Page 38 of Secrets in the Shadow

“Hello,” Cody whispered when he answered.

“Why are we whispering?” his dad asked. “Is he asleep?”

Cody frowned. “Who?”

“The guy you’re hiding from me and your mom.” His dad kept talking low. “Your mom just asked me to call and invite you two to dinner.”

His dad really was a dog with a bone. Cody looked at Raziel, who was still in the same posture, and imagined him at the dinner table, drinking out of the juice container and stealing food from the center basket. He wasn’t sure his mate would ever fit in, considering the gruff way he talked sometimes and his intimidating height.

“If we survive this battle, sure.” He ran his fingers through his mate’s soft hair, needing to feel connected in some way, but also hoping it wasn’t a distraction from whatever mind-meld thing Raziel was doing with his son.

“I’ll never understand video games,” his dad huffed. “I just don’t see the fun in playing for endless hours when you could be doing more constructive things with your life.”

That was such a dad response.

“So, who are you two battling, what are the stakes, and what’s his name?”

“We’re battling evil angels who want divine secrets for some power grab, and a child is at stake.”

His dad grunted. “Aren’t they always evil? Those people who make the games need to find different hostages and leave kids out of it.”

“I totally agree about the kids.” He glanced at Ethan, who simply stood there looking into his dad’s eyes. Now that he had the chance, Cody studied the two.

They held a shocking resemblance. Both had the same green eyes, same chin, same eyebrows. Raziel’s genes were strong. The two of them were also beautiful, in an angelic sort of way.

“Well, luckily the invite is for tomorrow, kiddo. Should I tell your mom you guys are coming?”

If we’re not dead. “Count us in.”

“Shall we set a very large place for him or average?”

Cody rolled his eyes. “Do you want to know his eye color for the retina scanner you don’t own?” Which would be impossible if Raziel’s eyes went all swirly on them.

“Nope,” his dad answered, sounding pleased he’d “guessed” the reason why Cody had been acting strange. “Just his shoe size for the place mat by the front door.”

He glanced at Raziel’s feet, secretly smiling. “You might want to set another mat down.”

Killian chuckled. How had Cody forgotten shifters had exceptional hearing? He glared at the bear when the guy looked his way. Killian held his hands up as if to say he would mind his own business.

Why did Cody seriously doubt that?

His dad laughed. “All men brag.”

It definitely wasn’t a brag. “Okay. So, what time?”

“Six good for you guys?”

Perfect if Cody wasn’t deceased or rotting in an angelic jail cell. “Yep.”

“And son?”

“Hmm?” He played with a few strands, wrapping them around his finger.

“You didn’t tell me his name. Your mom will kill me if I don’t give her one. And don’t even ask me to make one up. You know she can see right through that. Besides, your mom told me you think he’s an angel. We’ll see how nice he is.”

Cody chuckled. Even though he was twenty-nine, it was nice to know his dad had his back. Both parents did. “It’s Raziel.”

No sooner had he said his mate’s name than Raziel yanked his head back, coming out of the trance he’d been in.

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