Page 58

“What about your stuff?”

“What about it?” he folds some items up and places them on top of the dresser. “Feel free to put whatever you want wherever you want.”

I nod, and for some damn reason, I start unpacking my clothes. I find a simple blue dress to throw on when it’s time for dinner, and Ekon wears some nice slacks and a short-sleeve button-up.

The drive to the location Ekon picked for dinner isn’t long. The restaurant on Chartres is the kind of place with white tablecloths and candles in amber glass holders. The walls are exposed brick, the ceilings are high, and a jazz trio plays something slow in the corner.

I lift my hand and pause, feeling the massive clip I put in my hair before we left. Ekon follows beside me, removing my hand from his head and placing it on his locs. They’re bundled into a thick ponytail. When we step inside, his parents are already seated. His mother wears a deep burgundy dress, and his father wears a navy blazer. There's no sign of Zoey, and relief floods through me.

Ekon pulls out my chair, and I sit. He takes the seat beside me, and the moment we're settled, his hand finds mine under the tablecloth. His fingers lace through mine, and before anyone can utter a word, his thumb traces a slow circle on my knuckle. He squeezes my hand, and I return the gesture. The action produces a low breath. It falls from my mouth, and my shoulders lower.

His mother's eyes track our movements. She can’t see our hands since they’re hidden by the cloth.

"Yue,” she starts, "Tell me about yourself. What do you do?"

"I work at Midnight Embers." My voice is steady. "I'm the door attendant."

His father's brow creases. "The club? The one on—"

"The strip club, yes." I don't flinch. Midnight Embers is my home. While I want to make a good impression on Ekon’s parents, I refuse to compromise or lie about myself. "I handle security and manage the door."

His mother's mouth opens, but Ekon's thumb presses harder against my knuckle.

"She does more than that. Yue is a witch," he says. "She magically keeps everything under wraps, and she knows Nacht magic. The club and I wouldn't function without her."

His mother's eyes flick to him, a smile forming on her lips. "That's... quite a recommendation."

"It's the truth." Ekon reaches for his water glass with his free hand. "She's my mate, which means she’s the best thing to ever happen to me.”

My heart skitters at those words.

“I'm not going to sit here and pretend she's not incredible," he adds.

Those words land on the table hard, like a thousand pounds of gravel. That man called me his mate, not his girlfriend, not his situationship. His mate… Hell, he didn’t even say, “I’m the woman he’s seeing." He called me his mate. The term carries supernatural weight. It’s the kind that means something in the world we actually live in full of magic and other ancient creatures.

His father sets his glass down slowly. His expression hasn't changed, but his shoulders loosen.

His mother leans forward, a smile out in full force. "Ekon, You're saying this girl is your—"

"My mate." Ekon's voice is calm, but there's iron underneath it. "Yue is mine. She belongs to me, and I to her."

The jazz trio plays a suspended chord. A waiter passes behind us with a tray of cocktails. Somewhere in the kitchen, a pan clatters and someone laughs.

His mother's composure doesn't crack. "Your gargoyle agrees, doesn’t it?”

His fingers tighten around mine. "It chose her a long time ago. It was pure luck I realized it.” Ekon stops for a minute. “Yue is my future."

My chest whirls, like a fist unclenching inside my ribs. It releases something I didn't know I'd been holding. My throat clamps closed, and my eyes sting. I squeeze his hand under the table, and after a beat, he squeezes back. A response that says I know, and I'm here.

My hand holds his, and my thumb traces a line across his wrist where his pulse beats steadily.

His mother’s eyes brighten, and she glances at his father, who shakes his head. It’s as if he’s telling her to let it go. She doesn't let it go.

"How do you feel about children, Yue?" she asks. "Have either of you thought about that?” She barely pauses between her questions to get a response. “Ekon’s window for—"

"That's between her and me," Ekon interjects, his voice low. Then Ekon glances at his dad. "Dad, get her."

His dad shakes his head. “I’ve been getting her for over one hundred years. It’s your turn now.”