“Yes. No! Quit twisting my words.” I laughed a little as he went on. “Yes, there was danger involved, but it wasn’t exactly a risk. And it was necessary. We needed to know if they did have a clone of you, and what danger the clone poses. So you know, it looks and sounds just like you, and it seems to have your powers. As Kait said, if it behaved like you, it would be indistinguishable. It doesn’t quite move right, though. It was kinda creepy to watch.” He kissed the top of my head.
“As long as you guys were being careful, I’m fine with it. I just get the feeling that you are not being as careful as you could be, though.”
His arms tightened around me, pulling me even closer. “I am being as careful as I can, Sugar. I promise.”
I sighed and laid my head on his shoulder again. “Okay.”
We stood like that for a few minutes more, with him rocking us slightly. Despite my misgivings, I was at peace. Being held by someone who loves me, who I love, was a newer experience for me, but I was beginning to look forward to the times when I could be alone with one of my guys. My eyes closed as I breathed in his cut-grass scent.
I pushed away reluctantly. The chili needed to be stirred again. David kissed me on the top of the head, mumbled something then left the room. I was still stirring the chili a minute or so later when Travis came in.
“Where did David go?” Travis looked around the room, like David was hiding behind me or something.
“I don’t know, he left a minute ago. He mumbled something, maybe about going to the bathroom? I didn’t really hear it. I thought maybe you knew he was gone and that was why you were coming back in.”
He laughed. “No, I thought maybe you had enough time and I was also wondering when it would be done.”
“It’s chili. To do it right, it needs to simmer for a while.”
“How long?” He whined at me adorably.
“An hour or so more, at least. If I knew you were that hungry, I could have made it the quick way, but I didn’t know.”
Travis groaned. “I don’t know if I can survive that long. An hour is forever!”
I laughed. “Stop being so melodramatic. It’s not that long.”
There was yelling from farther in the house. It sounded like Kait’s voice. I sighed. “Travis, will you please watch the chili while I go find out what the hell is going wrong now?”
He nodded, so I left the room, following the voices. I found Kait yelling at David in the living room. I strode in, stopping between them. “What is wrong now?”
Kait’s face was flushed, and the veins on his neck were prominent. “This idiot will not listen to anything, and it’s pissing me off. Just because we are both bonded to Evalia doesn’t mean you don’t have to follow orders anymore. You are still my soldier, and I expect you to respect me.”
David glared at him. “You are being a bossy bastard, and you are giving me orders that have nothing to do with being your soldier. Just because we both bonded Evalia doesn’t mean you can make decisions now regarding my personal life!”
“I can, and I will, when it involves Evalia!”
“Damn, guys, stand down! I am not the nucleus of this relationship. You three have been friends, and more, for longer than you have known me. I will not allow you to be at each other’s throats either because of me, or using me as a weapon. David, what is Kait trying to order you to do?”
“To see the damn therapist. He keeps going on and on about it. He said he was going to sideline me if I don’t.”
I glanced at Kait, who was pacing with his arms crossed over his chest. “Did you say that?”
He stopped and looked at me. “Yes, I did. And before you ask, I have my reasons, which I am not going to discuss with you. That is between David and me.”
I spun my braid. It didn’t seem like I was going to get anywhere with these two. “I think you both need some time to cool off.”
David didn’t look at me or Kait before he stormed out and slammed the door behind himself. I flinched.
Kait came over and ran his hands down my arms. “Princess, I can’t tell you what is going on in his head, but I can’t stress enough how important it is that he get help. He is worrying me, and if you want him to live a long life, you need to be worried too. He will listen to you. Please, help me help him.”
I sighed as I stared at the door. “I’ll do what I can, Kait.”
“Thank you.” He kissed the top of my head before leaving the room as well. How in the hell was I going to handle this?
Chapter 17
I thought about it for a minute, then went on the hunt for David. I didn’t exactly know what I was going to say, but I was going to talk to him. I found him in his room again, pacing. The door was open, so I leaned against the frame and watched him walk back and forth a few times. He was muttering under his breath and running his fingers through his hair.
I stepped in front of him, and he stopped, surprise on his face. Apparently, he had been unaware of my presence, which was totally out of character. He reached for me to attempt to draw me in for a kiss. I moved back a step.
“Not this time, David. We need to talk.”
“But, Sugar…”
“Nope. You are not going to deflect it this time. You are really worrying Kait, and so that makes me worried, too. I understand if you don’t want to talk to me or Kait about it, but you need to talk to
