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“He’s gone quiet again,” Eldon chuckled. “Never thought you’d have all of that in you.”
“Shut up and sleep,” Bash grumbled, a smile on his lips. “Or we’re going to go again.”
“Later,” Gamble yawned.
“Yeah, round two when we wake up, Eldon said as he snuggled against Bash more closely.
He shook his head as he gazed from one to the other. But his eyelids refused to stay open. As he started drifting off to sleep, Bash’s heart felt lighter than it had in ages.
The host club was really starting to feel like home.
PGD had gonefrom a utopia to a wasteland in front of Arden's eyes. Sure, there were still clients. The most loyal of them or the supernatural that didn't give a damn about a human getting his ass beat. But others had pulled back. Their high-class clientele especially were being cautious. No one, especially the supernatural, wanted to be caught up in something that might get them mixed up into trouble.
Arden's brows furrowed as he watched his hosts getting ready for the evening ahead. The whole place had a melancholy cloud over it, dampening the usual joking banter and airy laughs that had become the norm.Unbearable.Arden kept his face straight, but the emotions that swirled in his stomach was enough to make him want to vomit.
His little dream, his slice of paradise was being taken away in front of his very eyes. The past few days had brought calls of other Paranormal Guilty Delights being harassed by the police as well. They knew he owned all of them and Arden was damn sure they thought that if they kept pressing on nerves someone, somewhere would turn over on him so they wouldn't be tossed onto the mean streets without a job and a home.
The only reason it hadn't happened was because Arden cared about his people. And he'd taken damn good care of them. They were loyal and he thanked the heavens that they were.
"It's okay." He glanced down at Spooky and the familiar gazed up at him, black ears twitching and his tail flicking around behind him. "Don't be upset, Arden."
He frowned. "I'm not."
"Bullshit," Spooky said before he wrapped his arms around the dragon's massive waist and nuzzled up against him. "But I know why you have to act like it doesn't bother you." He sucked in a shuddering breath. "Everything will work out. This'll blow over."
Arden's first instinct was to push Spooky away, but as he glanced around, his heart sank more. He wrapped his arm around the familiar's shoulders and dragged him closer. Arden would never admit it out loud, but he needed a hug. The warmth of Spooky pressed against him made his heart calm a bit and he closed his eyes a moment, just soaking in how good it felt for someone to share in his concerns.
Nosy little cat. He really wormed his way in, didn't he?
He'd tried so hard to keep Spooky at arm's length, but the familiar had never let that happen. Once, it had driven him crazy. But now he was grateful to have someone by his side who he could rely on. Someone that wanted things to work out just as much as he did. He squeezed Spooky tighter and relished in the sigh that spilled from his lips.
"Boss," Bash called. "I don't mean to interrupt you," he said as his eyes swept down to Spooky and back up to Arden again. "But I need to know just how much stuff you want me to put out tonight. With the reduced numbers," he said and trailed off.
Arden gazed at Bash and nodded. Even the grumpy bear shifter had been more gentle lately as if he was walking on thin ice. Arden admired Bash. The man kept his head down, worked hard, and treated his hosts respectfully. Though he'd also noticed the way the shifter eyed some of them. Micha and Spooky were obvious, but subtly he smiled when he was around Eldon and growled at Gamble before groaning from his games. Bash made a great addition to their team. Arden wasn't sure how he'd lived without him for so long.
"Let me talk to Bash," Arden said as he gently pulled Spooky away. "Go and help the others. Hey," he said as Spooky nodded sadly. He gripped the man's chin and tilted his face up. "And do your best to smile. It always seems to cheer people up when you become your normal upbeat self."
"Yes, D-" His gaze flickered to Bash. "Yes, sir."
Arden let him pull away and he watched him go. His chest felt tight and he rubbed the soft fabric of his black shirt. He'd tried so hard to keep his relationships, or whatever they could be called, secret from the rest of the host club. So, what did it say about him that he was starting not to care who knew about the ones he took to his bed?
"Show me what we have," Arden said as he nodded toward the store room. "We'll sort it out in there." Bash stared at Arden until the dragon raised a brow. "Is there a problem?" Arden asked.
"No," the man said before he turned around.
Arden stared after him for a moment, perplexed, before he followed him. Once they were in the store room he stopped and laid a hand on Bash's shoulder.
"Did you want to say something out there?"
"No," Bash said as he lifted a keg and placed it on the floor. He had a tablet in his other hand and began looking at it, checking inventory supposedly. But Arden saw the way he glanced over his shoulder often.
Arden closed the space between them until he was pressed against Bash's back. "Tell the truth," he growled. "Or stop staring at me."
Bash bristled and turned around, their noses inches from each other. "If I had something to say then I would. But I don't. Boss."
"Sure about that?"
Bash's teeth dug into his bottom lip before he shrugged. "What you do to the hosts is none of my business."
