My gaze connected with Alex’s as she winced. I totally got where Deacon was coming from. I also understood why Aiden wanted him to stay here, where it was measurably safe. We had no idea what would happen out there.

“I know you’re not a kid, Deacon.”

Deacon shook his head. “You don’t get it. I know how to protect myself, but it’s more than that. I don’t get to see you for half a year, Aiden. That’s six months. You’re unreachable to me,” he said, and his voice dropped. “It’s like you’re dead.”

Luke leaned forward as Aiden winced.

Aiden said, “Deacon—”

“No. You need to hear this. Both of you do. I’m happy that you guys are okay. That you’re going to have eternity and you’re together, but it’s not easy on me,” he said, eyes glistening, and I felt like I shouldn’t be here to witness the very raw pain Deacon was expressing. “I miss you, and this is my time. I have six months to see you. That’s it before you have to go back. And who knows how long this is going to take? You could be gone the entire six months. I want to see you. That’s fair.”

His brother lowered his gaze as he shoved his hand through his thick hair. He didn’t say anything as Luke rose, walked over to where Deacon stood, and wrapped his arm around Deacon’s shoulder, drawing him to his chest. He kissed the top of Deacon’s blond curls.

“Damn.” Aiden dropped his arm and looked up. “I didn’t think of it that way.”

“Of course not,” muttered Deacon. “That’s why you need me around. I think of all things.”

Aiden laughed hoarsely and then glanced over at Alex. She smiled reassuringly at him, and it was so apparent that those two were on the same page, as if their minds and souls were linked.

Would Seth and I ever get to that stage? Would we have a chance? I sucked in a short breath and forced it out slowly. We would have that opportunity. I had a plan. Not the greatest. I just needed Apollo to hang around long enough for me to put that plan into action.

The door opened and, as I looked over. Hercules strolled in. His upper lip curled. Distaste was clearly etched into his handsome features. “Even this room is small. Why is everything so small here?”

“It’s a dorm,” Luke explained, and I had to give him credit for even trying. “Things are kind of small in dorms.”

I thought about my dorm back in Radford. “And this is actually bigger than—”

“This is not big,” Herc cut me off, and then lifted his arm, flexing his bicep. “This is big.”

I opened my mouth, but yeah, I had no words.