“Really?” Thatch said and slowly shook his head despite the humour lighting his eyes. “Michaels, get your arse in here so I don’t have to repeat myself.”
A heavy sigh preceded Michaels’s booted footsteps. The levity in the room shifted slightly. Michaels was still struggling with the loss of Jenson. We all were, but he bore the loss heavily.
Once seated, Michaels gave a chin lift and then a small smile when Kent called him a loser. The sight eased an ache in my chest. I understood loss all too well. And that small gesture meant he wasn’t lost. Michaels would bounce back.
Thatch leaned against the table, his hands to the side of him gripping the metal top. My heart lurched a little at the nervous glance he cast my way. I offered him a wink. He had this. It was a big deal and a move that surprised the hell out of me. The gesture behind it was an additional reason why I wouldn’t be letting this man go. Ever.
“I’ve agreed to take on a new position.”
Kent’s eyes sprang wide, and for the first time since I’d known her, she appeared to be rendered speechless. I’d have to give Thatch a high five later for that accomplishment. Meanwhile, Michaels’s head dropped. Thatch had been concerned about his reaction, how he’d handle the double loss, but he’d also been the one to convince himself and me that this was a move for us… and Lucinda.
“I’m taking over the position as head trainer at the SCIB Academy.”
Kent snorted, Michaels’s head shot up, and Lucas had to grab on to the table to stop himself from toppling over in his chair. I ignored them all, my focus on Thatch and looking for any tells that he regretted his decision. When his eyes flicked to mine, a full smile lifted his lips, and his wink would have had my knees going weak if I wasn’t made of tougher stuff. Admittedly, sitting down helped.
“Holy crap, you’re serious.” Kent was the first to respond.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Being the head of our unit has been an honour, but it’s time I stayed closer to home.” He didn’t cast a look my way; he didn’t need to. It was probably best he didn’t either, as there was no way I’d let Kent catch me gushing over his proclamation.
Lucas sat forward as he spoke. “So you’re both stepping out of the field?”
“There are times I may need to step up,” I said, “but we have Lucinda now.” She’d lost so much. I couldn’t allow her to go through anything like that again. Or I’d try my hardest not to.
Lucas nodded his understanding, his eyes returning to Thatch as his eyes widened. There it was. The understanding that Durrant would be offering Lucas Thatch’s position. He composed himself immediately, the epitome of togetherness. But I knew better. Despite his many years on this earth, he’d be bouncing around like a baby joey inside.
“There’s a lot more to discuss and work out,” Thatch said in the quiet that followed. “I have a few weeks before the move, but we’ll get it figured out, okay?” His eyes fell to Michaels, who finally looked up and nodded.
A moment later, Michaels stood, stepped forward, and clasped Thatch’s hand, tugging him into a hug. “I’m happy for you.”
I watched as Thatch tightened his grip, then looked away, giving them some time.
Lucas stood, clapping me on the shoulder. Amusement coloured his words. “Who’d have thought Callen ‘pain in the arse’ Blackheath would be stepping up in the world?” He bumped my shoulder. “I’m happy for you, man. Seriously.”
“Thanks.”
“And you have a couple of weeks off now?”
“Yeah. I need to spend some time with Lucinda, get to know her better, work out schooling and stuff.”
Lucas nodded. “And how’s Koen doing?”
I grinned. The young shifter was as tough as they came. He’d been injured and rendered unconscious when Lucinda had been taken. They’d been in the small courtyard playing basketball, out of Kent’s loop. And to be fair, she had been running the whole mission, so her sole focus was on the docks. “He’s doing well. Back at ours. Healing. Going stir-crazy. He’s also applied to the SCIB Academy.” And I had no doubts he would excel. He was a good kid, resilient and loyal as hell. And me figuring that out after knowing the guy for less than a week was saying something.
“Huh. That’s good. Thatch will make a warrior out of him,” he teased, making me laugh.
A small glance at Thatch, and he nodded, ready to go too. “We’re heading out. Michaels.” I held out my palm and shook his hand, pulling him into a tight hug. “I’m just a call away,” I said quietly, needing him to know that while our immediate working relationship had come to an end, I didn’t want it to end there.
He gave me a tight nod when he pulled away. “We’ll catch up soon and shoot the shit,” he offered.
A grin spread across my mouth. “Sounds good.” My gaze travelled to Kent, whose scowl dipped her brow low. “Just get your arse over here, woman.”
I think she surprised the hell out of the both of us when she did just that. “This doesn’t mean I like you, man.” Her hold was strong when she wrapped her arms around me.
I grunted my laugh. “You’re going to miss me so damn much.”
She pulled away, the scowl that she must have dropped when hugging me taking a moment to reform on her features. “Like a hole in the head.”
“You’re on child-sitting duties soon, so it won’t be too long before I get to piss you off again.”
“Fucking Jada,” she grumbled.
I pressed a quick kiss on the top of her head,
