12. Killian

Chapter twelve

Killian

A fter playing basketball, the boys loved the playground, and then we all ran furry with them beyond the court. It was fun, and the boys were ready for supper. Jules was much happier when I stopped working and spent time with him. He loved having Alex and Rhys there, and he also needed the security of my presence. Balancing work and parenting would be a challenge.

Indy left us at some point, and the smell of steaks on the grill caught the boys’ attention. They raced us back to the outdoor kitchen, and we let them win, which caused them to giggle for five minutes as we cleaned faces and hands.

Coleen and Zee arrived at the same time, and Coleen brought marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate for the boys. Supper was fun, and Zee helped Jules with his second s’more after I’d helped him with his first. We took them into the house after. I let Jules take a bath in the claw-footed tub in my bathroom, and he was happy but exhausted when I put him to bed. Indy and Gio were in the nursery with Alex and Rhys, who were happy to see Jules. It had been a good afternoon, and it kept me from thinking about Zee.

This would be our first date if one could count it as a date.

The baby monitors were charged, and we left the boys, heading to the gamesroom.

“Adult time,” Dante said as he poured shots. “My Oh My” (feat. DaBaby) by Camila Cabello blared through the speakers.

Dante and Gio talked shit to Zee about a game of pool, and I sat with Indy at the bar to watch. The message in the moment was: we accept you, and it was for Zee.

I watched him move around the table to make his shots, and wanted to find out what he felt like—tasted like. My heart wasn’t in it, though.

Indy tapped my hand. Not yet. You like him, or he wouldn’t be here, Killy. What’s missing?

I’ve never done this. My one and only lover-

Erebus, Indy arched a brow. The man is a player. Always has been. He’s got a dirty way of getting you into bed, and you never want to be clean. Zee is clean. He’s also deep. Erebus will drown you in his shallow pond. Think about it before you fly, Killy. Zee is worth the burn. He’s my uncle, after all.

I burst out laughing, catching the attention of the men playing pool. They raised their eyebrows, Indy and I grinned, and they went back to the game. I glanced at the baby monitor. The boys were asleep.

Okay, what is it? Indy asked.

It’s a lot. I’m Papa, a King, and have this gorgeous guy in front of me, and I don’t know which to do first.

Downtime. This is downtime.

I’m a planner, Indy. I need a plan. I can’t plan anything.

Coleen and Sophie joined us then, and I made them margaritas. They took Indy’s attention, and mine diverted to Zee, who was arguing with Gio about making a shot. I studied the table, took Zee’s pool cue, called it, and then sunk the two-ball in the side. Gio burst out laughing, and Zee stood there with his mouth hanging open.

“What?” I asked Dante.

“You made them both wrong.” Dante racked the balls again, and Zee motioned for me to take his place. Dante removed the triangle, and Gio placed the cue ball for me. I bent over the table, slammed into the cue ball, and sent balls scattering. The only one left was the eight-ball, still spinning in the same spot.

“We don’t play with Killy,” Gio said.

“He’s no fun,” Dante shook his head.

I laughed, handing the pool stick to Zee, who sunk the eight-ball and kissed his cheek. “You won.”

“Hmm.” Zee smiled. Coleen danced over to us and took Zee’s pool stick.

“Okay, Dante, best two out of three, you and Gio against Soph and me,” she said, and I pulled Zee out of the room.

We could hear the music in the pool room, too, but we couldn’t hear the others.

I backed him against the wall and leaned in to kiss him, but he turned his face away.

“We need to talk first,” he murmured.

I held my hands up and stepped away. “Okay, go.”

“There’s a mating contract.” His gaze met mine then. “Eighty years ago, the gods threw a party to introduce me to your brother. I think Fate felt bad because she’d changed my path.”

I laughed. “Nah. She enhanced it. So, were you supposed to mate to Kelly?”

He frowned. “The contract says the King of MacLaden Pride.”

“Cool. So, it could have been Kelly or Axl.” I was trying not to be offended or hurt by the rejection. “I’m sorry for assuming there could be-”

“That’s not what I’m saying, Killy. I want to be honest with you. The gods contracted me to the King of MacLaden Pride. Promised this man would be able to touch me and would accept my magic.”

“So, is that me, or isn’t it? Zee, this sounds like a disappointment; it’s not you; it’s me, break up. If you aren’t interested, okay.”

He didn’t say anything for a long moment. “I’m interested. I want a mate. Not knowing what will happen to you scares me.”

“Ah.” I nodded. “You’ve never met anyone like me, and on one hand it excites you. On the other, you want to see my future.”

“Yes,” he smiled.

Where did I put that? “So, what would you like to do? We could date and see where it goes?”

“I need to think about it.”

“Cool. Thank you for coming. I had a good time,” I said, walking him to the front door.

“My foreman, Jenkins, will be here with your supplies for the pavilion,” he said.

“Thanks,” I smiled, closed the door after he crossed the threshold, and leaned against it.

I’m sorry, Yael thought.

Don’t, I replied. I did as you asked. I tried. He wasn’t interested. He wants a mate he can control from where I’m standing.

I don’t think it’s that.

What was there to say? This was why I didn’t date. I liked my not relationship with Ere. He didn’t lie, didn’t ask me to be anyone I wasn’t, and never expected anything from me but a good fuck.

On my way down the hall for the bedrooms, I ran into Sophie, who was all smiles.

“She’s staying,” she whispered.

“I’m glad,” I smiled back.

“Where’s Zee?”

“He went home. Has an early day tomorrow,” I said. No need to tell her I’d been dumped before nine pm on my first date, ever. “I’m going to bed. See you in the morning.”

“Night, Killy.”