Page 123 of The Protective Gryphen

The second was because he had no business doing that himself.

“Formal,” Gryphen said.

As Aiden helped him, he saw his tattoos on his arm and chest. They were a big giveaway as to what he’d once done for a living.

“American soldier, huh?”

He nodded.

“Yes,” he said, as he buttoned the sleeve of the shirt. “I’m a Marine.”

The man tried to make idle chitchat as he got him dressed.

“Are ye staying in town?” he asked.

“We’re staying at Ravensmire,” he said, not thinking about keeping it to themselves. No one knew who they were, and that was pretty safe for them.

At his admission, the man’s eyes went huge.

Clearly, he knew something they didn’t.

“What?” Gryphen asked.

“It’s haunted,” he said. “We all heard it was purchased, and we assumed it was going to be a private home since no one can really stay there.”

When the curtain in the back dressing room opened, Ian’s head peeked in.

“Haunted you say?” he asked, making his mate laugh. Apparently, Nancy Drew was on the case.

Gryphen shook his head.

“Ian. Seriously? Are you eavesdropping?” he asked, knowing he had been doing the same thing.

“I heard Ravensmire, haunted, and I had to investigate.”

He knew there was no way to get the man back to his own dressing area.

“Do tell us more,” Ian said.

Gryphen just smiled at his man.

“Yes, the place is said to be haunted by a woman who was scorned. She was betrayed by her husband and supposedly cursed the man who didn’t return her love.”

Ian was intently listening.

“Why?” he asked, as the older man tried to fit him for his things.

“Ian. The kilt.”

He glanced over.

“Sorry. You’re right. It’s not important. I’m sorry,” he said again. “I’ll go back to my own dressing room.”

It was clear that Gryphen had upset him. Ian had been living in the moment, and he’d stopped that.

Sometimes, being a Marine made him regimented. While Ian was also highly organized, he liked to wing shit on occasion.

He could learn a lot from him, mostly to chill out.

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