The Brightest Night (Origin #3) - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,107

tears as she stepped back. “Those two words aren’t nearly enough, but thank you.”

I pressed my lips together as I inhaled sharply through my nose. Luc slowly shook his head, and I knew he was about to give her the same line he’d given me, but Kat was having none of that.

“Losing him would’ve killed us in the worst possible ways, and I don’t know if we would’ve recovered from that, but the three of us are here because of you,” she told him. “And I wish there were some way we could repay you—some way that you could truly understand the depths of our gratitude.”

Luc was still speechless and back to being as still as a tomb, so I intervened. “He likes grilled cheese sandwiches.”

Kat’s gaze darted to me, eyebrows raising.

“A lot,” I added. “Like, so much so, he’s in a committed, long-term relationship with them. A lifetime supply of them would go a long way to proving your gratitude.”

Kat smiled as she glanced over at Daemon while Luc’s shoulders began to relax. “I think we can make that work. Right, babe?”

“I can cook up a mean grilled cheese,” he said.

Thank you, came Luc’s soft reply.

I blinked back the dampness in my eyes. Now I don’t have to worry about making you any.

He sent me a grin over his shoulder and a look that said he knew better.

Kat turned slightly, and at that moment, little Adam stretched out a tiny, chubby arm toward Luc as his little head bobbed and weaved behind Kat’s hand. He let out a soft baby noise. “I think he wants to say hello.”

Before Luc could do or say anything, Kat was tucking the baby into Luc’s arms. “Just make sure you support his head. Like this.” Kat made it so that Luc’s arm and then his hand formed a cradle. “There you go. You’re a pro.”

Luc looked like he’d been handed a bomb.

“Oh yeah, you look like a natural,” Daemon remarked.

Kat sent a look at Daemon that made him chuckle. “He’s doing just fine.” She smiled up at Luc. “You’re doing great.”

“He’s really small,” was all Luc said.

“Sure didn’t feel like that four days ago,” she replied wryly, and I barely managed to hide my cringe.

Creeping closer, I could see that the baby was staring up at Luc with eyes identical to his. Adam was incredibly quiet as his sock-covered feet wiggled.

“I think he likes you,” Daemon said. “Which is really going to tick off Archer. The moment he gets near, Adam scrunches up his face and starts wailing.”

“That’s my boy.” Luc’s grin was slow as he turned to me. “Want to hold him?”

“Nope!” I held up my hands. “No offense, but I do not trust myself not to do something wrong.”

“I thought the same thing the first time I held him.” Kat reached out, touching my arm. “I’m so glad to see that you’re doing well. We were so worried.”

“Thank you,” I said. “And you look amazing, by the way.”

“I feel like a ten-ton truck drove through me, and I’m exhausted.” Her gaze drifted to Luc and her child. “But I’m absolutely loving it.” She reached out, straightening the little sock on one of his feet. “Do either of you or Viv know why you slept for a few days?”

Actually relieved that she’d asked, because I was beginning to really wonder what kind of bizarre stuff these two had seen that they hadn’t questioned it yet, I told them what we knew. Then Luc chimed in after Daemon retrieved his son, explaining Viv’s theory.

“Damn,” Daemon murmured. “All of it sounds insane, but it also makes sense.”

Kat was toying with Adam’s foot again. “I saw some of their labs while I was at one of their compounds. Dasher showed them to me, actually.” She smiled at her baby. “There is nothing I don’t think they’re capable of, so coding a mutation to act like a dormant virus doesn’t really surprise me.”

Daemon’s jaw hardened. “But if Viv’s theory is right, and those additional serums changed the game, that would explain why you didn’t attempt to head back to the Daedalus and why you didn’t recognize us.”

“You were rebooting,” Kat said. “And something that Luc said or did either sped up the process or snapped you out of it.”

Something had been said. I could almost hear it. Whatever it was, it bloomed on the fringes of my thoughts and then slipped through my fingers like smoke as I stared at Kat. My brain did cartwheels trying