Page 6 of Mutual Obsessions

I explained the specials we were offering and left the table to give the two of them a chance to make their choices. I went into the kitchen and listened unashamedly.

“These prices are a little more than my budget is prepared to absorb.” It was Cubby’s comment. I was going to pay for their meals anyway, but it was interesting to learn that money was an issue. I wondered if it was the same for Ryker. I hadn’t thought about money in a century.

“Hey, I was prepared to pay for the group, so I got you covered. Why don’t you just talk to your father? This whole fight between the two of you is ridiculous, Cubby. You know he’d give you an allowance if you said you were sorry for calling him a bigoted old cracker and took the job at Brown Oil.” That was Ryker being a good friend. I was beyond impressed.

“I say this with love, Ryker. You grew up without parents, so you don’t know what it’s like to be told you’re breaking your mother’s heart by not marrying a young woman and pretending to have a ‘normal’ marriage to keep from humiliating your embarrassingly wealthy family.”

I stepped closer to the door, not that it would help me hear any better. I wasn’t sure if I should interrupt or wait for more information.

If he has no family, nobody will miss him, Etienne. He could be ours forever. That was the beast, the bâtard.

“Shut up.” That was me—aloud—in front of the kitchen staff.

I expected the poke on my shoulder. I turned to see Gerard, the head chef, standing behind me with his hands on his hips. “I thought we agreed that the kitchen was mine and you wouldn’t give the staff any bullshit. Isn’t that what we discussed when I agreed to work here after you went through five chefs?”

I wasn’t scared of anyone after I killed Killian. I wasn’t necessarily afraid of my maker, but I respected him until he’d turned Rory in such a callous way. Gerard Wilson was the one human who I was a bit afraid of. He held our business in his skilled hands, and if I did anything to erode my relationship with the man, we would lose everything we’d recently worked to rebuild after we closed the restaurant because I couldn’t find the right chef to work with my family.

Gerard was a forty-nine-year-old man of Bahamian and Creole descent. His mother was Bahamian, and she taught him miraculous things to do with spices, according to the review we received from a food critic in town. He treated his staff with respect, and part of our agreement when he came to work at The House of Tremblay ten years earlier was that I wouldn’t interfere with his kitchen. I’d violated that covenant by spying on my guests from his kitchen door.

“I apologize, Gerard. I wasn’t addressing any of the kitchen staff. Just the stupid voice in my head.” I hurried out of the kitchen and slowly made my way to the drink station to take a breath.

“I don’t need his money. I don’t want his money.” Cubby’s voice held a conviction rarely expressed by humans these days. It was refreshing to hear it from a young person. Hell, everyone was a young person as far as I was concerned.

“Let me loan you some money, Cubby.” Ryker’s voice was brimming with concern this time.

“Nope. You’re my best friend, and I don’t borrow from friends. Now, if Alexandria had made that offer, I’d have taken her up on it in a heartbeat and wouldn’t think anything of it if I didn’t pay her back.” Ryker’s laugh was everything I needed to hear.

I strolled back to the table and took my seat next to Ryker. When I glanced toward the kitchen door, I saw Rory standing with a breadbasket, so I motioned for him to rejoin us.

“Have you had enough time to choose what you’d like to have for dinner?” I sensed a bit of residual tension between Cubby and Ryker due to the conversation I’d eavesdropped on. They had a very good friendship that I envied, so I wanted to change the subject for them.

"Maybe you’d like to share entrées? The servings are plentiful, and some of our diners enjoy sharing. I promise there’s enough for both of you.” My gaze stayed on Ryker because I couldn’t believe such a gorgeous creature had crossed my path.

“I, uh, I’d like to have the crawfish etouffee. Cubby?”

“Uh, how about the catfish special? That’s sharable, right?”

I grinned at the two of them. “Yes, it is. I’ll give your order to the kitchen and be right back.”

“I’ll come with you.” Rory jumped up and followed me back to the service area. His eyes settled on Cubby and wouldn’t budge.

“What on earth is going on with you and the human?” I pushed Rory into a quiet corner and compelled him to be honest with me, which was something I promised I’d never do to him when he joined the coven.

Rory tore his eyes from mine. “Don’t do that Etienne. You promised.”

I threw up my hands. “Then tell me what’s going on.”

Rory sighed. “Two nights ago, I met Cubby at a dance club. He let me drink from him. Check the puncture on the left side of his neck. I blurred his thoughts regarding the encounter, but he’ll remember my face the more he sees it.”

Hell’s bells. “Do you want him to remember you? You don’t have to sit with us.”

For a moment, Rory closed his eyes before he finally smiled and licked his lips. “No. I’ll stay. I want him to remember me, Etienne. I could fall in love with him.”

Sadly, I knew the feeling. Neither of us would be happy at the end of the night, I was sure.

Chapter Four

Ryker

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