The Viper's Nest (Kit Davenport #4)(77)

Austin leaned casually against the counter, watching Cole with an amused look on his face, while Wesley was ignoring them all and tapping away on his laptop at the table.

“Hey,” I greeted them as we stood there for a second, frowning in confusion. “Uh, Cal, can we talk? Privately?”

Whatever weirdness was going on with the guys could probably wait. I owed Caleb an apology for my rash overreaction, and if I didn’t do it now, then I was either going to chicken out or the anxiety was going to give me a stomach ulcer.

Could I even get stomach ulcers? It sure felt like I could...

“Uh...” Caleb looked at me with an uncertain expression, darting his eyes back to whatever the hell Cole was doing and then giving me a cautious nod. “Yeah, of course. Let’s go... um... outside?”

He did an awkward sort of shuffle along the countertop, pushing Austin out of his way while he went and ignoring his twin’s snort of laughter. Once Caleb was right to the end of the counter, he slid off and quickly dashed the distance between kitchen and balcony.

“Coming?” he asked me, standing just outside and holding the sliding door partly closed as if scared something might chase him out there. Weird behavior.

“Yeah, I’m coming, you-you oddball,” I replied, trying not to laugh at how strange he was being. Austin, meanwhile, seemed to be fighting laughter of his own, and Cole flicked an annoyed glance at the Ink Mage.

“What’s going on?” I frowned, joining Caleb on the balcony and watching as he closed the sliding door firmly and took a seat as far from the door as possible.

He hesitated, then shook his head. “Tell you later. What did you want to talk about? You were pretty mad when you left...”

“Ah yeah.” I blushed with embarrassment and took the seat beside him. “That’s what I wanted to talk about. Actually, where’s Vic?” I twisted in my seat, looking inside again in case I’d missed him lurking somewhere. Wes hadn’t moved, Austin seemed to be offering Cole advice on whatever he was doing, and I could see River and Vali speaking near the door. No Vic, though.

“He left,” Caleb informed me. “Or... got thrown out. Same difference, right? No doubt he will be back, though. He said he’s been working on breaking the geas that... er.... Bridget put on him.”

As he said my mother’s name, he cringed. Whether it was because he didn’t want me to fly off the handle at him again or because he was anticipating pain from the secrecy spell, I wasn’t sure. But it solidified how harsh I’d been with him earlier.

“Okay, so, Bridget.” I heaved a deep breath and smiled at him tentatively. “I owe you an apology. I totally overreacted earlier, and that wasn’t fair to you.”

Caleb started to say something, so I held my hand up to silence him.

“Just... let me explain. Or rather, not explain because it’s pretty cut and dry. You didn’t do anything that deserved that sort of reaction from me. It was just... a lot. All at once. First the pain from the bonding, then Vic showing up and dropping that truth bomb... I let my anger and fear drive my actions, and for that I apologize.”

“Kitty Kat,” he groaned, scrubbing a hand over his face and through his hair. “You have nothing to apologize for. You really didn’t react that badly, unless you count storming out into Los Angeles in the middle of the night when you know bad guys want to string you up and drain your blood. Other than that, it was kind of understandable.”

“Uh, so I’m also apologizing for all the things I thought but didn’t say. So... sorry!” I gave him an awkward sort of smile, and he chuckled.

“I’m sorry too, babe. I never ever should have accepted that stupid spell in the first place. If I’d have been in my right mind, I would have known it couldn’t end well.” He leaned forward in his seat and took my hand in his, tracing a pattern across my skin. “It’s been eating me up inside this whole time, not being able to tell you and knowing how mad you were going to be.”

“You won’t believe this”—I laughed a humorless laugh—“or maybe you will, seeing as you know her better than I do, but Bridget found me tonight. After I left here, I went to a random bar, and she showed up with Mr. Gregoric.”

“What?” Caleb exclaimed. “What did she want? I was always so careful not to give her any info on you, Kitty, I swear.”

“No, I know. I do trust you.” I linked my fingers with his and gave him a squeeze of reassurance. “A lot of what she said smacked of bullshit, but she did make it pretty clear you weren’t to be blamed for the whole situation. Did you know she was drugging your tea to make you keep going back there?”

Caleb’s jaw dropped slightly, and his brows shot up. “What the fuck?”

“Ah yeah, so... I really can’t blame you for seeing her behind my back. You didn’t actually have any free will to refuse.” I shrugged and gave him an apologetic smile. “But on the upside to all of this, the amulet she gave you really does seem to be working.”

“Yeah?” He ran his fingers over the gold chain and then gave me a half smile. “I’m glad. I didn’t have any reason to think she was lying about this, but then I also didn’t think she was magically drugging my tea.”

I snorted a laugh. “I know, my mother seems like a real piece of work.”