“Great minds think alike.” Alex’s smile warmed. “We just want to make sure you guys are okay with us going along with you all.”

“Of course,” Josie said, leaning back into me. She wasn’t getting up or moving away from me. Not a single part of her was . . . ashamed or worried about what anyone thought.

Damn.

“Good,” Alex replied.

I smoothed my hand over Josie’s hip. “Not like we really had a choice if we said we didn’t want you two going along.”

“Nope,” Aiden responded with a smirk.

My gaze met his. “Just like old times.”

There was a pause and those gray eyes burned silver as he said, “Hopefully not.”

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Josie

“You can’t stop me,” Deacon stated firmly, probably in the most serious voice I’d ever heard him use. “I’m a grown adult.”

Aiden took a deep breath, but it didn’t help. “I can stop you. Easily.”

“I’ll like to see you try.”

Watching the two brothers argue was like having front-row seats at a tennis match. I had no idea who was going to win. Deacon wanted to go with us to find the other demigods. Aiden was not having it.

“You don’t want to see me try.” Aiden was sitting on the couch inside of the room he and Alex were sharing, which was actually a pretty decent-size room. Bigger than mine or Seth’s. It had a real living room—an actual couch, two papasan chairs, and an ottoman that Alex was sitting on. I honestly had no idea how I’d ended up here.

After Alex and Aiden found Seth and me on the bench, the four of us had walked back to the dorm. We entered their room, and while I’d been gaping at the size of the thing, Seth left to go find Solos. He’d said he’d be back.

That was an hour ago.

I was really hoping he hadn’t run into Hercules, because I was sure that wouldn’t end well at all.

“You probably think I want to go with you because of Luke.” Deacon stood in front of the couch, his cheeks flushed with frustration. “It’s not because of him.” He glanced at Luke. “No offense, babe.”

“None taken,” Luke said from the other side of the couch.

“But I also would like to take a moment to point out that he is also missing classes to go on this demigod scavenger hunt.”

“That’s different,” Aiden reasoned calmly. “He’s trained, Deacon. You know that. This trip could be dangerous.”

“I know that, and it’s not like we haven’t had this conversation a million times. I get that you want to protect me. I appreciate that, but I’m not a kid anymore.”