My heart breaks a little more for Atlas, the stuff he didn’t want to have to tell me but that he was willing to if it meant I’d believe him. It feels a little bit wrong to be talking about it with Gryphon, but he’s also my Bonded and I know this is weighing on him too. Everything he has to see and experience in his work as a TacTeam leader, it’s a heavy load to carry.
Isn’t it exactly my job to help lighten the load?
“I wouldn’t ask you to, Bonded. I would never put too much of this shit on you, your own burdens are heavy enough. I’m heading into North’s offices to sort out what we’re doing about the water issue. You just get on with your day the same way you would normally. Just keep Bassinger and Gabe with you at all times, okay?”
I nod and grab his plate, hip bumping him out of the way as I load them and the other dishes into the dishwasher. He kisses me soundly and heads off to get dressed for the day, and I enjoy the view of his ass in those shorts the whole damn way.
I almost forget and climb into the shower when Gryphon leaves, but instead I text Sage and apologize about the rude early morning wake up. She gets back to me straight away, calling me to say that she’s totally fine about it because she’s the best and we spend a good hour on the phone.
Mostly gossiping about Bonds, which is annoyingly fun.
When we get to the fun shit, I break Sage’s poor brain with my own little updates, and it’s the funniest freaking thing. “Both of them at the same time?! Oleander Fallows! That feels… scandalous. And they were just…fine with that?”
I snort and prop the phone up on my shoulder. “Well, it’s not like I suggested it! I was more… convinced that it was a good idea. Listen, once the Bonded ones start having creative ideas, you’re going to be swept up into crazy shit that no one warns you about. We might need other friends in Bonded Groups, just for, like, a heads up for this shit. It’s not like we can just ask your parents—”
She makes a gagging noise and cuts me off with a squeal. “Shut your mouth right now! I do not want to think about my parents in an orgy. Fuck, I could vomit. Why would you even say that? They’ve only done it twice, just for me and Sawyer. That’s it! Gross.”
I hear Sawyer’s dramatics in the background, cussing her out for so much as talking about something so gross, and I cackle at them both. They’re such typical siblings in a really normal family dynamic, now that her family isn’t being obnoxious to her about shit outside of her control, and it’s nice to just experience it vicariously through them both for a minute.
Sage clears her throat. “Okay, so now that I need my entire brain dipped in bleach, what is the plan for today’s incident? Are you going to help out with whatever they do about it?”
I flop back onto Gryphon’s bed, tucking my nose into his pillow a little bit just to get one last whiff of him before I get on with my day. “No news yet. There’s a meeting happening now about it, but I’ve just been told to stick with Gabe and Atlas today.”
Sage hums down the line. “Kieran said the same to me. He wants me with someone in this house at all times.”
I could make a joke about possessive, overprotective Bonds, but there’s a knock at the door and then Atlas’ head is poking through. “Shore called, we’re heading out of the Sanctuary on a run. You’re coming with… as long as you want to.”
Hell yeah I do. “Gotta go, Sage. I’ll call you when I get home.”
I bounce off of the bed and straight into Atlas’ arms. He looks tired, he has since we got back from the camps with his sister in our custody, but he grins down at me.
“I don’t think your bond is going to be needed much today. I hope you’re not bounding around because you think it’s going to be… fed.”
I snort at his teasing, because I already know he’s not actually serious, and shrug. “You never know, one of the Tac personnel could piss me off and end up as lunch.”
He chuckles at me as we get to the front door together, pulling on shoes and grabbing jackets. “I know which ones I’m voting for. Rockelle is a fucking dickhead and deserves his soul to be gobbled up.”
I shrug with a smirk, but I already know that he’s one of Gryphon’s closest friends and trusted personnel, so even with his smart mouth and irreverent jokes, he’s safe for now.
We don’t have enough trusted people in our circle as it is. I can’t take out the few we do have.
We make our way over to North’s offices, but the crowds of Tac operatives are waiting outside, already dressed and fully armed. There’s no way I’m going to be allowed to go out in the jeans and sweater I’m currently wearing, but I guess there’s no way to get used to the gear unless you wear it.