Free Evans, Gabrielle - Reckoning [Fatefully Yours 9] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever ManLove) by Gabrielle Evans Page B

and pulled a black T-shirt over his head. “Let me talk to Echo, and then we can all have a little powwow where I grovel and beg for forgiveness.”
    Eyce didn’t know where the sudden attitude shift had come from, but he wasn’t going to question it. As long as Syx was back, Eyce was happy. “So, we’re good now, right?”
    Syx grabbed Eyce around the back of the neck and crushed their mouths together. “We’re good. I was a dickhead, and I can admit that. Some things are going to have to change, but we’ll talk about it later.” He started to walk away, but paused and looked up toward the ceiling. “I need to apologize to Craze, too.” Then he shook his head and hurried down the hall to Echo’s bedroom.
    “Should we follow him?” Fiero asked. It was obvious the demon wanted to, but he was deferring to Eyce’s judgment.
    “Let’s give them a minute.” Eyce jerked his thumb in the opposite direction. “Let’s round everyone up and get dinner started.” He looked down the hall and smiled indulgently when he saw Syx slip into Echo’s room. “They’re fine.”
    Fiero shrugged, but he did look toward Echo’s room in longing. “Then let’s eat. I’m starving.”
    As Eyce led the way to the staircase, he couldn’t help but wonder which one of them would be the next to crack under the stress.

    * * * *
     
    “You’ve been saying that for weeks now!” Mac shouted. “I have friends in that damn compound. They don’t deserve what’s happening to them. I can feel it. I dream about it. Why won’t you help them?”
    The post-makeup-sex smile slid from Echo’s lips as he entered the kitchen with Syx in tow. There hadn’t been many words spoken, but then again, he figured they didn’t need them. They’d both said and done things that they didn’t mean, and there was no reason to drag bad memories to the surface.
    It seemed that Mac didn’t share his sentiments, though. His friend had a lot to say, and he was saying it very loudly, much to the displeasure of Echo’s mates if the frowns on their faces were any indication. Unfortunately, Mac was right. Even more unfortunate was the fact that Echo was going to have to tell his men that.
    “He’s right.”
    All heads snapped toward him, and Echo actually flinched. He wasn’t afraid, but they’d just made up, and he really didn’t want to cause another argument. No matter if the residents were part of this war or not, they needed to rescue them.
    “Can I ask you a question?” Syx spoke softly, without judgment, but Echo had a feeling he wasn’t going to like what the warrior had to say.
    “I suppose.”
    “Why is it so important to you that we save these guys?”
    Echo sighed and rubbed his eyes. “Like Mac said, they’re our friends. If they’re being hurt, it’s most likely because of me. I wouldn’t feel right if we didn’t try to help them.”
    “What about your first lover?” Vapre asked. “You sent him back to the lab without a backward glance. So, why do you suddenly have a conscience now?”
    Echo bit his lip as the guilt swamped him. He’d second-guessed his decision from the moment he made it.
    “C’mere, baby.” Hex scooted back from the table and held his arms open.
    Echo hesitated for only a moment before climbing up in his mate’s lap and resting his head on Hex’s shoulder. “You think I’m being selfish.”
    “No.” Hex kissed the top of his head and sighed. “I know he betrayed you and hurt you, but what choice did he have? They’d hurt him, baby. I didn’t get the impression that he’s very strong.”
    “Hex, you do remember that he tried to kill you in a filthy alley, right?” Echo wanted to growl in frustration.
    “What if he’s being forced to do those things, though?”
    “They didn’t beat him.” Echo growled under his breath.
    “Baby, he was covered in bruises and cuts.”
    “I didn’t get the impression that they’d beat him to make him help. His thoughts were almost smug when he was