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Tillman was a bear? Honestly, Laith could see that. Tillman was huge, big enough to be a bear. “What problems?”
“My corrupt father.” Daniel sighed as he took a seat on the couch. “He caught me kissing someone.”
Laith’s brows shot up. “After me?”
“Don’t even go there.” Daniel narrowed his eyes. “You’ve been playing footsie with a bear. Don’t you dare get offended because I moved on.”
“Okay. Okay.” Laith held up his hands. “Go on.”
“My father has it in his skull that you’re the one who turned me to the dark side.”
“What?” Laith shot off the couch again. “Why would he think that?”
“We were friends, meeting in secret, and then you kissed your neighbor. He ran you out of town for that,” Daniel reminded him. “He thinks your gayness rubbed off on me. If you ask me, that’s just his excuse to run my life. It’s not really about being gay. It’s about him controlling me, though he really doesn’t like queerness.”
“Why didn’t you tell me any of this?” Laith asked. “You came off like a jerk, Danny.”
“Live with my father for a few thousand years and see if you don’t have issues.” Daniel flopped down onto the couch cushions. “I’m a really nice guy, Laith. I just…sometimes…I’m a jerk.”
“You’re not that bad,” Laith admitted. “You’re just a chickenshit.”
“That I am.” Daniel sat up. “Thank fuck those guys were human or you wouldn’t be breathing.”
Laith shook his head in disbelief. This was all too much. First, he finds out his ex-boyfriend, Daniel, is a demon who can control water. Then he learns his new boyfriend, Tillman, is a bear shifter. And now Daniel’s demon daddy thinks Laith “turned” Daniel gay and wants revenge.
“So let me get this straight,” Laith said. “Your dad thinks I’m the reason you’re gay, so he wants to kill me or something?”
“Pretty much,” Daniel said with a sigh. “He’s very old-fashioned. Thinks homosexuality is a disease humans spread. Which is stupid, because demons can’t catch or transmit diseases.”
Laith dragged a hand down his face. “Jesus. What does he think killing me will accomplish?”
Daniel shrugged. “Who knows how that guy’s mind works? But he’s dangerous, Laith. Like, boil-the-oceans dangerous. We need to figure out how to deal with him.”
Laith paced the living room, mind racing. He believed Daniel about the demon stuff now—the water trick proved that. And he trusted Daniel wouldn’t actually let his crazy dad hurt him.
“What about Tillman?” Laith asked. “You said he’s a bear shifter. Can he help protect us from your dad?”
“Oh yeah, and from his strong odor, I’m just stabbing in the dark here, but your boo might be your mate,” Daniel said. “If he knows you’re in danger, he’ll rip through anyone who threatens you. Including my father.”
Laith nodded, feeling slightly better. “What’s a mate?”
“Jeez.” Daniel groaned. “He didn’t explain any of that to you?” He gave a long, dramatic sigh. “It’s when fate handpicks your forever partner,” Daniel explained. “Do you have an overwhelming urge to run to him?”
Laith nodded. It was all he’d thought about since he’d woken up this morning.
“And things between you two progressed pretty damn fast?”
Again, Laith nodded. Tillman had already said he cared about Laith, and they’d just met over a week ago. That was pretty damn fast for anyone.
They both turned when a knock sounded on the door. Laith jumped up and answered. Tillman was standing on the other side, smiling, until he sniffed the air.
If Laith thought Daniel was lying about Tillman being a bear, that move just proved it.
Tillman narrowed his eyes before he barged past Laith and went right for Daniel. “Demon.”
“Wait!” Laith ran after him to try and stop the mountain from destroying Daniel. “He’s Daniel.”
“Your ex?” That seemed to piss Tillman off even more. “You thought you could waltz right in and pick up where you left off?” Tillman snarled at Daniel. “That’s a fast track to getting flatlined.”
