The caring father, the best father, the lovely one… who just happened to be an angel working with Soulborns. Does he really expect me to believe his concern? After everything?
"Yes. We're good." I hung up after that.
I didn't need him. I didn't need his worry.
I pushed thoughts of King to the back of my brain and headed to the shop. There was so little to choose from. I grabbed two bottles of water, some healthy bars, some juice, and more bars. There were literally all kinds of other bullshit like chips, chocolate, and so on. I knew Di eat healthy, so all of this was not something he would eat.
I reached the cash register and bought a pack of cigarettes. Di had asked earlier when we were traveling if we could buy some.
When I got back to the room, Di was exactly where I had left him, playing with his ring again. His eyes brightened when he saw me, and my chest warmed.
"Let's see what our dinner will be." He sat up straighter in bed and pointed to the bag I was carrying.
"Don't get too eager, and don't get your hopes up. This shop was so bad. I don't think it could've been worse even if they tried on purpose."
His face fell. "That bad, huh? Let me check what you got."
I gave him the bag and sat next to him on the bed. He pulled out everything, and I smiled when he sighed happily at the sight of the juice and bars. He nudged me in the ribs and laughed.
"Bad? I expected something gross like chips. There's juice and bars. It's like a breakfast, but it'll work out for dinner, I guess."
"Well, there were chips and chocolate mostly."
He opened one of the bars and handed me the other. There was no way either of us would feel full with just these things, but as he said, it would work out for now.
"And you bought cigarettes. Can we smoke here?"
"I think we can. There's an ashtray next to the TV."
"Huh, I didn't see it earlier."
We ate in silence. When we finished the damn healthy bars, we went to the table and lit a cigarette. There was no way either of us was smoking on the bed, we agreed on that.
While we smoked, Di seemed lost in thought, but then he blurted, "What's your favorite book?"
I laughed. "I have no favorite book."
He looked at me like I'd just kicked a puppy.
"We have to change that. I'll recommend some to you."
"MM?"
"Why not?" He arched a brow at me.
"Yeah, no way."
"Yep, it's official. This is my next purpose in life. Make Dagon Hughes read an MM book." He said it with such determination and seriousness that I choked on the cigarette as I tried to hold back my laughter.
"Good luck with that," I said through laughter.
When I looked at him, he had a softness in his eyes.
"Thank you."
We finished smoking and went to bed. I wished there was only one bed here, and I also knew I wouldn't be sleeping tonight. We were too close to that damn Soulborn village for me to let my guard down.
Di tossed and turned in his bed, and I saw him reaching for his Kindle on the nightstand. It was obvious he couldn't fall asleep, and after everything today, he needed the rest.
