Zarya smiled happily as she realized exactly who these men were. So, Darling’s friend was also his doctor… interesting. It also explained why he was finally willing to see a doctor, and why he’d chosen DIG as his shadow company.

“I have indeed. Thank you so much for allowing Darling to finance my sister’s education through your company. I can’t tell you how much that means to us.”

Syn looked as confused as she felt. “Sorche’s your sister?”

She paused, unsure if it was a good thing or bad that he knew Sorche’s name so quickly. “She is.”

He instantly relaxed. “Well, I’m glad we can help. I owe my education to someone who did a similar act for me, and I’m more than happy to pay that forward. I always say that nothing will improve your life quicker than a good education.”

“And nothing can destroy it faster than one bad decision,” the Andarion said drily.

Syn rolled his eyes at him. “You’re such a pessimist.”

“I’m practical. It’s true and you know it.” The Andarion offered his hand to her. “I’m Hauk, by the way.”

Now that was a name she knew well from some of Darling’s stories.

She shook his hand. “Ah, the one who doesn’t like explosives. Is it really true that you once hid in a shielded closet for eighteen hours because you thought there was a bomb in your kitchen?” A bomb that turned out to be a plastic kid’s toy.

Hauk growled. “I’m going to kill that little bastard for telling you that… and it didn’t look plastic.”

Syn broke out into a round of evil laughter. “My favorite part was when Darling threw it at him and he screamed like a woman. Hell, I had no idea you could jump that high, Hauk. You should have played sports, buddy.”

Hauk narrowed a dangerous glower at the much shorter man. “Shut the fuck up, Syn, before Darling has to find a new doctor. Be a shame for you to lose that head of yours.”

“Ah now, you know you’re not going to hurt me. Another bomb might run your fat ass up a tree and who would help you then?”

Hauk cut a feral grimace toward Maris. “You’d help a brother out, wouldn’t you, Mari?”

“Not with a bomb. Sorry. I was raised with Darling. I know how volatile they are. Kind of like Nyk on a bad day.”

“Darling’s not still sleeping in one, is he?” Syn asked her.

Zarya gaped. “He wasn’t really sleeping in it, too, was he?”

Maris shrugged. “What can I say? When Darling makes a binkie, he doesn’t joke around with it.” He glanced over to the men. “Fortunately, she was able to get him out of the bomb.”

“I’d say she got him out of a lot more than that,” Hauk said under his breath as he looked around the room, and more pointedly at the clothes strewn about the floor, then trained those spooky eyes on her.