Page 21 of Hansen

“Or you could take some time to think,” Orion said.“Both of you.This impacts you as much as it impacts Evan, Davey.”

“I’m here to support Evan,” Davey said.

Evan turned to look at him.“You’re here to see your family.”

“We’re standing in front ofyourhouse.”

“As if my mom isn’t going to call yours the second she sees us.”

Davey looked away.“They may not be friends anymore.”

Evan glared at his best friend.“Stop that.They don’t know what happened to either of us.Even if they did, they wouldn’t blame you for me being taken or for you not being able to rescue me after you escaped.None of this was your fault.You didn’t kidnap me, you didn’t stick me in a cage, and you didn’t torture me.You came back for me.You looked for me for years.You did everything right, and if you don’t stop feeling guilty, I’m going to smack you.”

Evan half-expected Davey to continue pouting, but instead, he grinned and gently pushed him.“There you are.It’s been a while since I saw the real Evan.”

Evan had no idea who the real Evan was anymore, but he was starting to find out.He was different from the Evan he’d been before, but it wasn’t a bad thing.Now, he was Evan with a mate.He was Evan with a job, where he worked with his best friend’s mate.He was Evan, who lived in a tiny village and was building a life there.He was Evan in therapy, which regularly kicked his ass, but he couldn’t do without.

His therapist had agreed that if he felt it was time for him to see his parents, he should see them.He didn’t know what he was about to walk in on, and he prayed it wouldn’t be bad, but he couldn’t continue avoiding them.He especially couldn’t continue using himself as an excuse.

He might or might not be a mutant.The probability that he was one was high, but so far, he hadn’t made anyone explode or anything like that, so he was pretty sure he wouldn’t hurt his family.He’d never forgive himself if he did.

He trusted Hansen, Davey, and Orion.If anything weird happened, they’d intervene.That was the only reason Evan was here.The three men with him would be his family, and that made him feel safe.

“I’m scared,” he whispered.

Davey took his hand and squeezed.“Me, too, but it’s time.”

Evan had a choice.He could stay on the sidewalk hiding behind a tree, call Teddy and ask him to pick them back up, or walk away from his hiding place and take the next step in his new life.

He sucked in a breath and rushed forward, not giving himself time to change his mind.He dragged Davey with him, and he was sure that Orion and Hansen weren’t far behind.

He didn’t hesitate when he reached the front door.He knocked, then squeezed Davey’s hand harder.He was glad that Davey was with him, not only because Davey deserved to have his family back, too.Evan wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to stand on his parents’ porch with him today, not even Hansen.Davey understood.He’d lost as much as Evan had.

Evan started crying as soon as he recognized his mother’s footsteps.By the time she opened the door, tears were streaming down his cheeks.For a moment, they stared at each other.

Evan had changed physically as well as mentally.He was older, and he’d been through hell.That showed on his skin.For a second, he was afraid that his mother wouldn’t recognize him, but she screamed and threw herself forward, and Evan had to brace himself.

“Evan?Evan!”

Evan’s mother clung to him as if she was afraid he’d disappear.Maybe she was.She hadn’t seen him in years and probably thought he’d been dead.Instead, he was standing on her porch, very much alive and losing the ability to breathe because she was squeezing him so hard.

He let go of Davey’s hand and hugged her back.“I didn’t survive for so many years only for you to smother me to death,” he teased through his tears.

She let go instantly.“Robert?Robert, you need to comenow.”

Evan’s chest squeezed.He missed his father as much as he’d missed his mother.

His mom didn’t seem to be able to let him move away because even though she wasn’t hugging him anymore, she’d taken his hand and was squeezing it to the point of pain.Evan couldn’t find it in himself to complain.He was squeezing back just as hard.

His father appeared from the kitchen.He was frowning, but when he saw Evan, he froze.He wavered and had to lean against the stairs, and Evan was moving forward, letting go of his mother so he could hug his father as fiercely as his mom had hugged him.

“Evan?”

Evan’s father wasn’t screaming.He sounded like he couldn’t believe that Evan was there.To be fair, Evan almost couldn’t believe it, either.

“It’s me,” he confirmed.“I’m home.I’m home.”

“What happened to you?Where were you?Are you okay?”

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