Page 46 of Claiming a Demon

She huffed out a laugh. “Right? It blew my mind hearing him talk like that, though. Mal doesn’t say stuff like that.”

I pursed my lips thoughtfully. “Maybe he hasn’t said it, but I bet he was thinking it. He’s got a lot of opinions he keeps to himself.”

Her nose scrunched. “Why?”

I raised my eyebrow at her. “He’s the youngest in a huge family with six older sisters. When would he get a word in edgewise?”

“Huh.” She tipped her head thoughtfully. “You know, I never really thought about that. I just figured he was quiet because that was just who he was. Well, now I know I can pester him into weighing in. I can’t tell you how many fights have ended up three on three with no resolution because Mal wouldn’t pick a side.”

Rolling my lips between my teeth, I fought off a laugh. I doubted Mal would suddenly get involved in his sisters’ arguments, but I had a good feeling he’d speak up more. He found out the hard way what happens if he keeps his concerns to himself. If he hadn’t broken that habit, his dad might not have gotten the care he needed.

After the healers finished with Mal’s dad, Mrs. Malatesta agreed to let two visitors in at a time. Mal pushed to his feet, beckoning me closer, and tucked me under his arm.

“Mom said we can go in first. I want to introduce you properly.”

Ducking my head to hide my smile, I nodded. “Okay. Lead the way.”

I hadn’t really had a chance to be nervous when we first arrived. It was such a whirlwind of activity and revelations that I was stuck in caretaker mode. Now, though, I realized I was going to be meeting Mal’s favorite person on the planet. I combed my fingers through my hair self consciously, shuffling along with Mal’s guidance. Mal didn’t notice my nerves, and his eager smile settled me a little. An enormous weight had been lifted off his shoulders and that stoic mask was wiped away completely.

Mal’s dad was resting when we stepped into the room, his eyes closed. I almost pulled Mal back into the hall to avoid waking him, but his eyes fluttered open when he heard our approach. He smiled softly at his son, his expression more curious when he noticed me.

“Dad, I wanted to introduce you to someone. This is Zach, my mate.”

Mal’s dad’s eyes lit up with surprise and joy, and he beamed at me. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Zach. Call me Andreas.”

“Nice to meet you too,” I replied nervously.

His eyes flicked between me and Mal. “So, are you the one who boosted his confidence? I’ve been trying to get him to stand up for himself since he learned to talk. I never thought he would be the one to shame me publicly.”

Mal froze, a pained noise escaping his throat. I pursed my lips, raising my eyebrows at Andreas.

“That wasn’t nice.”

He chuckled. “I was only teasing. I’m proud of you, son. You had something to say and you let me have it. And I needed to hear it.” His smile slipped a little, and he reached for Mal, taking his hand. “I’m sorry for the pain I caused you. I promise, I had good intentions.”

“I know you did, Dad. And I’m not going to hold it against you. Not like Mom will.”

Andreas winced. “Yeah, I kinda set myself up to fail with that one. I’m going to be groveling to that woman for the rest of my life.”

“And it’ll be a long life too,” I added with a grin.

Mal laughed when his dad whimpered, shaking his head when his dad shot him a pleading look. They bantered back and forth, Andreas trying to wheedle his son into protecting him from Leona. Mal refused to have any part of it, but his eyes were dancing and his smile never faltered. He kept me tucked against his side, the gesture sweet instead of needy. He didn’t need me to take care of him anymore. But he still wanted me. And I loved that. I didn't have to be the caretaker or the distraction. I could just be me and Mal would stay with me anyway. I sighed happily, melting against him, and just enjoyed the moment.

I was so busy trying to protect myself, I forgot that sometimes love was worth the risk. That if I just let go for a second, I could fall into something precious. My instinct when I first met Mal was that he was important. It got me moving, and I stepped in to help him, even though he knew nothing about me. Our paths collided in the most spectacular way. And while I let my head sway me a few times, I couldn’t resist falling for him.

Mal looked down at me and smiled. It was an easy smile, full of trust and love, and it lit me up from the inside out. He loved me back. He wanted me as his mate. That alone was something worth celebrating. Today was a day of celebration. And I was so happy I could share it with him.

CHAPTER THIRTY

MALAKAI

I poked my head out of the kitchen for the fifth time tonight. I finally got Zach and his family a reservation at the restaurant I worked at. I asked Mikhail about it and he reserved a round top for them as a thanks for years of hard work. I planned on staying back here long enough to cook their food, since Zach asked if I would, and then I’d join them. My parents were coming too, and I wasn’t going to leave Zach alone the first time our parents met.

My dad spent another few weeks in the facility before they finally released him. I spent a few weeks going back and forth a lot between realms to make him food, and he was gradually putting weight back on. He wasn’t back to full strength yet. He still couldn’t fly and he relied on a cane, but he was on the mend and improving every day. Instead of me coming to him this week, he decided he was strong enough to use the tunnel and come to me. He and Mom were going to stay in Zach’s apartment while we stayed at my place. I didn’t want them in a hotel while my dad was still recovering.

Blowing out a breath, I headed back into the kitchen. Zach said he’d text when they arrived, but I couldn’t help myself.

“Relax, boy. You look like you wanna crawl out of your own skin,” Mikhail commented. He was watching me with a smug grin on his face, taking enjoyment out of my anxiety. With Zach’s help, I was letting go of the mask to hide my feelings and Mikhail loved that he could tell what I was thinking. “What time are they supposed to arrive?”

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