Page 44 of Tossed into the Mob
The sky was tinged with light, and I told my beast we had to leave. I had some old clothes in the truck, and Brock wrinkled his nose, saying I smelled like gasoline.
“Sorry for the fuck-up.”
Brock told me to stop apologizing and we had to look forward. “If you can forgive me for almost shooting you, I can ignore that you and your beast almost got us killed.” He grinned.
It wasn’t the most promising start to a relationship, but I didn’t lock him in a basement, so maybe it wasn’t the disaster I’d built it up to be in my head.
If things had gone differently, we could have mated. But not after that shambles of a shift.
“Do you want me to drop you off at your place?”
He checked the time. It was light now and people were out exercising and walking their dogs. Brock suggested coffee, as his dad wouldn’t be awake yet. We wandered into a park with our hot drinks, and my smelly shirt wasn’t as obnoxious out in the open.
“So when does the mating thing happen?” He took a sip and ahhed.
I didn’t answer straight away because I was overwhelmed with love for this man, this human, who after everything that had happened, still wanted to be with me.
“Should I meet your dad first?” It occurred to me that we’d never spoken about whether Emilio and his dad had mated. Did his dad know about shifters?
He giggled. “You don’t have to ask his permission to mate me. This is the twenty-first century.”
I drank more of my coffee before responding. “Brock, what did you tell your dad about getting shot and the apartment? And what about Emilio being dead?” I figured he could leave out how he died and him being a traitor. His poor dad’s heart might not cope with all that right now.
He squirmed and looked away from me. “I didn’t tell him about almost being killed. My scar is so small, and he’s only seen me fully dressed.”
Hmmm, that was understandable, as his dad still had a long recovery ahead of him. But that didn’t explain how they were living in a million-dollar apartment.
Brock stared into his empty cup as if he was wishing he had something to distract him.
“I fibbed.”
That didn’t tell me much. “About?”
“The apartment. I had to break it to Dad about my father being dead. He’d wondered if something had happened, as even though the money kept coming, he sensed he was no longer living.”
Though they hadn’t seen one another in years, their bond, whether they mated or not, was strong enough for him to understand Emilio was no longer on the earth.
“I explained away the apartment by saying Father left it to us in his will but the executors hadn’t been able to locate us until now.” He tossed the paper cup in the garbage. “I don’t like lying, but it’s easier on him if he doesn’t know the specifics.”
That was the best way to get around it.
I should meet the man before we mated, especially if he knew about shifters. To show him the respect he deserved as my mate’s dad, I should introduce myself.
We agreed I’d come for coffee tomorrow morning because Niles took a nap in the afternoon.
The phone buzzed. The screen was cracked after the shifting-in-the-car incident. It was Ranger.
Have you mated yet? If you’re also going to get married, the family wants to be present. Uncle Arnie is already planning the menu.
Hunter had mated and married, so if it was important to Brock, we could do it.
SIXTEEN
BROCK
My dad had made a huge effort to welcome Treyton despite tiring easily. He still used a cane, but his physiotherapist said he was walking so well, he might be able to get rid of it in the next few weeks.
Sitting at the kitchen island, Dad had made apple danishes, and I’d put them in the oven. The apartment smelled like our old home, safe, warm, and welcoming, while looking nothing like the place.
