A moment of quiet flowed between them, but Colton didn’t move. The view outside the window had turned full dark, only the streetlights were left glimmering on the windshields below.
“Hey, you never called back yesterday.” Grayson’s voice eased, amusement creeping in at the edges. “Figured you found company, maybe a hitchhiker with a fresh attitude.”
Colton grinned so wide his damn cheeks hurt. “Maybe both.”
“You’re in better spirits than you were last month. Good sign.” The rumble in Grayson’s voice guaranteed the bastard was smirking. “More than a passing interest? Not like you to stay the night away from home.”
He stared at the water glass next to the sink, tracing the rim with a thumb. “Found my mate.”
“Did you now.” Grayson chuckled. “Is he keeping you in line, or have you already pissed him off?”
“Depends on who you ask.” Time seemed to slow down in the kitchen, every shadow lengthening. Colton picked at a loose sliver of wood on the counter’s edge. “His name’s Zack. New waiter at the diner.”
“Short guy with dark hair?”
Colton’s head jerked up. “You saw him?”
“Stopped in for a coffee and he served me a stack of hotcakes instead. Played musical plates for the next five minutes. Finally got my coffee…and another stack of pancakes. Had strawberries that time.”
“That’s him.” Colton recalled how his mate looked yesterday when he was there. Zack, cheeks flushed, dropping to his knees at Colton’s feet. He’d had to lock his jaw so he wouldn’t proposition the guy. “He’s… something else.”
Grayson hummed. “Good fit?”
It took a moment for Colton to understand what Grayson was talking about. “Yeah. Perfect.”
“Sounds like it from your smitten tone.” Grayson snickered.
His ribbing only made Colton’s grin widen as he remembered how flustered Zack had been, racing to the counter only to end up right back at his table.
“Never met anyone like him.” Admitting it made Colton feel raw and warm at the same time. “He’s human. Funny as hell. Makes every story sound like it’s the first time anyone’s heard it.”
Grayson was silent. He never interrupted when mates were the subject. Finally, “He know what you are?”
Last night, the shock in Zack’s eyes when Colton had purred, the tremble in his voice as he tried to process the truth, made him think his mate would bolt. Most people would have run, but not Zack.
Blue might’ve been terrified, but he had backbone.
“Yeah. I’m just lucky his choice of weapon doubled as a fly swatter.”
Booming laughter erupted on the other end. “Tell me he actually swatted you with a rolled up newspaper.”
“Magazine. The front cover wanted to quiz me on my bedroom skills.”
That only made Grayson laugh harder. “Don’t want to know how you scored.”
“I’m legendary, bro,” Colton fired back, then sobered. “He’s got a brother. Guy’s serious trouble.”
The laughter died. “What kind of trouble?”
“Bad attitude. Fake charm. Saw him tonight. Came knocking at Zack’s door like he owned the building.” Craig had no idea how lucky he’d been walking away in one piece. “Didn’t like the way he spoke to Zack. Hated the way Zack braced like he was expecting an attack.”
His panther paced, ready to end the guy for scaring their mate.
Grayson’s exhale carried a dangerous note. “He ever lay a hand on your mate?”
“Yeah.” Colton’s grip whitened around the phone. He stared at his own hand, knuckles pale, remembering how Zack had cradled his wrist. “Bruised him up already. Fingerprints so clear you could count them. Zack tried to hide it, but I saw. Guy’s not going to stop, either. I suspect the abuse has been going on for some time.”
The line went dead quiet, the air thick. He let Grayson think on it, eyes fixed on a slice of night between the buildings, where a moth battered itself against the apartment glass.
