Page 105 of Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck

“How much farther is it?” asked Drest.

“About five minutes,” replied Robin from the backseat. He fit surprisingly well back there, even with his height and build.

I’d never realized how roomy the Falcon was.

Drest lifted my hand and kissed each of my knuckles as he drove the way Robin had told him to go.

Stratton, Astria, and Torid were behind us in my Jeep. Hearing that Stratton and my niece were mates was less surprising to me now that I’d had a few minutes to reflect on it. Stratton had been insanely overprotective of Astria when she’d been a child. And I knew he was the reason she survived the attack that night.

“Take a right up here,” said Robin.

Drest swallowed hard and did as he’d been instructed to do. “Her pendant. What’s in it? Can it help her like Torid helps Astria?”

I almost asked how he knew Demi had a pendant when I realized Astria must have told him. But it was pretty clear she’d left out who was housed in it.

Robin chuckled but didn’t sound like he thought it was funny. More like nerves were getting the better of him. “She’s got a six-and-a-half-foot-tall redcap Fae who is also part demon in there. He’s built like a tank. And is a force, for sure. He’s fiercely loyal to her.”

Drest flung around in the driver’s seat, and I grabbed for the wheel, steadying it, giving him a sharp look. He faced forward and took over again, clearly shaken by the news of what Arch was. He glanced at me, reaching for my hand again. “Did Robin tell you just how ruthless and vicious redcaps are?”

It was sweet to see how concerned he was about Demi. “Drest, the same could be said of Torid and you know how he is with Astria. How he’s always been.”

He shifted in the seat some and nodded, appearing anything but okay with the idea of a redcap near his daughter.

“Arch loves her, Drest,” I said before biting my inner cheek and debating on telling him the whole truth now or waiting for a better time.

He glanced at me hurriedly and then drew in a sharp breath. “He’s been there since her birth. Always watching over her. Always protecting her.”

“Yes,” I whispered, knowing he’d put it together on his own.

“Like a father,” he replied, his voice breaking faintly. “Like I should have been.”

“Drest.” I wanted to soothe his pain, but I wasn’t sure how.

“Take another right,” said Robin.

I looked back at him, and even he seemed to feel Drest’s pain over it all.

Drest huffed. “And then Goodfellow showed up when she was in her late teens and has been another male role model in her life. Someone else who cares about her and protects her.”

“Yes,” I stated, unwilling to lie to him. “Robin loves her, Drest. And before you start on the wholepuck-off thing again, you need to understand he’d do anything for her. For me—obviously.” I glanced at Robin again. “We’ll be talking aboutthatlater.”

“Figured as much,” he said with a shrug. He then waggled his brows in his famed Robin way. “Will it involve spanking?”

Drest growled. “It will involve my fist crammed down your throat.”

Robin grinned. “Oh that’s super kinky. I’m up for it. In for a penny, in for a…”

Unable to help myself, I laughed. A lot, needing the release.

Even Drest’s lips twitched.

I tugged on his hand. “You need to know something.”

“What’s that?” he asked before stiffening. “Do not tell me you and that Arch guy have a romantic relationship.”

“Uh, no,” I said fast.

He calmed somewhat.

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