Page 30 of Loved By the Gargoyle

“How lovely.” He stepped backwards and shot his eyes towards Xavir, who was still bowed low on the floor. “Come now, Xavir. So formal. Stand up. That position can’t be comfortable for your knees, big boy.”

What the heck was this man?

Xavir slowly pushed himself to a stand, his wings rustling behind him. When he did, he stood as still as a soldier waiting for his orders.

“Now, let’s get down to business.” Lorenzo clapped and disappeared before reappearing on the couch once again. He crossed one leg over the other and flashed a flirtatious smile. “I have a needy wife to get back to and I don’t want to be here all day. So, Mia, let me catch you up. I’m a king of hell. Surprise.” He made spirit fingers motions with his hands and made a goofy face before it went serious again. “I want you to know that I’m all-powerful and could probably kick this guy’s ass without even lifting a finger. That being said, I need you to tell me, full honesty, are you here against your will?”

He leaned forward, his expression suddenly serious and probing. It made me nervous for some reason, the way he seemed to be searching me for a lie of any kind.

“No,” I answered firmly. “I’m here because I want to be. I… I love Xavir.”

Lorenzo’s expression didn’t falter. “He didn’t coerce you to be here? No blackmail? Torture of any kind? Nothing?”

“No.”

He blew a raspberry. “How fucking boring.” He clapped, then pushed himself to a stand, his long pink robe flowing behind him. “Well, have a nice marriage. Lorenzo is out.” He gave a dramatic twirl and started to moonwalk his way towards the door we stood in front of.

How was this guy bursting and full of energy? Seeing him go from serious to silly within seconds gave me complete whiplash.

“That’s it?” I asked, completely confused with what was going on. Obviously I knew a little bit from what Xavir told me about the kings and his brothers. They’d defied orders to find their brides in the human worlds, and Lorenzo was making sure I was okay and hadn’t been kidnapped… That was sweet, but the situation felt anticlimactic, and I wasn’t sure if I was expecting something more than… this.

“Yah, I’m not about to send Xavir to the Pit to get his bootyhole tickled by demons.” I must’ve made a face because his hand rested on my shoulder in a gesture of reassurance. “Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. It actually feels really nice. Anyway, everything is in order here. You’re here because you want to be, you’re married, and everyone is happy.”

Xavir, who had been quiet, finally spoke up, “You will not punish me, my lord?”

Lorenzo sighed with his hand on the door knob. “What is it with you two? Do you want a demon to fiddle your asshole?”

Xavir cocked his head to the side, clearly as confused as me. “No?”

“You’re missing out. Look, you aren’t being punished.”

“But Nazzar was punished.”

Lorenzo chuckled. “Hell yeah he was punished. He stole my wife’s shit out of our bedroom. Probably got his rocks off watching me go to pound town on my amore. You’re smarter than your brothers, so…” He pushed the door open and stepped outside. “Oh, I almost forgot, if you see Qanek, make sure you tell him that my brother said if he kidnaps or terrorizes any human at all, he’s going to end up dead. Kane and Ramiel will make sure of that.” Just as quick as the ominous tone had entered his voice, it left and he was yelling out “Toodles,” with a finger wave, before he disappeared in a dark cloud of smoke.

I stared at the spot he’d vacated, feeling like my head was reeling. “He’s a character,” I commented.

“My lord Lorenzo is the kindest of my kings. His compassion is renowned throughout the entirety of the Underworld. He arrived to ensure your safety and well-being and to prove that I had not stolen you against your will. Though I am surprised he spared me punishment when my brother was not afforded it.”

“Count it as a blessing. The punishment sounds…” I didn’t even want to think about it.

“Forgive me if he frightened you, my little flower. Shall we continue the tour of our home?”

I smiled at how safe he made me feel. Lorenzo had startled me, but I wasn’t afraid of him. He had a warm, comforting presence, the same way that Xavir did.

I slipped my hand into his waiting one and smiled up at him.

“Show me our home.”

A few weeks later...

“I’m so glad we’re neighbors, Mia,” Dolores said. “I love it here, but I’d be so dang bored right now with Nazzar gone.” She turned and smiled at me, reaching for my hand to give it a squeeze. “But I have you.”

Dolores Villanueva was Nazzar’s–Xavir’s older brother’s–wife. I’d met her about a week after moving in with Xavir in our new home. She’d marched up the front of our house and knocked on the door. I’d opened it and found a beautiful, big, brown skinned woman with curls framing a round face and a smile that was almost as blinding as the sunlight.

She’d introduced herself, and I’d invited her in, and we’d become fast friends.

I enjoyed her dramatic flare, and she claimed she enjoyed my quiet sarcasm. We were opposites in almost every way, but united by our love for gargoyle brothers who’d stolen and loved us in equal measure.