Page 6 of Soren

“Am I the mutt’s daddy?” Soren glanced up to see Roman leaning against the doorway, looking much too amused at the scene in front of him for Soren’s taste.

“No,” Soren replied, narrowing his eyes at his longtime friend. “Danny’s Daddy. You’re Papa. Much more suitable for your advanced age.” He grinned broadly at the annoyed look on Roman’s face.

“You are older than I,” Roman argued.

“Yes, but Ilookyounger, and that’s what counts.”

“Ridiculous,” Roman sighed, his expression pinched—a familiar sight where Soren was concerned.

“You two heading out soon?” Soren asked cheerily, ignoring his friend’s displeasure. Roman would get over it in two seconds. He was used to Soren’s ways.

“When Danny returns from the care home,” Roman answered, tucking his hands into his pants pockets. Soren eyed the other vampire’s outfit skeptically. Why anyone would want to wear a full suit for an entire day on an airplane was anyone’s guess.

He shrugged internally. To each his own. “Well, have a blast. Bring me back lots of souvenirs. I want something pretty. Or delicious. I’ll accept either. Or both.”

Roman hummed noncommittally, eyeing Soren with a weirdly intense look. It made Soren’s skin itch.

“Three weeks with my mate all to myself,” Roman finally said after another long minute of staring.

Soren hummed, clacking his crochet needles. He wasn’t entirely sure whether Roman’s words were meant to be a pointed statement. Soren had been living in the same house as the two lovebirds for over a year now. He did his best to stay out of their way, and neither gave any indication they wanted him to leave, but maybe Roman was trying to casually meander his way into a verbal eviction.

“All right…,” Soren drawled when Roman didn’t elaborate. “Are you about to start telling me your horny honeymoon daydreams? Because I’d rather not. No offense.”

Soren had already overheard enough of those two going at it to last a million lifetimes.

Roman shook his head. “I would be very…upset…if a lack of control over things at home were to distract Danny from this honeymoon,” he said, his voice staying deceptively mild. “I want his full…attention.”

Christ. Roman really was a possessive beast.

Although Soren couldn’t really blame him. Roman had been lonely for a very, very long time, and Danny had been his surprise salvation. Not to mention his destined mate, the tether to his humanity.

Lucky bastard.

Not every vampire found their fated mate, the one whose soul would bond to theirs, preventing them from devolving into a feral state. And what if the one theydidfind didn’t like them one bit? That was a dilemma Soren was very…invested in…at the moment.

Soren put down his crochet, folding his hands in his lap, giving Roman his most sincere look. “I promise we’ll take good care of the little doggie.”

“And you will ensure Gabe visits their mother.” Roman made it an order, not a question.

Easier said than done, but Soren nodded anyway. “I’ll make sure of it.”

There was another long silence, Roman searching Soren’s face for something.

“What?” Soren finally snapped, his patience wearing thin.

Roman cleared his throat. “This fascination you have with the brother. It will not be a problem?”

Soren supposed he should have been expecting this, but that didn’t mean he had to play along. “What fascination?” he asked innocently, batting his lashes. “The man’s boring as dirt.”

Roman’s lips pressed flat. “I know you still follow him sometimes.”

Soren didn’t deign to reply to that particular statement. Honestly, it was more than just sometimes, but what was this, an intervention?

Roman gave a heavy sigh at his silence. “Just… Keep your distance.”

Soren arched a brow. “You know the two of us are living together for three weeks, right?”

“You know what I mean…”

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