Chapter Fourteen
Thinking that Aeren might be more comfortable in the recliner by the warm fire, Lamar folded his large frame into the corner of the sofa with one leg tucked up under him and reached for his cell phone. Trask’s voicemail picked up on the first ring, unsurprising since he’d already told Lamar that he was only turning it on to check voicemail.
“Hey, man. It’s Coop. Holler back at me when you can? I need to run something by you.”
He’d just tossed the phone onto the coffee table and reached for the tv remote when Aeren padded out to join him, his bare feet nearly silent on the thick rug. “Done already?”
Erin nodded and instead of taking the open recliner, slipped onto the sofa next to Lamar, who frowned when he saw him rubbing the top of one foot with the sole of the other. “I forgot to give you socks.”
“I’m okay..” Aeren started to demur, but Lamar rose anyway, returning from his bedroom with a pair of thick socks. Kneeling down, he lifted one slender foot at a time and encased it in the soft knit. Aeren sighed softly when he rubbed them and set them back on the floor.
“Better?”
“Wonderful,” Aeren agreed, his cheeks taking on a pink tinge as he met Lamar’s eyes. “Thank you.”
Lamar shrugged, thankful that his dark skin hit the flush he could feel rising as he retook his spot on the couch, acutely aware of Aeren’s warm body pressing against his side. “Are you up to talking?”
“Yes, sir.”
Lamar forced himself to ignore the tingle at the base of his spine at Aeren’s submissive response. “Why did you come here?”
“I wasn’t sure where else to go,” Aeren said sadly. “The police have Miss. Mandy’s townhouse andAfter Ninelocked up.”
Lamar cocked his head. “Do you live with Ms. Clauneot?”
“Not exactly,” Aeren hedged. When Lamar narrowed his eyes, he frowned and gave in. “I was there when the police showed up, but she lets me live at the club,” he admitted. “I’m not supposed to tell anyone because it’s against the zoning rules.”
“I see.” Lamar stroked his back. “Aeren, how old are you?”
Clearly surprised, the boy twisted his head to meet Lamar’s eyes. “Twenty-three.”
Lamar studied him, skepticism etched on his face.
“I swear,” Aeren laughed. “My driver’s license is in my pants.”
“Okay, I believe you. Why do you live at the club? Don’t you have any family?”
Aeren tensed, and Lamar knew he was right. “You’re not human, are you, Aeren?”
“No, sir,” Aeren admitted with a sad sigh. “I’m not anything, exactly.”
“Come again?”
“I’m fey, of course,” Aeren explained, “but not of a single type. My mother was daemon and my father was a changeling.”
Lamar couldn’t keep from staring. “Seriously?”
Aeren nodded, chewing on his bottom lip. “Mixing blood is frowned on in the Fey communities, so I was left at an orphanage. That’s where I met Mandy.”
“Are you two involved?” Aeren blanched, his mouth twisting into a moue as if he’d smelled something unpleasant and Lamar laughed. “I guess that’s a no.”
“No,” Aeren repeated. “I, ah, don’t like girls that way. She’s my best friend. She loves me even though I’m impure, but we aren’t like that.”
“Impure?”
“Mixed species,” Aeren clarified.
“Got it,” Lamar said. “Are you hungry? Or do you want to lie down?”
