“No, you don’t.” Declan backed away and grabbed himself a cup of coffee. “It’s all I can think about.”
“If you guys are done with the drama, we need to get organized.” Ana’s dry voice cut between them, and they all turned to the vampire. She stood a few feet away, her lips pursed tightly, a look of annoyance pinching the delicate features of her face. She looked pale, even for a vampire, and Julian knew that there was something heavy going on between her and Declan. It was in the way her eyes never strayed far from him.
It was in the way Declan tried to avoid her at all costs.
“Ana’s right.” Jaxon rose from the table and nodded toward the foyer. “We’ll meet downstairs in ten minutes.” His dark gaze settled on Julian. “Can I have a word with you two?” He nodded toward the sorcerer.
Julian watched as everyone else cleared out. They were off to their corners to get ready for whatever the hell was coming their way. Finn’s golden complexion was pale, and his eyes looked haunted as he nodded before slipping away. Nico lingered, his eyes claiming Jaden even as he turned to leave.
It bothered Julian to see the want reflected in the warrior’s eyes, but he knew that Nico would give his life to protect Jaden—that he’d claim her if he could. Julian didn’t like it, but he needed to be cool with it. She deserved so much more than he’d ever be able to give.
He watched the jaguar leave and unclenched his jaw.
“Jaden, you remember how to get to the hub? This isn’t official business, more of a family issue,” Jaxon said politely.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“She stays.” Julian spoke quickly, surprising even himself. He could tell Jaxon wasn’t pleased, and his brother arched an eyebrow as he glared back at him.
“Fine,” Jaxon answered, his tone clipped, though he could tell his brother was perplexed.
Jaden moved closer to him, and just the presence of her body, the feel of her warmth, did wonders for him. He was fast losing control, yet, with her at his side, the slide wasn’t so slippery. He was able to hold his ground.
“What are the two of you not telling me?” Jaxon asked, looking at the both of them, ignoring the chuckle that fell from Declan’s mouth.
The sorcerer snorted and stood with his arms crossed. “This should be good.”
Julian ignored him and faced his brother, not liking his tone or the way he was looking at Jaden.
“She is mine.”
Julian heard the words, and as they echoed inside his skull, he looked down at the woman beside him. She is mine. It felt . . . right to vocalize it. He glanced into Jaxon’s shocked face and smiled wickedly, liking the fact that his brother was off center. “We are mated.”
“He is your mate?” Jaxon asked Jaden, his tone incredulous. “And you never thought I might like to know this?”
“It was none of your business, Castille,” she said softly. “Hell, Julian didn’t even find out until a few days ago.”
“When? How?” Jaxon asked, his questions fragmented.
“Well, I’m guessing they did the nasty at some point,” Declan inserted, his face alight with a devilish grin. “It’s usually how it works isn’t it? I mean with you shifters. Christ, is there no other way? Some cultures jump over a rock or sing to the moon. Easy and it’s done, but you guys . . . it’s all about the sex.”
The sorcerer sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “And while I’ll be the first to admit I’d love to hear all the tasty details, we don’t have time for this shit.” His eyes narrowed, and the energy in the room changed slightly. “What the fuck do you want to know, Jaxon? Just ask the question.”
Silence fell between them for several long seconds. Julian could tell that his brother was struggling with something. Join the fucking club, he thought.
Jaxon glared at the three of them, his dark eyes narrowed, his lips thinned. His broad shoulders were square, and the power that clung to him would scare the shit out of most men.
“You’re hiding something. I can tell. I need to know everything before we head to Vegas.” His brows furled together into a grimace. “There’s no room for mistakes.” Jaxon looked at each of them, and there was no doubt as to the seriousness of the situation. “There’s too much at stake. I won’t jeopardize my son’s future.”
“There’s nothing that you need to know.” The lie slipped easily off Julian’s tongue, and his face remained blank as he faced his brother. They were way too close to his objective to fuck things up now.
Jaxon’s eyes narrowed, and they glittered, a dangerous, dark color. He took a few steps forward but stopped as a growl erupted from Julian.
The two brothers stared at each other, while the energy in the room darkened.
“Where have you been for the last six months?” Jaxon spit out, and it was obvious he was furious. “Why did you not contact us as soon as you could?” His eye turned to Declan, full of accusation. “You were part of my team, Dec. What the hell is going on?”
“Why do you care?” Julian asked. “Isn’t it enough that we’re here and willing to do whatever it takes to defeat Cormac? Why the interrogation?”