Page 29 of Distinctly Daray
Thankfully, Victor also lived with the Arch Lich, and Chander was the voice of reason. He’d slammed his hand downand demanded all the Darays go the hell to work and leave Victor alone. But what had Victor stewing was the knowledge that nothing had been settled. Dinner would be a repeat of breakfast, and Victor was unsure how to convince his beloved family that he was fine with his schedule changing and he still had plenty of time to devote to his mates.
“I am not,” Dudley defended as he stood and tugged on the fabric of his uniform. “All I was attempting to do was explain their feelings.”
“Come on, let’s go get lunch before someone comes out here and Victor has to stab them,” Evergreen said. He tugged on his suit jacket and walked around the large desk. Victor leaned into Evergreen as the druid-necro looped their arms together. “Let’s go to the sandwich shop we like.”
Dudley held the door open for them, and they stepped into the hallway. Since many others in the giant Council Headquarters were also heading to their midday meal, there were plenty of people to weave through as they headed for the exit. None of them uttered a word to each other as they crossed the street and went into a cafe owned by Henry Gennevios. It was a lovely little place decorated in blues and greens.
They chose a booth tucked in a corner to give them a little privacy, and a server materialized to take both their drink and food orders. Victor had dined there often enough that he barely had to glance at the menu to decide which sandwich he wanted.
“Look, you know you only have one option,” Evergreen stated, his grayish-green gaze boring into Victor’s.
“My plan was to spend the afternoon making arrangements to fix my suite so it accommodates three men,” Victor explained. “Can I really threaten to quit if I’m also calling people to add another sink and order a bigger bed?”
“I’m so jealous that your king-size one is too small for all the action you’re going to get,” Evergreen remarked with a grin.“But yeah. Do it. The sentinels aren’t going to shut the fuck up until you back them into a corner.”
“Sentinels are reasonable people,” Dudley stated. “Perhaps there is another option besides threatening to quit.”
Evergreen’s expression was pure skepticism. “Okay, what’s the option?”
“I mentionedmaybeone existed. I did not say I knew what that option was.”
“Sentinels,” Evergreen muttered. “Also, not that I want to distract from the issue, but I need to tell you how excited I am that your mates love your space. It’s so damn pretty and suits you perfectly. That means they do too. If I wasn’t gay, I’d hunt Fate down and kiss her right on the lips. Fuck it. Maybe I will anyway.”
“It was funny. I wasn’t nervous about showing them my room,” Victor confided. “I suppose I should’ve been considering how much I love it and how much work I’ve put into designing it through the years. Maybe something told me they’d like it too. Or maybe it was the way Keegan barreled right in and Phillip followed on his heels to explore. They were comfortable. That pleased me and my kitty.”
“So, when do your best friends get to meet them?” Evergreen asked.
Victor had to pause to allow their server to set their drinks on the table, but the moment the man left their table, he gave Evergreen his full attention. “I’m not sure yet. I’d love for you both to meet them, but they have a lot going on right now.”
“And you three have to prioritize your time together,” Dudley stated.
“I know that,” Evergreen said. “I’m not trying to get in the way of anything. All I’m saying is that I want to meet your guys.”
“I want them to meet you both too. They’re going to love you,” Victor replied.
“Not that I want to put a frown back on your face, but have you talked to the Antonovs about any of this yet?” Evergreen asked.
Victor sighed. “No. I wanted to enjoy it first. They aren’t going to like it. They pretend I’m not gay. Now I have two men in my life. That isn’t going to make any difference to my parents. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if their first response isn’t to ask me when they can arrange my marriage to a woman so I can add to the Antonov family tree.”
“They should not repudiate Fate,” Dudley remarked.
“Agreed, but to them being gay is worse than insulting Fate by sleeping with someone who isn’t your mate,” Victor responded. “I’d so much rather deal with annoying sentinels than argue with my parents about my future.”
“Honey, if they insist on it and refuse to take your feelings into account, you don’t have to stay in contact with them,” Evergreen insisted gently.
Victor closed his eyes and nodded. He wasn’t sure why it was so hard for him to cut ties with his birth family. Perhaps it was rooted in his guilt. He’d answered an ad to clean a house and wound up with a family who loved him unconditionally. Victor was far more blessed than most, and he knew it. The Antonovs had never tried to understand him, but they had instilled in him a sense of duty. Which was why he still talked to them and traveled home occasionally, despite how often they made him feel small and sad.
“I know,” Victor eventually replied.
“Do you?” Evergreen demanded. “Because they’re awful to you, and you keep letting them treat you terribly.”
“Do not piss Victor off; he has already dealt with stubborn sentinels today,” Dudley warned.
Evergreen patted Dudley’s arm. “You’re right. I’m supposed to be helping, not adding to your stress, Victor. Butseriously. Think about it if they react how you think they will. Your mates won’t understand their point of view.”
“Yeah, I know. That’s why I have no intention of explaining it to either of them right now. Phillip and Keegan have enough to focus on; they don’t need to deal with my parents.”
“Okay, let’s talk about something fun,” Evergreen insisted. “How big is your bed going to be? Have you decided on a shape? May I suggest a giant dick…or would it make more sense to draw three of them right next to each other?”
