Page 23 of Taste of Danger

Arion felt downright ridiculous being held in a tiny fairy’s arms while she defended him against the giant warrior, but he also liked being held so close to her. He could still smell sex on her and remembered how it felt having his cock buried in her tight heat.

He just wished she could embrace him with their feet on the floor.

“Are you serious right now?” Jax bellowed. “Did you lure Arion out here so you could get your fucking revenge?”

Several doors opened, others coming into the hallway at the sound of the commotion. Arion wanted a hole to open up and swallow him. All these powerful wolf shifters saw him dangling in Elvine’s arms like he needed the pixie to keep him safe.

It was mortifying.

“What’s going on here?” an older version of Jax asked. Arion remembered seeing the guy earlier before the attack at the restaurant. This had to be Jax’s father.

The man was just as tall as the others around them, built with as many muscles. He’d asked the question calmly, but there was an aura of authority to him.

Jax stabbed a finger at Casimir. “I just caught him out here with Arion! He better tell me why, or it’s about to get real fucking ugly in this hallway!”

Arion was stunned at the fury in his mate’s voice. He’d never had anyone defend him so vehemently before.

Except when Elvine killed those two vampires, but she was only defending herself as well. Not even Arion’s uncle had cared enough to think twice before he ruined his nephew’s life.

“If I catch you raising your hand to my honey bunny, I’ll stomp a grub hole in you!” Elvine snarled.

“Mud hole,” a guy said when he stepped into the hallway, rolling his eyes. “I’ll stomp a mud hole in you, brat.” He looked enough like Jax to be related. Arion was guessing his brother, maybe a cousin.

“Tell your mate to leave mine alone, Mr. Scratchy Crotch,” Elvine demanded.” He doesn’t want a slice of me.”

Arion frowned. Was she really that horrible at idioms? Had she been living under a rock her entire life?

“Now you’re just baiting me,” the guy said, wiggling a finger at her with the start of a smile. There was pure adoration in his eyes as he stared up at Elvine. “I like the new hair color, by the way.”

Arion had no idea who these people were, aside from guessing they were family. Why hadn’t Jax told him so many people lived there? He wanted desperately to cover his scars so he wasn’t gawked at. He didn’t like the reminder of how hideous his body looked.

“I wasn’t doing anything to him,” Casimir argued at Jax.

“What did he say to you, pumpkin?” His mate gazed up at him.

It was bad enough he had hellfire Tinker Bell defending him. Now Jax had to call him that in front of everyone. Arion’s embarrassment knew no bounds tonight.

“He wanted an explanation.” Arion hated having everyone’s eyes focused on him. “Which is only fair,” he squeaked. Jesus. Now his voice was making him sound juvenile.

“Then he comes to me if he wants to talk to you,” Jax snarled before turning to look at the warrior. “You don’t confront him on his own.”

Arion wasn’t sure what the look in Casimir’s eyes was all about. It seemed like a mixture of anger and… fear?

“I wasn’t starting trouble in your home, Kalen,” Casimir said to Jax’s father. “I was merely trying to talk to him.”

“Put me down,” Arion whispered to Elvine, trying his best not to draw everyone’s attention again.

She looked as though she was mulling over his request, then she slowly descended. But she refused to pull her arms away. Elvine stayed behind him, her slim arms trapping him against her breasts. Arion loved feeling the soft mounds pressing into his back.

“Our home,” Kalen clarified with a deep rumble in his voice.

Then he looked at Arion. That single gaze had Arion’s gut tightening. The father was going to tell him not to come back, that his presence was too disruptive. The writing was on the wall. Casimir was family. Arion was a stranger in their home.

“Son, whenever you’re comfortable discussing this, just let Jax know, and he’ll talk to Casimir for you.”

“I just want to know the reason,” Casimir said to Jax in a sincere tone. “It doesn’t have to be in detail, but if we’re going to live under the same roof, this needs to be dealt with.” He nodded toward Arion. “Does he have a problem we need to handle?”

Arion stood there stunned. Not only had Kalen called him son—which Arion was not going to cry over, even though he had a burning lump in his throat—but Casimir was willing to help, even though the guy was angry with him.

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