Page 73 of Bones

“No, just most douchey.”

“Is this a good time to chime in that we also came right away? Because I’d kind of like to swoop in now and take that easy win,” the brunette from my backyard chimed in as she stepped out of the house with a man at her back.

Lenuson.

Standing on the porch with all three of my siblings, those thin threads in my chest grew to thick ropes as our connections strengthened.

After all this time.

We’re together.

As we were always meant to be.

I wasn’t the only one feeling the magnitude of the moment. Despite the fact she’d just been two seconds from trying to kick my ass, when Juno came at me, it was for a hug and not tothrow punches. “Sorry, I got distracted by thinking you were a dickhead for a moment there.” Her voice was choked when she shared, “We had no clue how to find you or if you were even here. We were so helpless. It’s not a feeling I’m used to.” She made a noise somewhere between a laugh, a hiccup, and a sob. “It fucking sucked.”

I squeezed her, breathing in the relief, happiness, and fullness—hers and mine. Plus, the cotton candy. That part was just her. “Know the feeling.”

She leaned back. “You do? What happened? Where have you been?Whathave you been?”

“On the porch with my nosy-ass neighbors probably isn’t the best place to get into this,” Denny pointed out. “Mr. Johannsen and Mrs. O’Leary both separately complained about how rude my recentparty attendeeswere.”

Juno pushed away from me and turned her glare to Denny. “You threw a party and didn’t invite me?”

“No, I had those soulless assholes break in to try to steal our notes,” she said, making unease prickle in my gut even though no one else blinked at it. “And instead of calling the cops or trying to help, they assumed I was throwing an afternoon rager and made a lengthy list of what to complain about. Apparently, while those dicks approached the house, one littered. I’m now being held culpable for that heinous crime.” Denny rolled her eyes. “I’m just glad Mr. Johannsen didn’t send me a certified letter with an invoice for a cleaning fee.”

So much has happened that I’ve missed.

Now I get what Aurora meant about conversation whiplash.

This is going to be harder than I expected.

With Juno out of the way, Lenuson moved forward and pulled me into a thumping embrace like Thanatos had. And justlike when Thanatos had, relief, renewed anger, happiness, and guilt surged through me.

We separated, and I got my first good look at him without his mate in front of him. His dirty-blond hair was cut neatly, and his hazel eyes were bright with happiness—brighter than I’d ever seen them. Unlike the casual way the rest of us were dressed, he wore slacks and a button-down shirt that was topped by a white coat. An emblem was embroidered on the chest.

“Doctor. I’m shocked,” I deadpanned since it was the least surprising thing about the entire situation.

“Over and over and over again,” he bizarrely said before his mouth curved into a frown.

“What?”

“His sabbatical starts in a couple of days,” Juno said, “and the big softy is sad.”

“Better sad than putting my patients at risk.” He shook his head as he scanned me. “I can’t believe it’s you, Dubhloach.”

At his awe, my guilt grew until I thought I’d collapse from it.

Choke on it.

Drown in it.

That time when Aurora moved, I didn’t stop her. She stepped onto the porch and pressed close to my side. I wondered if she could feel my shame by the way her worried eyes were aimed up at me. Even Victoria was silent as she put her furry head against my torso.

I pushed the emotion down and focused on the moment.

So much has been stolen from me. I won’t let them have this, too.

I gave her a smile I hoped was reassuring. Then I gave her a bigger one when I saw she’d put my flannel on over her hoodie.

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