Page 60 of Claws and Controllers

TWENTY-FOUR

Ellie smoothed down her green dress for what must have been the hundredth time. The soft fabric clung to her curves, accentuating her figure without being overly provocative. Perfect for a family dinner, she thought, even if that family dinner included introducing her shifter mate to her very human relatives.

“You can do this,” she muttered to her reflection, tucking a stray strand of her dark red hair behind her ear. “It’s just dinner. With your family. And your fiancé.”

Her phone buzzed on the dresser, and she snatched it up, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Zy’s name on the screen.

“Hey,” she answered, unable to keep the smile from her voice. “You on your way?”

“Just pulled up outside,” Zy replied, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine. “You ready for this?”

Ellie took a deep breath, glancing once more at her reflection. “As I’ll ever be. Come on up, I’ll buzz you in.”

Moments later, a knock at her apartment door had her heart racing again. She opened it to find Zy standing there, looking devastatingly handsome in a tailored dark green suit. His light brown eyes flecked with gold sparkled as they took her in.

“You look beautiful,” he said, leaning in to place a soft kiss on her cheek.

Ellie felt her cheeks warm at the compliment. “You look good enough to eat, tiger,” she teased, smoothing down his lapel. “Ready to face the Madden clan?”

Zy’s confident smile faltered slightly. “I’ve faced down corporate rivals and shifter challenges, but I’ll admit, meeting your family has me a bit nervous.”

Ellie laughed, linking her arm through his as they headed for the elevator. “Don’t worry, they don’t bite. Well, except maybe my little nephew, but he’s teething, so we’ll give him a pass.”

The drive to her parents’ Hamptons beach house was filled with comfortable chatter, Ellie filling Zy in on various family members and their quirks. As they pulled up to the sprawling coastal home, Ellie felt a mix of excitement and anxiety bubbling in her stomach.

“Last chance to back out,” she joked as they approached the front door.

Zy squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Not a chance. I’m all in, remember?”

Before Ellie could respond, the door swung open, revealing her mother, Letty, beaming at them. “There you are! Come in, come in!”

Ellie barely had time to step inside before she was enveloped in her mother’s warm embrace. Over Letty’s shoulder, she saw her father, Jack, approaching with a welcoming smile.

“And you must be Zyan,” Letty said, releasing Ellie and turning her megawatt smile on Zy. “We’ve heard so much about you.”

“All good things, I hope,” Zy replied smoothly, extending his hand to shake Jack’s. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both. Thank you for having me.”

“The pleasure’s ours. Good to see you again,” Jack said, his grip firm as he shook Zy’s hand. “We’re always happy to meet the man who’s captured our Ellie’s heart.”

Her cheeks flushed at her father’s words. “Dad,” she groaned, “can we at least get through the door before you start embarrassing me?”

Jack chuckled, ushering them farther into the house. “Where’s the fun in that, sweetheart?”

As they made their way to the living room, Ellie’s sister Lucy appeared, her young son balanced on her hip. “Oh, he’s cute, Ellie. Good job.”

Frankie followed behind her. “There’s the lovebirds,” she teased, giving Ellie a one-armed hug before turning to Zy. “So you’re the famous Zyan Ashford. I have to say, your coding skills are almost as impressive as your jawline.”

“Frankie!” Ellie hissed, mortified.

Zy, to his credit, took it in stride, laughing good-naturedly. “I’ll take that as a compliment. And please, call me Zy.”

As introductions continued, Ellie found herself relaxing. Her family’s warmth and Zy’s easy charm seemed to blend seamlessly, creating an atmosphere of genuine comfort and camaraderie. Even her usually reserved brother, Michael, was drawn into an animated discussion about the latest gaming trends with Zy.

But it wasn’t until they moved to the dining room that Ellie truly felt the weight of the evening. There, seated at the head of the table, was her grandmother, Elena. At eighty-five, Elena Madden was still a force to be reckoned with, her silver hair elegantly coiffed and her sharp eyes missing nothing.

“Abuelita,” Ellie said, leaning down to kiss her grandmother’s cheek. “I want you to meet Zy.”

Elena’s gaze swept over Zy, assessing him with the wisdom of years. Then, to Ellie’s relief, she smiled. “Sit down, young man,”she said, patting the chair next to her. “Let’s get to know each other.”

---