Blood Bonds(The Bonds That Tie #3)(76)

Gryph nods and takes the list from me, looking it over. “Half of these names are lower families who are training with me in the mornings. I can give Sawyer some ideas on where to look for them to rule them out.”

North nods and then pauses, letting out a slow breath. “Show them to Atlas. The list and then point out the people to him. See if anything rings a bell.”

Over my dead body. “No. Absolutely not. I’m not going to give what little information we do have to someone we know is a part of the Resistance.”

Gryph and North share a look, but I shake my head at both of them. I don’t care what they say, I don’t care if he’s part of the Bond Group, he’s a fucking Bassinger.

He was the first sign of the poison the girl is.

“I’ll take care of it myself, so leave him out of it. I’ll have the sympathizer by the end of the week.”





Chapter Twenty-Three





Oli


As much as building houses is actually fun and rewarding, going on a supply run with three of my Bonds is exactly what I need right about now.

I’d slept in Nox’s room, and even though I’d gotten in a solid eight hours of sleep, I’d woken up feeling as though a truck had backed over my decaying corpse, so I chalk it up to an uncomfortable atmosphere and get to training with Gryphon when he comes for me.

An hour later, North arrives, not yet in his suit, to tell us about the water contamination issue. It’s a little concerning because I’d showered and already drunk a coffee brewed with that water but as far as Sawyer can tell, the contamination happened between six and seven in the morning, so I should be safe.

North and Gryphon still drag me to Felix for a check up, just to be sure. I point out that Gryphon also drank the coffee, but neither of them give a shit about that. Felix, who was asleep when we showed up to the house he’s sharing with his Bond Group, Sawyer, and Grey, slaps a very gentle but tired hand over mine for half a second before declaring me fine and stomps back to bed, still wearing nothing but a pair of haphazardly shoved on boxer shorts.

Sage pokes her head out of the room but when I tell her I’m fine, she stumbles back to bed without a word, still half asleep and not coherent enough yet to form words.

I chew North and Gryphon both out using our mind connection as we leave, but neither of them seem to care.

“Someone who knows our morning routines did it. They know that you’re an early riser,” North says, pulling his sweater off and shoving it over my head. It’s still warm enough, even in my gym gear of a tank top and a pair of shorts, but Gryphon helps him to straighten it over me until I’m covered to my knees.

I don’t get why he’s trying to cover me up until I see the hordes of workmen walking along in the opposite direction, all of them waving or tipping their heads respectfully at North, who I’m sure is absolutely thrilled to be wearing nothing but sweatpants right now.

Gryphon shakes his head slowly, grabbing my hand when I lose my balance a little on some loose gravel. “It was a test. The Resistance don’t actually want Oli dead. They want to know how secure this place is and what we have in the way of failsafes. They’ll be watching our reactions to things and how we pivot when they attack, even on smaller scales like this.”

I scoff at them. “Well, they’ve learned that you both panic and find me a Healer, and if they want me alive, then they’ll be extra pleased about that.”

Gryphon shrugs again, refusing to let go of my hand as he directs me up the path to our house and says, “This is the one time I’m fine with doing exactly what those assholes want. Safety above ego, always.”

I nod and wait for North to get the door open, stumbling over my feet into the house and trying not to get frustrated at the fact that Gabe leaves his shoes at the door. North doesn’t give out the same courtesy and curses under his breath, striding off to snap at him and wake my poor Bond up.

Living in such close quarters is harder than any of us thought, and there are a lot of alpha males in one spot here.

“Stop worrying about it. It’s not your problem to deal with, and they’ve had years to figure out a friendship that you have no responsibility over,” Gryphon murmurs, directing me over to the breakfast bar in the kitchen and helping me up onto the stool.

I nod and tuck my arms around myself, taking a deep and calming breath of North’s scent on the sweater before propping my chin up on my fist as I watch Gryphon move around the kitchen. He’s still wearing his gym gear and I get to enjoy the flexing of his arms and shoulders in his harshly cut out tank top. I barely notice that he’s getting out frying pans and all of the fixings for scrambled eggs and bacon. It’s only when he slides the plate across to me, that I realize he’s made us both breakfast.

I stare down at it for a second and then back up to where he’s shaking his head at me. “I’m not the chef, but I can make eggs. I worked in the cafe with Kyrie for a few years during college, they’ll be edible at the very least.”

I blush a little and grab the knife and fork he’s also slid across the counter to me. “I’m sure they’re delicious. I was more shocked that we have the food. I thought we weren’t at the rationing stage yet?”

He shrugs and digs in to his own plate. “We’re not. I grabbed them when I had to go into the Council offices. There’s occasionally perks to dealing with the Resistance assholes we bring back here.”