Kick Back - Susi Hawke Page 0,22

of knowing that his brother didn't know about it. I get why he hasn't contacted his family. Now let's get packed up and head to Slovenia and Nathaniel can tell Tony himself that he didn't know about it when they have their big reconciliation."

Gib made a tutting sound, drawing our attention to the armchair across from us. "Stop and think about it for a second, Dear. Sheesh, you guys still give me crap about Hungary and look at you. You're so distracted by your big gorgeous Swede that you're not thinking. What happens to an omega when their mate dies? Especially a wealthy one like Edina must have been if her family was able to buy a mate for one sibling and then pass him off to another. And did you miss the fact that they were vacationing in America when she died? So yeah, think about it."

"Ah, good point." Dear nodded slowly as he immediately grasped what his brother was suggesting. "Even in traditional families where omegas aren't given the same rights as everyone else, they're free after they’re widowed. And if his mate was wealthy, that means Tony is free to live anywhere he wants and has the money to do it. You're right, it is intriguing that he chose to stay in Slovenia for the past decade. And to live with her brother? That's odd. Are there pups involved? That would explain it, maybe."

Gib snorted. "Please. Rich people don't help their widowed brothers-in-law with kids. They’d suggest solid nanny services."

I leaned in just enough to subtly smell Dear's hair. The citrus shampoo he used blended well with his personal scent. Dear tilted his head back when he busted me sniffing him. He smiled and gave me a quick kiss. "Look at you getting all lovey-dovey in front of my brothers. Are you hoping to find that you're an uncle?"

"Honestly? I'm just hoping to find my brother safe and well. I'm not quite ready to wrap my brain around him being a father. Even though my brother would be fifty by now, still young by our standards, I can't help but picture him as the seventeen-year-old boy I knew."

As for the sniffing, that was just the newly mated alpha in me needing to connect with my mate. Dear seemed to understand because he blushed sweetly and kissed me again. Not that I would ever tell him how sweet it was when he blushed; I'd already figured out that he didn't see himself as gentle or sweet.

Snarky, maybe, but not sweet. I didn't mind keeping my thoughts to myself and allowing my darling Dear to keep his self-image intact, however wrong it might be. The fact that he didn't see that about himself just made me want to cuddle him that much more.

Dear stood and reached for my hand. "Come on, Nathaniel. We need to go pack while my brothers arrange for our cruise tickets to Slovenia." He turned and wagged a finger at Nash, who was seated behind a desk and tapping on a laptop. "Make sure you get good fake identities set up for Sonia and Andy with full, ironclad biographies before you buy the tickets. If we are going to smuggle them there, I want to do it in plain sight."

Nash quirked a brow. "And just what do you think I did yesterday while we allowed you privacy with your mate? What are we, newbies? Go pack while the real pros in the family continue working, brat."

Gib snickered when Dear stuck his tongue out. "Chill out, you'd be giving us crap if you were the one on the outside looking in. In fact, I'm pretty sure I dealt with my own fair share of teasing when I found Darius."

Dan slowly shook his head. "No, Gibby. The reason we gave you a hard time is because you had gone on the record more times than I can count that you had no interest in getting a mate. Then you get one whiff of Darius and you’re a goner. In fact, I'm not entirely sure I'm done teasing you about that yet."

Gib markedly ignored Dan. "Anyway. As I was about to say when I was so rudely interrupted," he paused to shoot Dan a pointed look, "the new identification packets will be here in an hour. I called Shadowfox in on this one. Sonia and Andy will be keeping their first names so they don't screw up right out of the gate. Nick and Clay took them to