Page 27 of My Salvation

Priest licked his lips. “Is that your asiago cheese bread?”

Merrick nodded. “Aye it is. I made extra so don’t try and hide the ones I’ll be sending with you, when you head to Dav’s.”

His mother saw Cas’ wrists and hummed happily. “Liaylia is a genius.”

Priest rolled his eyes at Cas who had to hide her smile. He picked up his plate and began to stack all his favorites high.

“Leave some fruit for Cassie,” Merrick ordered.

Priest nodded and simply moved the fruit platter between their two plates.

Merrick walked up to the table and placed a small warm loaf on each of their plates. “I’m Merrick Baker. Welcome to the family, Cassie.” He paused. “Do you prefer to be called Cassandra?”

She immediately picked up the loaf to start cutting. “Cas, Cassie, Cassandra, I don’t mind any of them really. I’ll answer to them all.”

She slathered a slice with fresh butter and took a bite. Moments later, her low moans had Priest glad his lower half was obscured by the table.

“Gods above! I could live off this bread,” Cas swayed back and forth in her chair happily.

Merrick blushed and smiled shyly. “It’s not at all hard to make. Just let me know whenever you want more.”

“Every meal for forever,” Cas answered immediately.

Merrick belly laughed. “Eion had it easy raising Cassie. She’s so appreciative.” He eyed Priest with a smile. “That one would simply try to cram as much as he could into his mouth.”

Priest had to chew quickly to respond. “It was how I showed you how much I liked your food.”

Merrick raised a brow. “I had to learn the Heimlich because of you.”

Priest picked up his bread. “Dying while eating your food would have been a good way to go.”

His mother looked at Cas. “When…I mean. Where will the two of you be living?” she asked, hesitantly.

Cas opened her eyes then looked at him. Together they both shrugged. “I can’t leave Eion alone, not after all these years, but…” she looked around. “It’s so cozy here.”

Priest thought about it a moment. “Ari and Brie split their time between the warrior villa and the Lionhart estate. I’m sure we could work out something similar.”

Cas stared. “We’re moving to the warrior villa?”

Priest stared, then inhaled as he gasped. A chunk of bread flew down his windpipe. He began hammering his own chest.

Merrick came up behind him and wrapped his huge arms around his torso and lifted in a sudden movement. Seconds later a lump of half eaten dough flew across the table.

Merrick pointed at him. “See what I mean?”

Priest couldn’t retaliate he was trying too hard to breathe. When he thought he could form words, he looked at his concerned mate. “I forgot about the warrior villa. They’ll want us to live there too.”

His mother clucked her tongue. “We should send something over to Aeson, I bet he’s been run ragged these past few weeks.”

Cas popped a berry in her mouth and sighed blissfully. “I lived next to a Vanguard squad for the past twenty years or so. As long as no one expects me to clean up after the men, I don’t mind staying there.”

Priest shook his head. “We all rotate chores, so no one person does a lot of anything. In fact I can’t see them letting you or Zoe clean anything.”

“Which one is Zoe?”

“She’s Gage’s mate, a fire witch from Storm Keep. They adopted two little boys from Japan to help her not set stuff on fire. They’re Ame and Yuki. Two of the cutest kids I’ve ever seen.”

His mother sighed. “Tierla has been in heaven spoiling her grandsons.”

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