His mouth twisted for a moment before he sighed. “Yeah, just that my dad wants to have dinner with us tonight. Maia’s worried he’s going to try something.”
I’d only seen his dad, Kenzo Oniguro, briefly before Draven had taken me out of the fight. Slightly shorter than Ronan, his face was sharper, his expression colder. Like Ronan, if you took away all the joy, all the fun, and all the personality.
Ronan had told me not to trust him, but I’d already decided that the second I’d felt his eyes on me, measuring me up, calculating my worth and utility during that meeting. A look I’d become far too accustomed to from living with Victor.
“Like what?”
He half shrugged. “It could be anything with him. He’d wanted me to prove my loyalty to the family before he’d help me get you out, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there was more kraken shit waiting for me. The man knows how to hold a grudge.”
Guess his old man finally found a way to drag him back to Ignareth.
“I’m so sorry I made you come back to this.”
“Hey, no, this isn’t your fault,” he soothed, holding my cheek in his warm palm. “If I hadn’t made that stupid demon deal in the first place, you never would have gone back to Victor.”
“Oh, I know,” I sniffed. “Trust me, I’ll be making fun of you for that as time passes and it gets funnier. But it’s just… I know you worked hard to get out of this life. And I’ll always feel guilty that I’m the only thing keeping you here.”
Ronan leaned down, resting his forehead on mine, his horns cradling my head. I fit so perfectly between them. “I’d choose to be here with you every day over being free without you. Don’t ever forget that.”
He pressed his lips against mine. “My light in the darkness.”
“My flame in the shadows,” I replied.
* * *
The dining room felt nothing like the rest of the house. Where most of the large, communal rooms were overflowing with men, lived in and warm from demon fire, this space was empty, cold, and appeared like it was rarely used.
Dinner was already laid out when we arrived, arranged with meticulous care. Each course was small but intricately plated—thin slices of fish brushed with oil, bite-sized portions crowned with edible flowers, and ceramic dishes shaped irregularly, the beauty coming in their imperfections. Steam curled lazily fromcovered plates, carrying scents of smoke, citrus, and something mineral beneath it all.
This opulence, subtle and refined, was far removed from the large, bloody steaks served on gold-rimmed plates that I’d been eating for the past five years.
I was officially in a different gilded world.
Guards in suits lined the walls, their hands clasped behind their backs as they stared into the middle distance. Living statues, ready to move with a single command.
No one said a word to me at first as we started to eat, and I vacillated between offense and relief. My only tether was Ronan’s presence on the opposite side of the table, his long legs extended so his feet could rest outside of mine.
“I hope you enjoyed your time off, son,” Kenzo finally said, his voice weighted. “Because I’m afraid we have some business to take care of.”
Ronan shifted in his seat. “I figured. But do you want to talk about this over dinner, though? Let’s meet in your office later, because Sage doesn’t—”
“On the contrary,” he interrupted, finally turning his attention towards me.
Okay, yeah, being ignored was way better than getting caught in his predatory gaze.
“Sage is family now, and as such, she has as much of a role to play in our future endeavors as you do.”
Ronan growled, the air vibrating in anger. “Just because she’s my mate doesn’t mean she’s a part of the family business.”
Kenzo wiped his mouth with his napkin, setting it back down before responding. “Nobody, not even mates, gets to live here for free.”
“Then we’ll fucking move!” he shouted.
I was beginning to understand why Ronan had been so reluctant about coming back home. Before we’d left the hotel, I’dthought of his life as something I’d be able to ignore while I did my own thing.
But now, the reality of what might be expected of me was crashing down. How exactly could I be expected to help the mafia?
“Um,” I cleared my throat, the sudden attention of all three Oniguros nearly suffocating. Even Maia would make most alphas sweat. “If it’s a matter of money, I have some. My app has been doing quite well, and I’m happy to—”
