“Wouldyoustopfidgeting?”I told Tate for the fifth time in twenty minutes. “You’re acting like you’re going to an execution and not dinner with my parents.”
“I mean, aren’t we?” Tate grinned down at me, pulling his lip ring between his teeth, giving away the nerves that were likely pouring through him.
“Look, it’ll be fine.” I smoothed my hands down his arms. “They just want to meet the men in my life.” When that didn’t stop Tate from shifting from side to side, I gestured at Kyren. “He’s not freaking out, and he has a lot more reason to be than you do.”
Julian snorted. “That’s because he has the emotional range of a cabbage.”
I shot him a disapproving look. “No fighting, I mean it. We want my parents to feel confident in your ability to keep me safe and happy, not that I’m dating a bunch of toddlers.”
“Alright, fine.” Julian stepped up next to me, placing his hands on my hips before kissing my forehead. “I’ll keep it together if he will.”
“Kyren?” I arched a brow at the vampire who had been quiet until now.
“Very well.” Then he cocked his head to the side, adjusting his cufflinks. “Have any interesting dreams lately?”
“Fuck you,” Julian growled. “You know, next time I get shot, if it means having to dream about this asshole, just let me die.”
I sighed, rubbing my temples.
“Jack?” Darren called out, standing in the entry to the dining room. “Are you ready?”
“Thank God,” I blew out, stalking forward.
Tate caught up to me, offering me his elbow. “M’lady.”
Shaking my head, unable to help but smile, I looped my arm through his and let him lead me into the dining room.
My parents had to upgrade their dining room table a long time ago with all the council meetings and gatherings they hosted over the years. Now, a twelve-person table filled the room, my dads sitting on one side with Antoine at the head of the table and my mom at the other end. That left us to sit on one side next to an empty chair that was for Darren, though it was doubtful that he’d sit in it. He had a habit of wanting to take care of everyone else’s needs before his own.
“Here.” I gestured for Tate to sit next to my mom, the lesser of two evils. I feared what would happen to Tate if he had to stare down Antoine.
Kyren took a seat next to Tate without being told to and then Julian pulled the next chair out for me, opting to sit nearest to my dad.
“Wine?” Darren offered and then asked Kyren. “Would you like wine? We also have several different blood types, all recently donated.”
Kyren stared at Darren as if he’d just asked him to take his clothes off and dance naked on the table. I supposed he didn’t expect to be treated like any other vampire guest, given my family’s shared history with his sire.
“B negative,” Tate answered for him, placing a hand on top of Kyren’s. “He likes B negative.”
“Very good.” Darren inclined his head and disappeared into the kitchen where smells of dinner wafted out to us. My stomach twisted into knots, unsure if it would be able to eat anything with all the tension in the room.
“So…” I cleared my throat, taking a drink of my wine before continuing. “This is nice, isn’t it?” Then I pointedly looked at my mom. “Right, mom?”
My mom glanced away from my guys, her brow raising. “Oh, yes. Nice. It sure is.” She picked up her glass, an amused twinkle in her eyes.
Of course, she was loving this. If there was chaos, there was my mother, smack dab in the middle of it.
My dads, on the other hand, did not seem to be enjoying themselves. They glared at the three men around me, as if they would snatch me up and ravish me right here on the table in front of them or worse.
Rayne cleared his throat, silent laughter on his face.
I made a face at him before turning to mom again. “Uh, Tate’s from Utah, did you know that, mom?”
“Oh really?” My mom turned her gaze to the werewolf, who hadn’t taken one drink of his glass. “How’s the weather over there? Does everyone have multiple wives?”
Drake snort-laughed. “I think you have that backward, babe. I think he’s one of the wives in this scenario.”
I narrowed my eyes at Drake. “Stop it.”
