Leaning against the kitchen counter beside Kodiak, I pop another chip in my mouth and Stone sighs. “You’re as bad as Kodi. Eat a vegetable.”
Kodi holds his stare, tipping half of his bag into mine. “Potatoesarea vegetable. And they come in convenient chip form so we can eat them all the time; you should be thrilled.”
“Who the hell eats salads for breakfast anyway?”
Stone rolls his eyes, turning off the stove and gesturing dramatically to the omelet he slides onto his plate. “You can put vegetables in breakfast foods.”
In tandem, Kodi and I grimace. “Only if you want to ruin them.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and the guys all reach for theirs at the same time. When I bring it up, there’s a security alert from the newly installed gate surrounding the castle.
Across from me, Raiden taps the notification, bringing up a live feed of the security camera above the buzzer, and sighs in annoyance.
“Let me guess; Gage?
Raiden releases a low growl. “Yep.”
Smirking in amusement, I tuck my phone away and bring another chip to my mouth. “What did he bring this time?”
Stone zooms in on his screen. “Looks like a bakery box.”
Kodi stands up straighter beside me. “Bet it’s donuts.”
With a roll of his eyes, Stone tosses his phone on the counter and grabs a fork, starting in on his breakfast. “No, he brought those Tuesday, remember? I’m voting pie.”
Kodi scoffs. “That’s dumb. Who brings someone a pie for brunch?”
Hastily swallowing, I set the bag of chips aside and half-raise a hand. “Ten bucks says it's cupcakes.”
Raiden scowls. “It should benothing.”
Biting back a smile, I tease, “You just can’t stand the fact that someone’s courting your fully grown, adopted daughter.”
Raiden narrows his eyes at me, but doesn’t deny it. It took a little while for him to make his peace with the development, but over the last few weeks, he’s thrown himself into full overprotective dad mode. He’s now firmly convinced that even if he didn’t realize it at the time, he technically raised Avery, so she’s his responsibility.
As he stalks out of the room to deal with it, Kodi cups his hands around his mouth and calls, “Tell him she’s in the mood for brownies tomorrow!” He turns to us with a massive grin. “I’m starting to root for this guy.”
Using my distraction to his advantage, Stone hooks a finger through my belt loop and tugs me closer, lifting his fork to my lips.
“I’m not going to die from a shitty diet. Shifter perks, remember?”
He raises an eyebrow. “Humor me.”
Rolling my eyes, I take a bite, pretending that I don’t enjoy it to save face. But honestly, it always makes my stomach flip with a thrill when faced with little moments like this, where I’m reminded that I have people that actually care if I go to bed hungry or not now.
Raiden comes back carrying a bakery box, but also someone else that looks vaguely familiar. Taking it from him and glancing inside, I grin, setting it on the counter and silently hold my hand out for my winnings. Stone and Kodi pass the money over without taking their eyes off of the new guy.
I’d say that we had a new contender vying for Avery’s attention if it wasn’t for the fact he’s clearly human. Dressed in an expensive looking black trench coat, his salt and pepper hair puts him in his fifties or so. He’s immaculately put together, wealth bleeding from his pores, but there’s enough tension around his troubled eyes that my hackles lower.
Even the rich can’t buy a mask good enough to hide the shadows in their eyes.
Raiden clears his throat. “Carina was bringing him up when I was at the gate. Said he needed to talk to Stone before she bailed like her ass was on fire.”
The guy physically sags in relief when he catches sight of Stone. “Oh thank god.”
Stone flits a confused glance my way, and I offer a confused shrug in return. Rising to his feet, he angles his body between me and the stranger. “What can I do for you, Mr…”
“Valdoryn.” He scrubs a hand over his face, seeming to age ten years in a matter of seconds. “I’m not sure if you remember me, but you saved my daughter’s life?”
