ChapterFive
Luca finished dressing.
Someone knocked on the door.
And since Nox had a key….
Luca checked the peephole.
Isaiah.
The big beta named Tanner, sat in a truck in the space where Nox normally parked the van. He’d taken the bit of money Mrs. Canton could scrape up and gone to the hardware store for supplies. Luca had wanted to go, but he’d fallen back asleep while Nox was in the shower.
After last night, it was no surprise Nox didn’t wake him up.
Luca unlocked the door. “What are you doing here?”
Isaiah held up a fabric bag. “I brought you some food.”
“We have food.”
“I thought you might like something home-cooked.” Isaiah bowed his head. “And I was hoping you’d give me the chance to explain myself and apologize.”
What Luca wanted to do was shut the door in the man’s face. He tightened his hold on the doorknob but couldn’t get himself to do it. “You explained things pretty well already.”
“I didn’t. I said things I shouldn’t have. Unfair things.” Why did Isaiah have to sound so sincere?
Luca hated it. Even more, he hated the lack of anger he had for Isaiah. And he wanted to be angry. He wanted to be enraged. But for some reason, he couldn’t find it in himself because the voice in his soul wouldn’t let him.
Luca stepped to the side. “Okay.”
Isaiah stopped beside the table and laid down the bag he carried.
“What about him?” Luca nodded at the man in the truck who watched Isaiah with an almost identical expression Nox wore when staring at Luca.
“It’s best if he doesn’t.”
“Isn’t that rude, though? Making him stay out there?”
“I’m more concerned about him staying alive.”
Luca frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nash is protective of you, and rightly so. Bringing another beta into his space could cause a problem.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Here, sit.” Isaiah pulled one of the mismatched chairs from the small table. “Do you have any plates? I’ll set the table.”
“Some paper ones over there.” Luca nodded at disposable cutlery and plates sitting on top of the fridge Nox had discovered in a storage room while helping Mrs. Canton clean out some items to sell for quick cash. “But that doesn’t answer my question.”
“Nash is a good man. He loves you.”
Warmth and pain filled Luca’s chest. “Yeah, he does.”
“But the Anubis doesn’t care about that. It will see a threat and react. Tanner wouldn’t stand a chance no matter how strong he thinks he is, so it’s better he stays in the truck.” Isaiah collected plates and the box of plasticware. “I’m sorry it’s cold. I meant to bring it yesterday while it was fresh, but I got distracted and had to put it in the fridge till I could get here today.” Isaiah opened the containers. Bread, meatloaf, cookies, potatoes with enough chunks it could only be made with actual potatoes and not flakes from a box.
“Eating cold food doesn’t bother me.” Especially food like this.