over the past thirty hours. "There's plasma in the fridge." It was slightly better and more palatable than the synthetic plasma that didn't need to be kept cool, which I relied on when away from the office and home.

He studied me a beat, his gaze carefully assessing. Wordlessly, he dotted a kiss on my lips and left the room, leaving me with my head spinning and pressing my fingers to my lips.

Ethan was likely going to be my undoing. A smirk formed behind my fingers.

I was more than okay with that.

The sound of cupboard doors opening and closing reached me, but rather than tensing up, wondering what he was thinking, the judgments he was making, I relaxed. Ethan didn't strike me as a man who would be anywhere or doing anything unless he wanted to.

Running water followed. When the tap cut off, his footsteps made their way back to my room.

He filled the doorframe, and I frowned, not seeing a plasma vial. He placed a glass of water on the bedside table next to me before heading to the other side. The bed dipped as he lay on the mattress, immediately turning on his side to face me.

My confusion deepened when my gaze roamed his features, seeing uncertainty there. "Are you okay?"

What had happened in the last three minutes to cause nerves to bleed into his expression?

"Yes," he answered immediately.

I waited him out. He had no reason to lie to me.

"Would you… I was…." He huffed out a breath, fresh spearmint from the mints he'd been chewing on the plane like lollies washing over me. "Will you drink from me?"

Shock slammed into me hard, lust quickly following.

Just the thought of tasting him, feeding from him made it difficult to think of anything but latching onto his neck, his thigh, hell, any part of his body with a throbbing vein.

"You don't have to," he rushed to say, maybe misinterpreting my wide-eyed stare or possibly changing his mind. "Blood from the source is stronger, right? Better?"

His uncertainty melted the hesitation that wound itself around my heart. "Yes. But the plasma vials offer the nutritional value needed."

"I get that." He reached out and tenderly traced my cheekbone and my furrowed brow. "And if I want you to drink from me?"

There was no disguising the shudder of want coursing through my body. His eyes dilated as he eased closer. "Is that something you'd consider?"

I searched his gaze, trying to clear my head. An almost impossibility with the pulse of pheromones rolling off him. "Why?" I all but whispered. "Have you let someone before?" Discomfort sat in my chest with the thought of another vampire sipping at his vein.

Unfair for sure, but true all the same.

"Once. When I was on a training mission and there was a legit life-and-death situation going on."

That he hadn't shared his blood in the heat of passion sent a bolt of lust to my dick.

"Let me take care of you and give you this."

A plea if ever I heard one, the tone doing its job of unravelling me completely. I was eager to give him whatever he wanted.

"Yes." My fangs descended.

His gaze snapped to my mouth, his cock bouncing and trailing slick against my thigh.

My skin tingled, desire unfurling further as I reached out and cupped his cheek. "Kiss me."

His lust-filled gaze softened before he latched his mouth to my waiting lips.

We kissed until he was breathless. We kissed until his heart throbbed in his chest, threatening to break free and join mine.

We kissed until I pushed him onto his back and straddled him, our cocks brushing, weeping, desperate for contact.

Ethan's deep groan reverberated against my skin as his strong hands gripped my hips and rubbed me back and forth against his trapped cock. I could barely think, breathe, remember which way was up as his precum-slicked dick trailed under my balls, against my taint, and between my cheeks, just begging me to reposition and grant him access.

But first….

I pulled away, taking in his kiss-drunk expression. When he bared his neck to me, angling in a way that spoke of complete trust and need, I snapped.

I craved him. Wanted him.

Would do anything for just a taste.

"Do it."

He grunted as I latched onto his neck and sank my teeth into his waiting vein.

A deep, guttural groan tore out of him, his strong arms snaking around my back and holding me close. Tight. It would take a hurricane to tear us apart.

As his blood flowed into me, I embraced the pleasure, the connection, each pulse of his life essence amplifying my senses, making me feel invincible. The warmth of his blood mixed with the undeniable bond between us made the moment intensely intimate.

Every swallow soothed my soul, easing the heartache and the terror of the past few days. Hell, weeks and years. How he pulled such sensations and eased me so was something I refused to question—the possible answer too terrifying and life changing.

Ethan's hands roamed over my body, caressing, exploring, intensifying the heat between us. His every touch ignited my skin, our bodies moving in a rhythm as his hand disappeared. I shuddered at the sound of sucking, anticipation making my blood sing.

His spit-slick fingers split my cheeks, before probing my entrance.

Yes . I angled, opening to him as I allowed myself a final sip.

With each drop, the wounds on my body knitted themselves together, the pain of battle replaced by pleasure. Ethan giving this to me was everything.

A finger breached and I gasped, pulling free from his neck with a feral groan.

"More," I demanded before scooping up the trail of blood seeping from his neck with my tongue.

He pushed in further. In and out. Seeking. Searching. Relentless in his pursuit.

My head swam in ecstasy. His blood seeping into my veins while his second finger breached me, urging me to ride his digits, was too much but nowhere near enough.

I sliced my tongue against my razor-sharp fang before bending down and swiping my blood across the incisions. Satisfied they'd closed, I angled to stare down at Ethan's face.

That he made blissed out look so sexy wasn't a surprise. What had me catching my breath was the softness, the affection in his expression as he peered up at me, his fingers still sliding in and out of me. He didn't speak as he rubbed and moved.

Apparently I didn't have so much control. Not when he danced his digits over my prostate, sending bolts of pleasure to every cell in my buzzing body.

"Fuck, Ethan," I gasped. "More." I groaned and shuddered. "I need… nngh ."

"Lube?"

"Drawer," I managed, my half-lidded eyes barely able to focus. "No," I moaned, desperation clinging to my voice at the loss of his fingers.

"Shh… patience."

Manoeuvring my tightly coiled body with ease, he placed me on my back while he rummaged through my bedside table. My cock wept, eager for his attention. One look from him as I trailed my fingers across my stomach, considering wrapping myself in a firm grip, had me pausing.

I came alive under the need, the warning he shot my way. An easy smile quickly formed, the warmth in my chest blooming. I stopped my exploration, receiving a heated smirk followed by one of complete satisfaction as he settled over me, grasping the lube as though he'd returned with some kind of relic.

Wordlessly, he slicked his fingers, his cock. Each sound caused a new eruption of goose bumps as expectation buzzed between us.

Then he was there, finally, digits flirting with my opening, caressing, soothing before he slid fingers deep inside—two or three, I didn't know, didn't care, but the fullness felt right, coiling the urgency for him to drive home.

"Take what you need." The gruff instruction pressed against me, soft and welcoming.

I reacted immediately, tugging his head to mine and kissing him with pent-up need and passion and fear and a desperation that was too much while not being enough. Our tongues stroked and tangled, lips gliding as I bore down, riding his fingers until lightning fired to life in my stomach.

Then I was moving, pulling his fingers away while slamming his strong body onto his back, then clambering on top of him and, for the first time, touching his heavy cock. Thick and warm in my hand, his dick throbbed, the slick melding with the precum dripping out his slit.

Holding him tightly, positioning him exactly where I wanted him, I glanced down, our gazes connecting. Intense eyes peered back at me, full of want and… my gut clenched… delighted amusement? Unable to tell, I hovered, his cock nudging my entrance as I narrowed my gaze.

"Something funny?" I gritted out, swirling my hips so his tip dipped in before easing out. His eye twitched, but I was the one who groaned, edging myself more than him.

"Funny? No." His stare intensified while his cock burned hotter in my hand.

It took every ounce of willpower I had not to slam down and take what we both wanted. Only the unfamiliar pleasure of connection and something real drifting between us stopped me. This teasing was something I'd never experienced before. I wanted to savour every single moment.

"No?" I dipped down again, shuddering as his tip entered, loving the way his neck was corded.

"Definitely not funny." The groan that tore from him as I trailed my fingers down the length of his cock barrelled through me.

Barely having any control left, I sank down an inch, my eyes fluttering closed as I asked, "If not funny, then what?"

"Fuck" burst out of him as he sat bolt upright, holding me steady to give me control so I didn't immediately sink down on him in this new position.

Power radiated from his limbs and his straining muscles. The desire to lick every single one and take my time with him was a genuine quandary. Wanting his cock deep inside me more, I allowed myself a small taste, sucking wet kisses on his shoulder, still smelling the unique tang of his blood.

"You," he moaned, angling his neck to give me better access. "Everything about you, especially you taking what you want…." He grunted when I scraped my fangs across his skin. "It drives me insane. Makes me want to give you everything, even what you don't realise you want or need."

With his words dancing around my mind and wrapping gently about my being, I sagged against him, feeling more of the debilitating weight of thoughts and worries slip away. He held me still, giving me the control to decide when to breach me.

Didn't he already know he consumed me?

I leaned back to stare at him, our heads almost in line in this position.

Our gazes connected, my lips parting when he said, "You make me wish for things I never thought I'd want or deserve."

A loud thump of my heart and I nodded. "Let's chase that together."

It was all the permission he needed. I gave it to him the moment I let go, Ethan reading me with the swift understanding of someone who knew the depths of my soul.

His hands roamed my back with purpose, mapping out every inch as if committing it to memory as I sank down on him. His touch was electric, the fullness of him sending shivers down my spine.

We moved in unison, driven by an unspoken understanding as I rocked on him and he drove up with firm, deep strokes. Searing kisses consumed me, my skin burning with the imprint of his lips as I rose up, feeling every inch of his cock, living for each sensation as need pulsed through me.

Each pulse of his heart echoed in my veins.

Want.

Need.

Blissful stillness in my head.

Ethan's fingers dug into my flesh, a silent plea for more. I could sense his struggle, the desire to give in to his own pleasure while wanting to be everything I needed. His strength was intoxicating, a heady mix of vulnerability and dominance that made me ache for him even more.

"Ethan," I breathed, my voice barely a whisper against his skin. "I need you."

A storm of feelings darkened his eyes as he looked back at me. "I've got you," he replied, his voice rough with intensity.

His hips moved like a piston as he took hold of my cock. My groan was instant, as were the sparks behind my eyes. Sure, strong strokes followed, picking up speed as my shudders, moans, and pleas increased.

He fucked into me hard, each upswing brushing against my prostate, every swipe of his hand edging me closer to losing all sense of myself.

Then I was flying. An explosion of sensation. A fusion of our souls. My body trembled with the force of our release—him spilling deep inside and me painting his hand and our chests, branding us both.

"I…." Trailing off, I struggled to process, to speak.

"Shh," he hushed with a gentle kiss against my lips. We wore matching blissed-out grins as he eased us apart as he lay back, tugging me on top of him, our cum warm and sticky between us.

Spent and entwined with him, peace settled over me. My mind still quiet. "Should we…?" I attempted, not making any effort to move.

"No."

I snuggled into his broad, furry chest. "We'll regret it," I mumbled. Dried cum was a pain to scrub clean.

At his "I won't regret anything," I swooned, relieved he couldn't see my goofy smile at the promise filtering his words.

In answer, I dotted a kiss on his chest and let myself fall.

I woke feeling refreshed. It took me barely a second to realise I was alone in bed, and another one for the sound of movement in the kitchen to make me freeze.

Ethan was in my space. In the chaos that offered me comfort. What if he?—

I jumped out of bed, barely taking stock of how wonderful my body felt. I threw on a pair of sweatpants, and with my heart in my throat, I stepped out of my room.

Ethan stood in the middle of the disorder of my kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee while the pod machine kicked out another in a disposable cup I didn't recognise. He angled to look at me, a smile forming as he pulled the lip away from his mouth.

"Black and strong, right?"

Mutely, I nodded, trying to figure out what was happening here.

The machine stopped pumping out thick, dark liquid, the silence sounding loud in my cluttered space.

Finding my voice, I asked, "Where are the cups from?"

Turning to me with the second cup in his hand, Ethan handed it over. "The convenience store at the end of the street."

"And my security?"

A smile tilted his lips, a roguish expression forming, telling me all I needed to know.

The arsehole had managed to hack the thing—or at least add himself to the system so he was able to get access.

With a shake of my head, I took the cup and inhaled deeply, my shoulders relaxing even as my gaze roamed the kitchen. "You didn't clean one or go searching?" There was no bite or accusation in my tone, just a need to understand where his head was at.

Two strides and he was in my space, hand at my waist as he peered down at me. "Not my place to mess with your stuff."

I searched his gaze, looking for judgment or dishonesty. Not finding any, my lips twitched. "Thank you."

He bobbed his head before dipping it and stealing a kiss. It was quick but satisfying, as though it was a moment we'd shared a million times.

"I have to head out and start getting shit together."

I wasn't sure of the time, but the sun was barely up. "You're really taking the job?" That he'd just upended his life so quickly was something I struggled to get to grips with. I overanalysed and planned almost every decision I made.

A flash of my blade landing in Maya's chest struck me. Well, almost everything. That move was all instinct. The need to protect Valeria drove me without question or consideration.

I didn't regret the action one bit.

"I am. It felt right when Tarka offered it to me." Intensity shone in his gaze as he studied me, trying, I suspected, to get a read on my reaction.

"Tarka's a good guy."

He nodded slowly, still assessing. "I hope so, since I've signed the contract and uprooted my life."

I chuckled and stepped out of his hold, cupping my coffee with both hands. "Do you do that a lot?" I knew hardly anything about Ethan. Beyond the snippets he shared, I hadn't found much online. When he'd explained why that was—the erasure of his contribution—his reaction, his grudging acceptance as well as the betrayal he felt, had told me a lot about him.

Made me trust him a little more.

"What a lot?"

"Go out on a limb, jump into a decision, consequences be damned?"

He tilted his head. "Are we still talking about the job here or…?"

"I—" Pausing, I offered honestly, "I don't know." My apartment walls pressed down on me, feeling uncomfortable. I wasn't used to people being in my space. Along with all that had happened over the past few days and weeks, it was becoming too much.

Either I needed to disappear into a nest of blankets or get back to work and?—

Strong hands on my thighs lifted me high. An undignified squeal that I'd absolutely deny burst out of me. One moment, I was spiralling; the next, my legs were wrapped around Ethan's waist as he took the coffee cup away from me, then drugged me with bone-melting kisses.

I fell willingly into his touch, matching his movements. Every stroke of tongue, each breathless groan, the race to reveal our hard dicks as he backed me against the wall and wrapped his large hand around the both of us.

My head hit the wall with a thunk . Hot kisses instantly trailed along my neck as Ethan rubbed against my slit, gathering my precum and adding to his to ease his fast strokes.

"You're going to come," he panted against my neck. "You're going to stop thinking." A long lick followed. "You're going to cover me with your release and know that you can do so every single day."

My balls drew tight, our eyes connecting.

"I'm sure about wanting to know you."

Unable to speak, my brain did exactly as directed and whited out.

"I'm certain about this move and finding out if we fit as well as I've been dreaming about."

Holy shit.

I grunted, barely hanging on. Wanting exactly what he said.

"Now bite me. Let me know how much you want the same."

I latched on, sinking my fangs into his pulsing vein, drawing deeply. A rush of ecstasy, a flash of rightness as contentment rolled through me along with my release. He shuttled his hand faster, tingles of awareness zapping my skin.

Ethan's rhythm stumbled, and with a grunt, he joined me, coming in hot jets that splashed against us.

I sealed the incisions at his neck, placing a tender kiss there before angling away and looking at him through bleary eyes.

"Better?" He danced his fingers over my stomach, massaging our cum into my skin.

I shuddered, moving my hand and doing the same to Ethan. "Now I am." I smiled, luxuriating in the tease and the goose bumps erupting on his arms.

"Good." He dropped a kiss onto my nose, something no one had done before. My muscles sagged, and I embraced him, absorbing his warmth as he carried me to the bathroom. "Shower, and then I'm pretty sure you have a meeting."

I had several.

I waited for my muscles to lock up, my brain to overload. When I remained a swoony mess in his arms, I sighed, hardly recognising myself.

I was more than okay with that.

Durrant was the dictionary definition of stoic. Normally.

For the past thirty minutes, not so much.

"… how many times I can cover for your arses." She shook her head, her frustration seeming to ebb a little.

"To be fair, we never asked for you to cover for us."

I winced before staring at Callen with wide eyes, silently telling him to shut the hell up.

"No, you didn't." Frustration, exhaustion, and a whole jumble of other emotions managed to get wrapped up in her words. "And that right there is the problem. I do it anyway."

Her gaze met mine, and guilt shifted behind my chest. I hated to disappoint people I respected and cared about. There were few people I didn't want to hurt more than Durrant. While my parents lived overseas—I'd never been close to them—Durrant had remained a steadfast support my whole life.

"I am sorry we lied to you," Callen said, sincerity in his voice. "I'm not sorry we lied to get to Melbourne, though."

Durrant's eyes fell closed while I bit the inside of my cheek, wondering at Callen's ability to dig such gigantic holes without a shovel in sight.

"With everything going on," he continued, pointedly ignoring Durrant's long, drawn-in breath, "we couldn't compromise the mission any more."

"Unofficially," she started, taking us in, "if I were in your position, I would have done the same thing, and I hated not being able to authorise it. Too many eyes were on me."

"Officially?" Callen pressed.

"Officially, you should both, along with your team, be put on probation, but with the incredible success you had"—I didn't miss the gleam of pride in her eyes. She couldn't say it, but she'd been actively rooting for us—"the SICB and the Australian government are grateful for all you risked and your efforts."

"So that means the ITU will be getting a public apology for the warrants that were out for them?"

Since our unit was meant to be covert, though I'd begun to lose count of how many people knew of its existence, Callen was totally pushing her.

Durrant appeared to be controlling her reaction, maybe thinking very carefully about her words. "I've already filed my complaints to the necessary people, explaining my disappointment and frustration with the way this case has been handled." Her brow arched as she said, "What I have been able to do is secure additional funding for your division"—she looked at Callen before turning to me—"and the ITU. I made it clear that both are invaluable to the SICB and the country's security. Without continuing to grow and support development in the division, something like this might happen again. The plan is to not let that happen."

My brows shot high.

"We'll talk more about finances later but included will be a discretionary fund for contracting external support in the private sector. Obviously with appropriate security checks and vetting."

I side-eyed Callen. If we'd had the extra resources and support from the likes of Tarka and Eclipse Security, then the whole process of taking down Hornell could have happened so much sooner.

This was huge.

"I've put forth a nominal pay rise for the team, and next week, we'll meet and discuss the possibility of a new base location."

Durrant glanced at me, and I nodded, more than okay with designing and implementing a new base for the ITU. Excitement shot tingles to my fingers as I considered the tech I could rework to add into the building design and security protocols.

Callen's chuckle and "I think we've lost him" caught my attention.

I looked at him and then Durrant with confusion before I sat a little straighter. Rolling my eyes at Callen, I said a little sheepishly, "I may have a few ideas." Following up with a shrug, I shot them both a "well, what did you expect me to do other than start planning an awesome new lair" look.

"Speak to Daryl when you leave, and we'll organise a time. Start thinking of locations," Durrant instructed, signalling the meeting's end.

As we stood, I said, "No worries," while Callen added, "You don't really need me for that, right?"

I pressed my lips together. Admin meetings were Callen's idea of hell. Honestly, I was sure we were all surprised that he managed to be so good at his role despite being stuck mainly at the division's headquarters.

"Just get the hell out of here." Durrant shooed us away. "If I don't see your face for a while, Callen, I'm more than okay with that."

Callen grinned. "Sounds good to me, boss." He tugged open the door and left, leaving me to follow.

Durrant's "Agent Lucas" stopped me.

When she indicated the door, I pushed it closed.

Immediately, concern bled into her gaze. Rather than stiffen, I heaved out a breath and smiled tightly. "I'm okay."

Knowing each other as well as we did, words weren't always necessary.

"Valeria and I are meeting later."

"That's good." Durrant shot me a kind smile. "I think she'll be ready to listen." At my confused expression, she clarified, "She stayed with me last night. We talked, but only about things that I was sure she already knew."

That was good. That Valeria had Durrant, someone she'd called aunt since the moment she could speak, was important.

"Thank you."

"And Wilder?"

Just the mention of his name drew an easy smile, my heart constricting with contentment.

"I'm happy for you."

I chuckled. "Thanks. I'm happy for me too. It's early…." I petered off, not sure I needed to clarify any more.

"I have no doubt everything will work out as it should."

"I hope so," I admitted.

"Perhaps soon you can stop by, have dinner? You're welcome to bring Wilder."

At my surprised expression, she laughed.

I narrowed my gaze. "Does that mean you've already done a background check and reached out to your connections in the UK?"

I didn't buy her carefree shrug at all. There was no way she'd be letting Ethan into her home, let alone say she was happy for me, if she hadn't.

I settled on "Maybe. Let him acclimatise first." I didn't want to scare Ethan off by my surrogate aunt putting the fear of God into him. Though something told me Ethan could handle himself just fine.

"Okay." She smirked. "Take a few days to unwind."

The very mention of the mandatory days off soured my stomach.

"I mean it, Lucas. That and your attendance with the counsellor are non-negotiable."

The latter I had no issue with. I'd killed my ex-wife, the mother of my child, the woman who'd spent years gaslighting me and making me feel insignificant and incapable.

Sure, having Valeria know the truth helped me breathe easier. And having Ethan hold me close and tease and flirt and help me to forget my own name was incredible. But I wasn't foolish enough to think yesterday's events hadn't left a mark.

"I will," I promised.

She waved me off, and I left after securing a meeting time next week to discuss the relocation of the ITU. I grasped onto the pulse of excitement as I headed to Ethan's new home. A lot was happening, so I needed to remember to keep breathing, and checking out Ethan's digs would be a good starting point before I met with my daughter.