The Deputy and His Enforcer (Kincaid Pack #3) - Kiki Clark Page 0,62

in a hug, his warmth and scent filling Marcus with a sense of safety and family that only close packmates could give him.

“Alright, more awkward.” Slapping his back, Nico leaned away from him and grinned. “At least everything’s out in the open now.”

Marcus shoved him away with an eye roll and ignored his laughter as he stomped out of the room. He stopped at the office and let Brianna know they were all set and out of the conference room. They smiled and waved as they barely looked up from whatever they were squinting at on their computer.

Nico caught up with him outside, and they climbed into the last SUV in the parking lot. “You hear from Wendy yet?”

The reminder of Wendy and her dangerous mission to smuggle the letter out of the Council’s reach soured his mood further, filling his stomach with dread. He shook his head. “Nothing.”

Nico clapped a hand on Marcus’s shoulder. “It’s only been a week. Give her some time. I’m sure she’ll get out of there fine. She’s smart.”

Neither spoke as they drove back to the manor, but the car was filled with the scent of both of their nerves.

For the first time since being discharged, Robson had wished for a longer shift at work. After dropping Reesa off at her house and making sure she was okay, he’d headed to the sheriff’s department for the overnight shift he’d been scheduled for. He’d grumbled when he’d seen it—knowing the sheriff had only given him more hours that week because he’d probably gotten a phone call from Alpha Kincaid—but after what he’d learned at the rec center, he could have used the longer distraction.

It was still early when he pulled up to the farmhouse, but he wasn’t surprised to see a light in the kitchen was on. His mom had always been an early riser.

Just inside the front door, he left his gun in the lockbox he kept in the credenza in the hall. After hanging up his coat and emptying what he could from his utility belt, he headed toward the kitchen, pausing just outside when he heard his mom talking to someone in Spanish.

Slowly, he stepped into the room, expecting to see one of his sisters half-asleep at the table but found only his mom. She was sitting by herself sipping on a mug of coffee. At his entrance, she glanced over and smiled.

“Buenos días, mi sol.”

“Buenos días, mamá,” he murmured, looking around once more to make sure they were alone. “Who were you talking to?”

She waved a hand in the air. “Just papá,” she said, and then she patted the table in front of another chair. “Come sit.”

He lowered into the seat, his chest heavy. “You must miss him a lot.” Guilt began to climb in him at the reminder. The whole reason he was living at home was to help her and help take care of his family, but he’d gotten so consumed by Marcus so quickly that he’d barely spoken to her in a week.

“Sí, but I’m so grateful to have you back home, Robito.” She ran her eyes over his uniform. “He would be proud of you.”

He just barely stopped himself from snorting. Despite what his sweet mother thought, nothing Robson had ever done had been good enough for his dad. Not any promotion in the army, not any of the commendations, not the money he’d sent home on occasion when Hector had told him they were struggling.

And he straight up ignored the way she looked at him when he was in his deputy’s uniform. He didn’t have the heart to tell her he was unhappy, especially when he didn’t know what he would rather be doing. It wasn’t that he was against working in a job that served his community… he’d just never seen himself in law enforcement back when he used to daydream about what it would be like to be home when he was on long tours.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been around much lately,” he finally said, scrubbing at his face to try and drive away the exhaustion creeping up on him.

His mom smiled at him over her coffee mug. “Who is he?”

Groaning, he slumped onto the table. “Mamá.”

“Mothers know.” She sipped her coffee before placing the mug on the table and reaching over to lightly lay her hand on his wrist, drawing his eyes back to her. “He must be very special to have caught your eye, Robito.”

Staring into her soft eyes, he swallowed, fighting back