Unbroken Bonds (The Bonds That Tie #6)(68)

Gabe cuts me off. “This is the first time you've ever brought up kids in our entire relationship, Bonded. I'm allowed to be surprised for a second. I’d started assuming that you didn't ever want them because anytime anybody talks about anything to do with the future, you space out and try to figure out how you're going to fill your days up. That kinda makes it sound like you’re not planning on another generation around here.”

My blush deepens and I shrug. “That's a valid response to things, Gabe. What are we going to do with our days if Gryphon isn't having to train people all day? If Nox and North aren't doing tactical planning and research and we're not having to house people running away from conflict… What are we going to do?”

Gabe carefully sets down his tools and then takes the drywall off of me, putting it down at our feet as well. Then he frames my face with his hands, gently leaning down to me. I’m sure we look like an absolute mess covered in dust and debris from the building site, but neither of us care as my breath catches in my throat and he stares me dead in the eye.

“I think what we’ll do is spend a few years doing absolutely nothing except spending time with each other without any obligations. Then we might travel, see the world, and do all of the things that we're supposed to do. Then I think that nothing sounds better to me than a million kids.”

A laugh sputters out of me. “I don't think I can have a million kids, thank you very much, Gabriel Ardern!”

He kisses me, sweet and pure, as though he's pouring that beautiful happy sunshine of his into me, and it warms me to the core. “I think you'll love every second of it, Bonded. I think we’ll have one and you’ll see how much the entire Bonded Group loves that child, how much we all will love and nurture and cherish a child born here with us, and you'll want even more. I also think that North is going to lock you in a tower the moment you say that you want kids to demand that you pass on the Draven name first. I can already imagine him and Nox battling it out over this since technically either of them can father a Draven child.”

I think I forget how to breathe at the very idea of any of that, but then as I think about each one of them having a child, I feel the exact same way.

That's an entire side to our Bonded Group I've never thought of before, something that I never assumed we would have peace for long enough to really consider. I'm absolutely not going to bring a child into the world as it currently is. With god-bonds chasing us and the Resistance having a target on our backs, it's not fair and it's not right, but the whole point of us getting rid of them is to live in peace. To live and love and do everything that Gabe has just described, everything we could ever want with each other.

“A Draven baby,” I murmur, and Gabe grins at me, pure sunshine and happiness.

“I don't care who goes first, Bonded. I know that I'll be able to convince you to have just one more with me.”

I shake my head at him again, picking up the drywall and getting it back into place, happy for the distraction to calm my racing heart.

We work quietly for a moment before I find myself having a whole new mental crisis. “What if I do only want one? What if the thought of more than one is terrifying to me and that's it?”

Gabe shrugs. “Then just have one. Like I said, it's going to end up a Draven, we all know it. To be honest, Bonded, if that's what you want too, then that's okay with me. I'm more than happy playing football with our kid no matter what last name it has or what color hair. Though to be honest, I think white would be pretty cute.”

I blush again and mumble under my breath, “My hair was originally black, you know, as black as the Dravens’, so there's a pretty good chance it's going to be black, no matter what.”

Gabe shrugs again, picking up his hammer. “It doesn't bother me either way, and I already know it doesn't bother anyone else either… except for maybe North. Have fun having this conversation with him someday.”

I hope that day is very far away.





If Atlas notices the change in the mood between Gabe and I when he returns from collecting supplies, he doesn't comment on it. Instead, he just joins in with the good-natured bantering and the flirting that happens whenever the three of us are on site together.

I've fallen into a sort-of menage relationship with them both. One where I'm equally excited to see both of them together as I am to see them by themselves. There's never an expectation of being with either of them alone anymore because they find it easy enough to share me between them, and the only thing stopping us from taking advantage of the empty building is the fact that it is a school for young children, and I refuse to be inappropriate in such a way.

Atlas rallies hard to convince me otherwise.

“I can't stand up in front of an entire community at a meeting, acting like I'm so pious and good, if I've been railed by the two of you in one of their kids' classrooms. It's just wrong!”

Gabe roars with laughter, but Atlas only waves a hand out in front of himself as though none of this is a big deal. “It's not their classroom yet. It's not as though we're going to be sweeping crayons onto the floor. If you're that fussy about it, I'm sure that between the two of us, we can hold you up. You wouldn't even have to get your knees dirty, Bonded.”

Gabe smiles lasciviously at me, getting a palmful of my ass as he squeezes and pulls me in close to his chest, smelling like clean sweat and dust. There’s a small smudge on his nose and it is way too endearing to me. “I’m happy to get my knees dirty for you, Bonded, if that's what you'd like.”