“It’s fine,” they said with an exasperated sigh, but I could tell they were amused too.
“I’m really sorry. I know you said you wanted to wait to tell anyone, and I just totally ruined that. Shit. I’m sor—”
“They already knew. They all congratulated me as soon as I walked in.”
I frowned at that, wondering how the hell they could possibly know that we'd finally talked—since Jed clearly already knew—before I sighed. Oh. They must’ve heard me confirm it with Anton outside. Damn vampire hearing. “I’m still sorry.”
“Seriously, it’s fine. I told you I don’t care who knows. I just don’t want to discuss it with anyone but you.”
“Fair enough.”
They gave the top of my head a kiss, and it instantly relaxed me.
“I can move if you want me to.” I really didn’t want to, but I would. For Oakley.
They wrapped their arm around my back and held me tightly against them. “You’re fine. Let’s order some pizza. That’s easier than calling Ker and trying to figure out what the girls want. I know what toppings they like, plus I can order it from my phone.”
“Sounds perfect.”
Everyone else started chatting while Oak played around on their phone, and I just sat there, pressed against my viramore, hoping I never had to move, especially when the fingers of one of their hands made it into my hair and started scratching my scalp absently.Mm, paradise.
Today had been pretty hellish for a while there, but I’d go through all of it again just to end up here with my Oakley.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Oakley
It took thirty minutes for Keryth and the girls to arrive home, and another fifteen after that for the pizza to get there. In all of that time, Roman didn’t move a muscle.
I honestly thought he’d fallen asleep, but anytime someone asked him a question, he answered them right away without moving, speaking right into my neck.
Even though I was happy to have him glued to my side like an octopus, I was worried about him. I was pretty sure some of this random neediness came from the fact that my dad, his best friend and the man he’d been standing beside for thousands of years, had knocked him out with magic glitter and thrown him into a dungeon cell. Sure, the cell was in good condition, but that didn’t stop the hurt feelings I knew he had to be feeling.
My dad and Roman had been the only two members of their den for over two decades after my mom betrayed them, kidnapped me, and had many of their den killed. And before that, they’d been den mates their entire lives.
Dad was Roman’s only family, and he’d been a total asshole today.
They should’ve been celebrating together—finding your viramore was an amazing, wonderful thing—not fighting and being dickheads.
I was going to have to go talk to my dad.
As much as I just wanted to hide out here and pretend the problem didn’t exist, I needed to go talk to him and get him to relax and realize that Rome wasn’t going to steal me away. Nothing would change for him, not really. Roman and I would eventually live together, I was sure, and we’d be in a relationship, but for my dad, nothing would change. We’d both still do our jobs, we’d still live in the tower—technically, I’d be even closer to his condo since Rome was right about his being bigger—we’d still both go to family dinners, only we’d be together.
Once he realized that, he’d calm down.
Hopefully.
Jed offered me a plate with three slices of pizza on it, grinning at me as he did so. “If your barnacle wants something, I’ll make him a plate too. And if you need more, just let me know.”
Roman sighed and finally moved, sitting up but staying pressed to my side. He looked up at Jed with a frown on his handsome face. “Sorry about earlier.”
Jed waved him away. “No worries. I know what viramores are like, especially when they’re new. What kind of pizza do you want?” And just like that, all was forgiven.
Jed was such a good guy and always so laid-back and fun. And funny. It was why we’d become friends.
“Meat lovers,” Roman said with a grin. “Thanks, Jed.”
Jed gave him a nod and headed back out of the family room.
