He materialized her suitcase. "I wanted you to have your things. I don't agree with what Maman did, none of us do. We're trying to soften her up-"
"But she is Maman."
He nodded as he set the case down beside the couch. "She won't hear us for now. We keep hoping every day that she'll relent and send one of us after you, but it's just not happening. I really miss you and wanted to let you know that you can call on us anytime you need something."
His offer warmed her completely. Unfortunately, she wouldn't be able to take him up on it. Not without getting him into all kinds of trouble and risking his having to join them here at the Kattalakis home. "Maman would be furious."
He shrugged. "I'm a big boy. I can handle it."
Yeah, right. No one was that big. Maman didn't like anyone going against her wishes-as was proven by Aimee's current situation.
"So how goes it?" she asked, dying for an update.
"It's tense. There's a lot of riffraff coming in, thinking they can push it since they no longer have to fear Savitar's wrath. But Remi's having a blast since there's no eirini laws in place to restrain him. We've all been getting some of our more predatorial instincts out." It was then she realized just how bruised his knuckles were.
She shook her head, amused and yet worried about her brothers. "How many have you killed?"
"None, but there's always tomorrow."
She laughed in spite of herself. "You're so sick."
He smiled with pride-gods, how she'd missed that shit-eating grin of his.
"What about the rest of the family? Are they returning?"
That sobered him immediately. "They're still in Oregon. When the cubs are born, they'll return."
It was what she'd figured. "Then you'll be on the run again. Moving from place to place like we used to do."
"No." Those blue eyes of his cut completely through her. "This is our home. No one's going to chase us out."
Her heart stopped at what he was saying. To continue to run the club without Savitar's backing was suicide. "Is Maman sure?"
"Yeah. After all Dante runs a club that isn't a limani and they haven't had too many incidents."
"Yeah, but-"
"It was a decision we all made," he said, cutting her protest off. "Besides, we've added a few others to our company, including Constantine, who is here to defend us for as long as we need him."
"It's the least he could do."
He nodded in agreement. "The Dark-Hunters are also taking up posts at night to help us out and Kyrian and Talon, hell even Valerius, are making sure to come by and visit . . . just in case. And of course Nick is there so much, I'm about to start charging the little bastard rent."
She laughed at the last bit, though the news did surprise her. While some of them had been patrons over the decades, she hadn't realized the extent of their loyalty. "Really?"
"Yeah. Since the Dark-Hunters can't be around each other without draining their powers, they swap out each night. So all in all, it's not as bad as you think."
Aimee narrowed her gaze on him. "But?"
"But what?"
"There's a but in your tone."
He tucked his hands in his pockets in a way that reminded her of a bashful kid. "I don't know. I just have a bad feeling and I think Maman has it too. She's really been on edge these last few days."
"Maman is always on edge."
"True, but this is . . ." His voice trailed off as he looked past her shoulder.