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His thumb ran across my knuckles. “You know, you could just call me Cas.”
“Everyone else calls you Cas.”
“Just those I’m closest to.”
“I suppose that’s true, now that I think about it. Yet it still feels … it doesn’t feel right. Not that it feelswrong,” I amended quickly. “I don’t know what I’m saying. Ignore me.”
I didn’t hear him breathe for a few seconds. Then he kissed the back of my neck and relaxed against me. My eyes didn’t close until his breathing slowed and I was sure he was asleep.
If only I could have drifted off as easily.
Chapter 20
Casimir
The table stared as Lyric gluttonously gulped down her mug of hot chocolate. Gregor, her uncle, had sent a case of her favorite mix through the crossing after hearing of her chocolate cravings. No longer allowed to drink coffee, she’d been working her way through the supply like a starved wendigo.
Surprisingly, Hugo had given her permission to drink the mixture at breakfast time. All that sugar wasn’t good for an expectant mother. Or so I’d read–about humans, anyway. She loathed when I treated her like one.
“Maybe you should slow down on the breakfast treats, Lyric,” I suggested. “I think you’re about to run out of your stash … and room in your pants. There’s no shame in maternity wear, you know.”
Phalen choked on his eggs.
Lyric smacked her lips and slammed her mug down on the family dining table. “And maybe you should shut your piehole and mind your own fucking business.”
Draven sighed. “It’s basically just cocoa powder. Hardly any sugar at all, not that it really matters. Hugo said it was only sodium she had to watch. I’m not sure why you continuously antagonize her.”
“Like you don’t do the same?” I poked lightly.
“It’s because I rang his bell the other day,” Lyric explained to her mate. “This is the only way he can hit back at me successfully.”
“Ah, yes, I nearly forgot. It was a solid strike, Angel. Well done.”
“Thank you.” She blew a kiss to Draven and shoved a piece of bacon past her lips moaning like she hadn’t eaten in days. “I love bacon. I can’t seem to stop eating it.”
“I’m sure it’s the pregnancy. And this is the low-sodium kind so nothing to worry over,” the Shadow Lord patted her hand and reached for a piece of his own.
What he didn’t say was Hugo had put a limit on the number of pieces she could have. I’d bet good money my cousin knew exactly how many strips Lyric had chewed up and swallowed and he was eating more than normal to limit the likelihood she’d go over.
I weighed the risk of calling him out on it when I noticed my own mate had stopped eating.
Raven looked from me to Lyric then back to me. Lines appeared between her eyebrows. “You fought a pregnant female?”
“Ha! No way!” Lyric exclaimed. “He knows I’d kick his ass. Well, with a sword, anyway. No, he was incoherently talking in circles and I basically smacked him to knock his wits back into place. I’ll try not to do it again since it is now your right to beat him into submission.”
Raven stared at Lyric.
Lyric continued shoveling food into her mouth. Her eyes widened once she finally noticed Raven’s face.
“Shit. I swear it’s all in good fun. We would never actually harm one another and Cas has refused to spar with me since the day he found out I was pregnant. I promised I wouldn’t make us all come across as a bunch of psychos. That’s my bad, Cas.”
“It’s fine,” I assured, unfazed.
Raven lifted a shoulder. “It may be my right, but I’m not opposed to you giving him a smack or two whenever it’s deserved.”
Lyric beamed. “I knew we were going to be friends!”
Raven’s mouth quirked as she cut into her omelet and the group continued eating in companionable silence.
