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“He holds no authority here anymore, I assure you,” Drake said. There was an amused inflection in his voice that had her rounding on him.
“Don’t speak ill of the man who gave you ungrateful brats a fucking home,” she demanded like she had any right to push us around.
“Learn your place, Drew. You will bring our medication and do your duties here, nothing more. You hold no power over us or where we go. We won’t need an escort. And if you can’t handle such simple instructions, I’ll have you permanently removed,” Drake said.
She laughed. At first it was amused, then slowly slipped into uncertainty when he didn’t relax his stance. Arms crossed and cold eyes trained on her, he wasn’t backing down.
Several emotions flipped through her expression from annoyance to fear. She finally stepped back and walked away, her heels clicking on the floor before it was quiet again.
“Something’s up with her,” I said. “She’s hiding something here.”
“All the more reason to stick it out. I want you to tell me if you see anything weird.”
“No, you’re not leaving again,” I growled in frustration. Why was he taking all of this on himself?
“Harlow, I have a job to do now. I’m keeping this place running and making sure those who need out, can get out of this fucking place while they still can. I can’t be here every second, but I will be here as often as I can. When I said I wanted more time with you, I meant it,” he argued. “But right now, I have to go.”
“Why? What is making you do this? You’ve never been the caring and generous sort,” I argued. He flinched at my words, but it was so short-lived I almost questioned if I saw it.
“I do care, Harlow. There’s humanity in me,” he said. The quiet pitch of his voice had me deflating.
“I know you do about some things, like us and your mom, but this place?”
“Is my home,” he admitted. “I’m half demon, I was born and raised here, I’m not letting it fall because of this bullshit.”
“I can respect that,” I said. Arguing would be pointless. Drake was borderline indignant and that alone showed how much he really cared about this place. “And your mom?”
“She’s safe,” he said. “But I’m bringing her down here. She can have the empty room.” He was already edging toward the elevator again. There was conflict in his eyes but also determination. The argument was over, and he’d continue to do what he planned. I hoped he kept up his promise to us.
“We’ll get things cleaned up and ready for her,” Hiro called after him. His voice was hollow, and I wrapped my hand in his, forcing him to not leave me behind as he walked down the hall. Drake had to do what he had to do. And having a task might just keep my mind off it. In a way, I was glad she’d be moving up here.
It’d give him more of a reason to stay.
It was so fucking hard to keep them all safe and functioning. Drake wanted to isolate and run away, Monty was dealing with his own rebellious demons, Kol was protecting the building and running his own men, Roman was shutting down, and now Hiro was falling into his feelings. I wouldn’t change anything about finding my men, my family, but to say I was overwhelmed was an understatement.
“You don’t have to fix me, Harlow,” Hiro said. The blunt words had me looking up to find him staring into my soul. “I’m fine. Or I will be. You don’t have to run yourself down, you’d go crazy trying to keep your group happy. We’re half crazy and half monsters. We’ll never be settled all at once.”
“How? What?” I stumbled over my words. Was I talking out loud again?
“Don’t act like we don’t have you figured out.” Hiro laughed. “I’m fine. Really. I mean, as much as I can be in this fucking mess. But I’m finding my place in the world for the first time. I’ve got you and Drake which I never would have thought possible. All I need now is a fancy weapon to kill demons with.”
“I can actually help with that,” Drake said. His voice had me jumping and turning around with a glare.
“What the fuck, I thought you left,” I growled.
“And miss this cute little heart to heart?” he asked innocently. Hiro threw a broken table leg at him, and he dodged. “Don’t make Daddy punish you.”
Hiro’s eyes went wide, smile dropping as his cheeks burned. He glanced at me, but I blew out a breath, fighting off the lust at the scenario painted in my mind.
“Okay, first, that’s fucking hot. I should have known Hiro was the type to want a Daddy,” I said. Hiro laughed but it was more hysterical than before. “And second, how can you help?”
“Warded weapons. They won’t be as effective as yours.” He pointed at my boot where mine was sheathed. “But it’ll keep you all safe. I’m not giving Layne one for obvious reasons, but I trust you to be safe.” He pulled a dagger out of his pocket, a leather sheath over the blade, and handed it to Hiro. He took it and tucked it in his back pocket.
“Thanks, Drake,” he started but one raised eyebrow from our half demon had him correcting himself in a shaking voice. “Thanks, Daddy.”
“Good boy,” he said before leaving us.
“If you judge me, I’ll kill you,” Hiro mumbled halfheartedly but I was the last person who would judge him.
