“He does and it’s true. I was explaining to you why you’re the better choice right now.” He put his beer down with a sigh. “Ori, I let you be after your breakup. Probably more than I should’ve. I kept hoping you’d pull through on your own, but you didn’t. There is life after Lael.”
I flinched at hearing Lael’s name. It was as if it had been removed from all vocabulary for the last seventy years. I’d let go of Lael years ago but not the pain and anger. Those emotions affected my ability to interact with anyone who didn’t tiptoe around me.
“There is, but it was easier not to believe it.”
“Easier, but not better.” He let his words sink in. “You’re right about Zeke. He has a lot of Ruth in him. Her looks, her spunk, and her heart. Remember, too, he’s Ares’s son. He’s been raised to take charge of his life and not to back down. Zeke is a lot stronger than you gave him credit for.”
The way he kept me out of his room taught me that lesson. I pushed out of my chair and finished my beer. “If he comes back, I’ll do better. But he needs to accept I’m here to protect him.”
“He will.” Gabe got up and pulled me into a hug. “Welcome back, old friend.”
I snorted as I squeezed him back. The bastards had played me a bit. They knew guarding Zeke would somehow break meout of my funk. I’d be pissed, but even the anger made me feel alive again. I could do this.
Provided Zeke gave me a second chance.
Zeke
I’d just finished ordering my chicken sandwich and fries when a noticeable hush fell over the busy restaurant. Conversations died mid-sentence and every eye turned to gawk at the newcomer striding through the door. Even without looking, I knew it was Dad. Wherever he went, people noticed.
He spotted me immediately and strutted over to my booth, looking like he’d just stepped off a Hollywood film set in his black leather jacket, jeans that fit perfectly, and aviator sunglasses. I hated that he’d flown here in less than an hour and his hair looked better than mine. Most people thought we were brothers because despite being one of the original angels to come to Earth, he barely looked older than me.
Removing the glasses, however, the way his eyes studied me was all parental concern. No surprise he’d flown here to make sure I was okay. That was Dad, and I loved him for everything he did for me.
“Hey kiddo,” he said, sliding into the booth across from me. He put the glasses on the table and continued to scrutinize me with a worried expression. “You okay?”
I shrugged, trying to play it cool even though I was still upset by Orion’s outburst. “Yeah, I’m good. It’s not the first time someone tried to break down my door in anger.”
My joke fell flat and Dad’s eyes flashed with barely suppressed anger. “I swear I don’t know what’s wrong with that boy. It’s a good thing Gabriel went to talk to Ori. I’d have knocked him on his ass.”
Much as I appreciated Dad trying to protect me, I wasn’t a kid anymore. “Not to sound ungrateful for the support, but I didn’t ask for help. I took care of myself just fine.”
“I know you did, but when Gabriel said you called, I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
The way Dad brushed off his concern made me suspicious. He hadn’t seemed worried about my safety, and he agreed—tacitly at least—that I hadn’t asked for help. “And because he wants you to talk me into not leaving.”
“No. Gabe didn’t want me to come at all, but I felt partly responsible for what happened. I shouldn’t have encouraged you to accept the mission.”
I smirked because he acted like I’d been given a choice. “You’re not responsible for anything. Michael didn’t ask, he told me. But thanks for coming, Dad. I appreciate you making sure I’m all right.”
“Always, Zeke. Always.” His gaze softened as he took me in. “This doesn’t excuse Orion’s behavior, but there are reasons why he can be so intense.”
Dad paused as the waitress brought my food. She asked if he wanted anything, and he ordered a turkey club on whole wheat, with fruit instead of fries. I snorted once she left. “Live a little, Dad. You don’t need to count calories.”
“Order what you like, and let me do the same.” He nicked one of my fries and bit it in half. “I happen to like fruit more than greasy and salty.”
He looked at his fingers and then wiped them on the spare napkin on his side of the table. “You know Orion’s life has been bookended by hard times. His father died fighting in the Crusades before Orion got his powers. His mother ignored Ori for over a century afterward because he reminded her too much of his father.”
I tried to picture Mom avoiding me for a hundred years and failed. The idea was too painful. Dad nodded sadly.
“It gets worse. When his mother finally recovered, she remarried. She wanted nothing to do with fighting because of what it had cost her. She asked her son to give up being a soldier, and when he refused, she’s only had sporadic contact with him since. Your mother and I included him in our family, but it’s not quite the same. Especially since his mother is still alive.”
There was a lot more there to unpack, but this wasn’t the time, and Dad wasn’t the one to tell me Ori’s story. “Wow. That explains a lot.”
“There’s more.” Dad sounded like he carried the world on his shoulders. “Did Gabriel tell you anything about Lael, Orion’s former partner?”
I shook my head as I grabbed a fry. “Nope. And despite my best efforts I couldn’t find a lot about him.”
“I never liked Lael, mostly because I didn’t trust his father, Lucien. Lucien was always more concerned with his own power than the good of our people. I tried to keep my personal feelings hidden from Orion because he loved Lael deeply. It was also the happiest I’d ever seen him. Your mother worried, too.”
