“Reed, my name is Desmond DeBeque. Do you know who I am?”
The kid blinked rapidly, his lips trembling. “Yes, sir.”
“That’s my pregnant mate in there. So I need you to let me in.”
“But I’ll be beaten.”
Rage made him smolder a little. The kid backed off a step. “No. You won’t. We’ll take you with us.”
Those eyes lit up with cautious hope. “You will?”
“Yes.” He could almost hear Hamish’s eyes rolling.
“Okay.” The kid typed a code into the pad on the door, and it clicked open. “His room is locked too. Come on.”
“What’s your name?”
“Reed.” Reed led them to a locked door that looked like a steel security door. It wouldn’t keep Starry in if he really got his magic on, but Des knew Starry was waiting for him. Making a big scene might get him killed as he made a run for it.
Des would get him out quickly and quietly. He hoped.
“Des!” Alistair gasped, running right to him, arms going around his neck.
“Mate.” The savage need to protect this dragon and their baby filled him, and he wanted to shred things with his claws and melt them with his fire.
He held it in, kissing Starry hard instead. Then he turned to Hamish. “Take the boy and clear me a path.”
“Yes, sir. Come on, buddy. Let’s hasta.”
“Hasta?” Reed asked, following Hamish out the door.
“Bad joke. Like hasta luego or hasta manana.”
“So you mean vamos.”
Hamish groaned. “You stuck me with a literal nerd, Boss.”
Starry chuckled. “Is he coming all the way home with us, Des?”
He glanced down at Starry’s face, which was pale, lines next to his eyes and mouth from strain. But his eyes glowed when Starry looked up at him. “Yeah. He’s scared.”
“Thank you, love.”
“What were you doing, going out to lunch?”
Starry’s lips firmed. “I was doing charity work.”
“We’ll talk about it when we get home.” They went down the way they’d come up, but he knew they would have to push through the lobby in a hurry. He and Hamish both could lay down a glamour, but they would still be seen. “Hold on to me, baby. Don’t let go.”
“Got it.” Ducking his head, hiding against his chest, Starry held on tight, and as soon as the elevator door opened, he whooshed out of the carriage and made a run for the lobby doors.
Hamish picked up Reed and did the same, his speed enough to make them a blur.
“Stop!” He heard the sound of rushing feet behind them, and he crouched over Starry, putting on a burst of speed to slide into the open car door, Hamish right behind him. He took the seat facing forward, Hamish the one going back.
Starry leaned on him. “You came for me.”
“Of course I did love. You’re my mate.”
