“Adaptable,” Conrad repeated, “And for you,versatile. Now, come on. Let’s get you that coffee.”
Chapter Eleven
Conrad
His swagger was all for Kylo, who was looking like he’d swallowed an enormous egg, and it had stuck in his throat. Conrad would be anything his mate needed, and that included being versatile. It wasn’t something he’d trusted the guys he’d fucked in the past to do to him. Being vulnerable in that way for another, that had never been an option. Kylo was different. They were mates, and he understood Kylo would never take advantage of him deep on every level.
He’d caught Kylo’s fleeting thoughts through their bond and the niggle of worry that Conrad had someone special back home. His TV was the only thing he valued aside from his cage brothers.
For Conrad, it was simple. What had come before Kylo was gone, and now there was only what came next for them—together.
In the café, the scent of frying meat made his stomach growl after all the energy he’d expelled the night before.
At the counter, Kylo ordered enough food to feed an army and got a grin from Conrad. They found an empty table tucked in a corner that allowed them easy access to an exit. A habit Conrad had that Kylo appeared to have, too. His smile widened at how he was starting a list in his head of things that matched. It was probably silly, only Conrad didn’t care.
Kylo eyed him over a large mug of steaming coffee in such a way Conrad considered he had projected his thoughts. A hint of a blush graced his cheeks, and he kept eye contact as Kylo sipped the dark liquid and sighed in pleasure.
“Perfect! Strong enough to put hairs on your chest.”
Conrad looked at the T-shirt stretched across Kylo’s broad chest before picking up his cup. “I fucking hope not, or you’re gonna find yourself on the receiving end of some hot wax.” A wicked grin graced Conrad’s lips when Kylo shook his head. “Actually, I think you’d enjoy that, so we should stop off at a sex shop if they have them here and get some candles.”
Kylo spat coffee all over the table as the server arrived with their food, as he coughed violently. Conrad chuckled at his mate’s flaming red face.
Conrad put his mug back down, grabbing the napkins to mop up the mess, grinning at the server, who was a pretty young girl. “Sorry, I can’t take him anywhere,” he said jovially, hoping she understood English.
“You’ll pay for that later,” Kylo muttered, the mug now on the table, a hand wiping over his chin as he looked at the plate of food in front of him.
Conrad got in a little closer, feeling the heat radiate from Kylo. His scent tickled his nose and made his lion want to rut. “I’ll look forward to it.” His mouth was close to Kylo’s ear, and he couldn’t resist nipping the lobe.
“Behave!” Kylo’s scent of arousal was intoxicating and competed with the tasty smelling food in front of them. “We have work to do.”
Conrad sighed and could feel Kylo’s conflict about wanting to leave and go home to the safety of his bedroom over going to work. So he relented for now and sat back, lifting his cutlery. “What do you think Selina will do next? She has to be mighty pissed she didn’t get her way yesterday.”
Kylo relaxed into the seat, the tension easing as he appeared to consider the question seriously while he ate his first mouthful of sausage. “Nothing about what she’s doing now makes sense to me. Or at least not in connection with that house. Why is she hiding in there? At least we’re assuming that’s where she is, although I saw no damn sign of her in all the time I spent in that place. Assuming she is, is it ‘cause Duron found her home in the woods, and she’s worried an assassin could easily find her again?” He scratched his jaw before taking a sip of coffee.
Conrad waited him out, letting him get his thoughts out.
“Although that doesn’t make sense ‘cause she could be tracked to the house, too. Would you want to stay in a place that reeks of death? Is it the connection with… Devil, she’s after? What are we missing here? Magically, she’s powerful, yet she can’t find what she’s looking for. Why is that?”
Conrad met Kylo’s gaze easily. “Where they are has wards with magic stronger than anything she’s got in her arsenal, for sure.”
“Who’s that to protect? Him or us?”
“Everyone.” Conrad could feel his mate processing and he felt it, the moment Kylo understood Devil—James was no longer a threat to anyone.
The nod when it came was slow. “I see.”
Conrad couldn’t resist and came in quickly, giving Kylo a hard kiss that got a groan of approval before he eased back and witnessed his mate’s lust-filled eyes. “If you keep doing that, I’ll be taking a sick day.”
Conrad’s chuckle was deep and dirty. “I could live with that.”
“Behave,” Kylo said once more, with little to no conviction behind it.
Only Conrad understood Kylo was a man of honor, and throwing a sickie to have sex wouldn’t, in the long run, make his mate happy. So he behaved and changed the topic back to what they were discussing. “Selina, how much involvement has she had in James organization that you’ve found?
A frown appeared quickly. “The paperwork we found in the office and safe we broke into, nothing connected to Selina. From everything I’ve seen, I’d say there was nothing to point to her being involved with… James.”
Conrad swallowed the mouthful of delicious food and wiped his lips with the napkin. “Yet, she’s involved up to her pretty little neck. My senses are never wrong, and that’s what they are telling me after yesterday’s little show. It seems Selina likes the dramatics.”
