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Chapter Six
Tillman was still seething as he and Laith arrived at his home. Having Daniel lurking around set his teeth on edge. He didn’t trust the demon as far as he could throw him.
“It’s clear you don’t like this, but try to be patient with him,” Laith said gently. “I know what he’s really like under the attitude. He’s just scared.”
Tillman grunted, unconvinced. As far as he was concerned, Daniel was trouble. But for Laith’s sake, he’d try to restrain himself from tossing the demon off the nearest cliff.
What guy in their right mind wanted an ex-boyfriend hanging around? Tillman considered himself a patient man, understanding to a point, but his mate was asking a lot of him. Tillman would go along with this asinine idea, but if Daniel was up to no good, nothing on earth or any other realm would stop him from torturing the guy before he ended him.
Once they were in the house, Tillman drew Laith close, nuzzling against his neck. He held his mate close, loving how Laith’s sweet scent helped to center him. Despite his misgivings, he would try to be understanding for Laith’s sake. The last thing Tillman wanted was for there to be tension between him and his mate.
Especially since they were just starting out. And if Tillman had his way, Laith moving in with him would be on a permanent basis.
“I’m sorry,” Laith murmured. “I know you’re just trying to protect me. But Daniel doesn’t deserve what his father will do to him.”
Tillman sighed, his breath ruffling Laith’s hair. “I get it. I just don’t trust him. But for you, I’ll try to be civil.”
Laith smiled up at him. “That’s all I ask.” He leaned up on his toes, brushing a light kiss over Tillman’s lips.
Tillman growled low in his throat, the sound more pleasurable than threatening. No matter his worries, Laith’s touch calmed Tillman’s bear. He deepened the kiss, holding Laith tightly.
After long moments, Laith gently pulled back. “I need to get settled in and finish my work.”
Tillman nodded, stealing one more quick kiss before showing Laith around the house. As much as he disliked Daniel intruding on their lives, at least here he could keep Laith safe. And for now, that was all that mattered.
* * * *
Laith wasn’t as naïve as he’d made himself seem. He didn’t trust Daniel, either. And after Daniel had left Laith to get his ass beat, Laith wasn’t too keen on helping him. The only reason he’d talked Tillman into letting Daniel stay in his apartment was to keep a close eye on him.
And Laith was still blown away by the fact that demons and shifters existed. He hadn’t seen that one coming. Now he was curled up in Tillman’s cozy living room, his laptop opened in front of him, but hell if he could get any work done. There were too many things going on inside his head.
Daniel was a demon. Laith had dated a freaking demon. Trying to get past that fact was tougher than he thought. And on top of that, Daniel’s father wanted Laith dead for turning his son to the dark side. It was so ridiculous that he wanted to laugh, but it wasn’t funny.
Not when you had a fully grown demon out to end you. That scared the piss right out of him and left him wondering if he would even survive this.
Then there was Tillman, Laith’s oversized teddy bear. A real damn bear. As much as it should, that didn’t freak him out as badly as knowing Daniel was a demon. Why? He had no clue. Laith thought he’d run from craziness when he’d fled Arrowvale, but he’d just exchanged it for a different location.
Rubbing his forehead, he looked at the large floor-to-ceiling windows, seeing beyond them to the forest in Tillman’s backyard. The view was stunning. The towering evergreens and leafy deciduous trees swayed gently in the breeze, dappled in sunlight. Birds flitted between the branches, singing sweetly, unaware of the turmoil in his mind.
But at that moment, their beauty was lost on him.
He just wished his mind could settle enough to appreciate it fully. There were too many unanswered questions swirling through his thoughts, like, what did this all mean for him? Could Daniel really be trusted not to betray them to his father? And most importantly, what did this mean for his future with Tillman?
Laith cared deeply for the guy. He felt safe with him in a way he never had with anyone else. But learning that supernatural creatures existed made him question everything he thought he knew about the world.
With a sigh, Laith set aside his laptop. He was too distracted to work right now. Padding to the kitchen, he made himself a cup of tea, hoping the ritual would help ground him.
As the water heated, Laith gazed out the window above the sink. The kettle whistled, jolting him from his thoughts. After steeping his tea, he curled up on the couch, cradling the warm mug. He took a sip, letting the earthy flavors calm him.
A soft sound drew his attention. Tillman stood in the doorway, his bulky frame taking up most of the space.
“You okay?” Tillman asked gently.
Laith nodded. “Yeah, just...processing.”
Tillman crossed the room and settled on the couch beside him. He gathered Laith close, enveloping him in his muscular arms. Laith relaxed into the embrace, comforted by Tillman’s steady strength and warmth.
“I wanted to tell you the truth the moment we met,” Tillman rumbled. “But nothing’s changed between us. I’m still me. Just hairier sometimes.”
