two can save your arguing for later. Bram has something important to share.”
Shaking his head, Bram murmured, “I swear all the strong females in this clan are going to usurp my place before long.”
“Just wait until we tell Evie what you just said,” Nikki said with her mouth half-full.
Rafe remained behind Nikki’s chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “Right, then, what’s so important?”
“Watch yourself, Hartley,” Bram barked. “If you’re going to be living on my land for any period of time, you’re going to have to accept I’m the leader here. Step out of line, and father of Nikki’s child or not, I will punish you accordingly.”
Hope rushed through his body, but Rafe was careful to keep his face expressionless. “So I’m to stay?”
“Yes,” Bram answered. “But you may change your mind when you hear the rest.”
“How about we stop dancing around the issue and you tell me my fate?”
Bram waved toward him and Nikki. “You two are going to work on the Bourne mission, as well as a few other side projects. At least, as long as Nikki can still perform her duties. I’m not about to have a nine-month pregnant female stalking through the forest in the middle of the night.”
Rafe nodded. “That we can agree on.”
“Good. I’m glad we agree on something, human.”
Jane spoke up. “Bloody hell, you two are going to drive Nikki crazy, aren’t you?”
Rafe ignored his sister. “Is that all, then? Working on missions?”
“Mostly,” Bram answered. “However, if you fail to capture Simon Bourne in the next six months, you’re going to be kicked out of the armed forces and handed over to the DDA.”
He squared his shoulders. “Then I’ll just make sure not to fail.”
Nikki swallowed her latest bite of fish and glared up at him. “You are aware that you saying it will be done doesn’t mean it’ll actually happen.”
Rafe met her gaze. “Of course it will. I vow right here and now to be there for my child. Once I make a vow, I see it through, no matter the cost.”
Jane pointed a finger at Rafe. “Not exactly true. You vowed to become a superhero as a child. That never happened.”
“Janey,” he growled in warning.
Nikki touched his arm and he met her gaze. “I’ll vow, too. The two of us together should be enough to see it through.”
He knew Nikki well enough that the determination in her eyes told him all he needed to know. However, he wondered if her vow also meant she wanted him to stay.
He’d just have to find out once they were alone. “Right, then that’s settled. We’ll have Bourne before you even start waddling.”
“Rafe—” Jane began.
Nikki cut her off. “I’m not going to waddle.”
Bram took a step forward. “Enough. There’s one more requirement.” As soon as Rafe met Bram’s eyes, the clan leader continued, “Having a human male living on Stonefire, who is military no less, will make many of the clan members uneasy. It’s best if you stay with Nikki. She can protect you from the clan.”
Nikki’s dad, Hector, nodded. “Good. I can keep an eye on him under my roof.”
Bram shook his head. “No, Hector. Nikki and Rafe are going to take one of the small, empty cottages and share it.”
Hector’s eyes flashed. “There’s no way I’m allowing my daughter to shack up with a human male. I know nothing about him. He didn’t even ask my permission before agreeing to the mate-claim frenzy.”
“Dad,” Nikki interjected. “Enough. I love you, but Rafe was right earlier—I’m an adult now. I’ll visit as often as possible, but it’ll be easier for Rafe and me to focus on our tasks if we have a place to ourselves. Besides, you don’t want him to be thrown in jail if we fail, and have your grandbaby grow up without a father, do you?”
Rafe wondered what game Nikki was playing at. Not ten minutes ago, she’d barely agreed to think about keeping the baby.