BONDS OF JUSTICE

River’s arms locked around him. Max felt dampness against his skin, had to blink his own eyes, swallow the knot in his throat. Raising a hand after a long, long time, he messed up the hair on the back of River’s head. “Where have you been, kid?”


River gave a sheepish grin as they drew apart. “Getting my shit together.”

“You couldn’t do that without disappearing?”

River dropped his head, shoving his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. It made Max grin, his heart full to overflowing. He knew this man, grown though he might be.

“Max?” Sophia’s gentle voice. “Are you going to invite him in or interrogate him on the doorstep?”

River’s eyes widened as he laid them on Sophia. “Wow, Max, what did you tell her to get her to let you in the door?”

Max cuffed his brother good-naturedly on the ear as River slid in past him and bent to kiss Sophia on the cheek. “Hello, are you sure you’re with the right brother?”

Sophia had never had a younger sibling. But this man with his laughing eyes and bright smile . . . “Are you making me an offer?”

“I would”—a whisper—“but Max always was a little possessive.”

Max’s arm came around her waist, heavy, warm, real. “Don’t you forget it.”

River looked up at Max as her cop turned to press his lips to Sophia’s temple, and for an instant, Sophia saw the truth of River’s emotions laid bare. So much love, so much need, so much pain. Max’s brother, she thought, needed them. “Welcome home, River.”

His expression shifted into a wary kind of hope. “Yeah?” But he was looking at Max.

Max reached out to thump a fist on River’s shoulder. “You’re staying if I have to tie you to the furniture.”

“No need,” River said, dipping his head but not before Sophia saw the sheen in his eyes, “just tie me to your Sophia.”

“I think,” Sophia said as Max mock-scowled, “I’m going to like having a younger brother.” Reaching out, she slipped her arm into the crook of River’s elbow. “So, tell me all of Max’s secrets.”

Max curled his hand around her nape. “Hey now, no ganging up on me.”

River laughed, said something. So did Max, the heat of his hold burning through to warm every part of her as she listened to the joy beneath their words.

Home.

Finally, they were all home.


Five things happened later that month. All of them momentous in very different ways.

One: Max decided there were medicines he could take for hives.

Two: Councilor Nikita Duncan met Councilor Anthony Kyriakus to draw up a plan to protect their territory against incursions by others on the Council.

Three: Sascha Duncan managed to stop a fight between ten six-year-old changeling leopards using her ability—though she couldn’t figure out how she’d done it.

Four: Councilor Kaleb Krychek found the beginnings of a trail that could one day lead him to his quarry.

And five . . . Max bought Sophia some very naughty lingerie for their honeymoon.