“Do you need anything?”
Luke gave a slow shake of his head, then his mini me peered up at him, and the surge of love for this child—my son—took Caleb to his knees so he could meet Luke’s gaze without making him crane.
“Are you all right?” Caleb asked, knowing all too well how some events could mark a man and weaken him. Except…he’d not caved to weakness or anxiety. Not this time. As a matter of fact, Caleb realized he’d not felt that debilitating panic hardly at all in the last week. And since Renny had slept with him, he’d not needed his pills because being with her held the nightmares at bay.
She’s better than any head shrink or drug.
“I was scared,” his son admitted, his chin drooping. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t you dare apologize,” Caleb admonished. “Fear is normal. Hell, don’t tell anyone”—he lowered his voice—“but I was pretty scared, too. That was one scary dude.”
“He’s gone though, right?” Uncertainty wavered in his son’s eyes.
Yes, but the mystery remained of where it had come from. However, he wasn’t about to worry his son further. Caleb gave him the reassurance he needed. “That monster isn’t coming back.”
“Even if it did,” Renny said, stepping into the bedroom, “Daddy would take care of it.”
At her certainty, his chest swelled. “Always,” he promised. “I will always be there for you.” He whispered those words to Luke as he kissed him on the forehead, tucking him in for the night. Nothing could ever tear him from those who needed him. Who loved him.
As Caleb rose and readied to leave, Renny hesitated. “Maybe I should stay with him.”
And maybe Caleb needed to put a bell on a certain mutt because Princess suddenly scooted through his legs, startling the fuck out of him before she hopped onto the bed, did a circle, and lay down, tucked against Luke. His son reached out a hand to stroke the dog.
“Go, Mommy. I’m not a baby. ’Sides, Princess is here, and she’s a good guard dog.”
Freaky dog more like it, given he could have sworn Princess winked.
Shutting the door, he and Renny made their way to the living room, only to notice Constantine still hogged the couch.
“I can’t wait to move into the new place,” Caleb said with a sigh.
His brother snorted. “That makes two of us then. But until that happens, which is tomorrow, by the way, because I’ve taken the day off to move your shit, you guys can borrow my room. You know, so you can have some privacy.”
“Really?” Caleb couldn’t help his surprised query.
“Yeah, really. You might still be an asshole, but you’re my brother, and you’ve had a rough night. You both have, so take my room for the night, but you’d better strip those sheets in the morning,” Constantine muttered as Caleb, not wasting any time, grabbed Renny around the waist and carted her back down the hall.
She giggled as he closed the door and leaned on it. “That was kind of rude.”
“No, rude would have been kicking him off the couch to make out with you.”
“And is that what we’re going to do? Make out?”
“For starters,” he said with a grin.
Her teasing lilt faded as she asked, “Do you think it’s over?”
He hoped so. “Unless there’s another one of those mutants running about, then yeah.”
“Who would create such a thing, and why?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe we’re wrong. We can’t know for sure anyone made it.” Something he didn’t entirely believe, but he sensed she needed reassurance. Hell, so did he. “The world is a big fucking place with lots of secrets.”
“Except between us.” She caught his gaze. “I saw you tonight, Caleb. Saw you. Saw your croc. Saw what you could do.”
As she spoke, his body tensed, fear coiling in him. Was this where she finally realized she couldn’t handle him?
“You took care of me, and our son. I know you were scared of letting the beast out, but…” She took a step toward him and cupped his face. “Even when you change, you’re still you. Still my Caleb.”
“A man capable of killing.”
“A man who will protect us with everything he’s got.” She leaned close and kissed him. “A man I love.” In a flash, he bound her so tightly she laughed even as she gasped. “Caleb!”
He loosened his grip, just a little, and buried his face in her hair. “I love you, too, baby. So fucking much it scares me. I lost you once to the croc inside me—”
She shook her head. “No, you lost me once because people wanted to use the beast inside you. But we’re smarter now. We won’t ever let that happen again.”