I swallow thickly, my throat clicking. “Yeah, I can’t.”
I don’t even know where home is anymore.
We drive in silence, Dante putting on some music, and I let my thoughts drift. When we finally step inside his shop, he flicks the lights on, and I blink in the brightness.
He motions for me to follow him, and we walk down a small hallway to his office. It’s small and cluttered with sex toys and paperwork. But he still pulls out a chair for me to sit in and then grabs something from the mini fridge behind his desk.
“Whiskey, right after a workout?”
“Yeah. Who the fuck cares, right? Life is short.”
He fills up a ceramic mug that saysBig Dicks Don’t Lieand pushes it toward me. I don’t even hesitate before swallowing it all down.
He lets out a surprised laugh and fills my cup a little more. “Alright, now tell me everything.”
I shouldn’t, but I don’t give a shit anymore. Everything is falling apart. So, I let it all out, fragmented details coming out in a rush. How Rathyn was hurt in his world, how Cielo helped me find him, how they’re both in trouble now. How upset I am that Rathyn called me a tool, how I feel like a fool in love. How everything isn’t as it seems. How stupid I was to become his companion in the first place.
It’s all a jumble of words and information, Dante piecing it together bit by bit, stopping me and asking questions when I make no sense.
“But Quilliyn can maybe free him? Because he’s a prince?” He sounds worried which isn’t unexpected. It was obvious he likes Cielo.
“Yeah,” I say, scrubbing a hand down my tired face.
“And Cielo may be banished to Earth?”
“Yeah.”
“And they’re…probably hurting him now?”
I sniffle and swipe at my stinging eyes. “Yeah, fuck. He is probably enduring it all like he thinks he deserves it. But he fucking doesn’t. He’s so fucking sweet.”
“I know,” Dante says quietly, his eyes down at his feet. “He is.”
“He’s the best.”
“Yeah.”
We’re silent a moment, and then Dante adds, “If he is hurt when he arrives back…if Quilliyn can work his magic…bring him to me. I can help take care of him.”
“Oh, he’d probably love that. I think he has a crush on you.”
Dante lets out a small laugh, and his cheeks turn pink. “Ah…well. I’d be happy to help in any way I can.”
We stare at each other, and the room starts to shift slightly. I may have had too much whiskey. Then my stomach growls loud enough for us both to hear.
He huffs a laugh. “Let’s get you something to eat. Booze on an empty stomach isn’t a good idea.”
He reaches into his mini fridge and pulls out a package of cookies and hands me one.
It takes me a moment to recognize the shapes they’re in, but when I do, I huff out a laugh. “Dick cookies?”
He nods. “I’m thinking of expanding my business. Not just sex toys for humans either.”
“Oh?” I say, and he nods.
“There has to be a market for it, right?”
“I mean, the Vyastil are…interesting creatures.” Even as I say this, I’m not sure I believe it. “I don’t know if most of them really experience pleasure like we do. Or if they even want it.”
