Page 54 of The Vampire's Receptionist
A sharp pain bloomed on his shin, and he jerked away automatically. His head whipped around, and he gaped incredulously at Kian, who gave him a significant look and tipped his head toward Morgan. While Dorian didn’t appreciate the kick to get his attention, he forced himself to put that aside and focus.
Clearing his throat, he said, “I asked you here to apologize for my behavior that day in the breakroom. I’d been neglecting my self-care, and you and Kian had to pay the penalty for that. I have no one to blame but myself. I’m sorry for frightening you and for making you feel that you were not safe enough to return.”
Morgan looked surprised, eyes wide. “Wow… Uh, I appreciate that.” His brow furrowed a little, and he glanced at Kian. “I don’t think I’ve ever had someone take full accountability in an apology before. They usually have some kind of excuse to play it off or whatever.”
Kian huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. “Dorian isn’t like that. He called Supernatural Resources on himself to report the incident that same day and came to find me to apologize right away. He would’ve apologized to you that day too if I hadn’t portaled you away.”
It was a small joy that Kian was so quick to defend him. He did his best to express his remorse so that Kian would know he took the incident seriously. He was glad that Kian noticed that.
Morgan still looked stunned, though a small smile pulled at his lips. “Seriously? Did SR get him into trouble?”
Kian shook his head. “No. I vouched for him. It was an honest mistake, and he didn’t hurt anyone. Apologizing wasn’t the only thing he had planned, though.”
From the look on his face, Kian was trying not to laugh. Dorian felt his face flush. He’d told Harlem it was a bad idea to send gift baskets, but it was the only thing they could come up with at the time. And he knew Kian wouldn’t let him pretend he didn’t have anything. Reluctantly, he picked up the basket from where it was hidden by his chair, setting it in front of the empty seat at their table.
Morgan’s mouth fell open again. That seemed to be happening a lot during this meeting.
Kian seemed to enjoy it, because his shoulders shook in silent laughter. The mischievous man was taking too much enjoyment out of this.
“This is… Thank you,” Morgan said awkwardly, standing so he could get a better look at what was inside the basket. His eyes bugged out, and he whipped his head around, finally looking Dorian in the eye. “Are you serious? These are crazy expensive brands.”
Dorian pressed his lips together and sighed. “I didn’t want to give a superficial apology. I wanted to make amends properly.”
A giddy grin flashed across Morgan’s face and he tore open the plastic to get a better look. He gasped and squealed over every item, bouncing on his toes. Dorian felt a little better at his reaction. He took the gift better than Kian did.
“Thank you so much!” Morgan gushed, hugging a box of chocolates to his chest. “I love candy, seriously can’t get enough of it. It’s going to be crazy hard not to eat it all at once. If I could live off of chocolate, I totally would.”
Dorian nodded once. “I’m glad you like it.”
Morgan spun around, beaming at Kian. “This is awesome. Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve made the time sooner. My last boss was nice about lunch breaks. I could’ve taken a long one.”
Kian snickered, shaking his head. “I didn’t know until this morning. And I’d honestly forgotten what a glutton you are for chocolate.”
Morgan stuck his tongue out, dropping back into his seat. “Shut up. We’ve all got our vices. Just because I haven’t figured out yours doesn’t mean you don’t have one.”
“He likes plants,” Dorian interjected, shooting a smug look at Kian when the gorgeous man scowled at him. Kian never said he had to keep that a secret.
Morgan looked excited, chattering about finally being able to buy Kian a Christmas present. It was a human holiday, and most supernaturals didn’t celebrate it, but Kian deserved to be spoiled. Maybe Dorian would use the holiday as an excuse to buy him something as well.
The conversation was lighter, easier, once they got past the awkwardness of the apology. Morgan was a bright and happy person, and he treated Kian with respect and without an ounce of fear or wariness. Dorian could tell Kian appreciated that, as he was smiling throughout the entire meal as Morgan regaled him with the information about his most recent job.
“Seriously, if you get a chance to work with this company, I think you should. It was really nice,” Morgan gushed. “Your contract ends soon, right?”
Dorian’s stomach soured at the thought of Kian moving on. He liked having the man close.
“What’s the company called?” Kian asked. It didn’t seem like he shared Dorian’s apprehension.
“Lycanwatch Security. The owner’s name is Ronan.”
Dorian frowned, forcing his attention back to Morgan, his head tipped thoughtfully. “Ronan Fangfire?”
Morgan’s brows shot up. “Do you know him?”
“Somewhat,” Dorian agreed. He shot a look at Kian, pursing his lips against a grin. “He’s Harlem’s boyfriend.”
Kian’s eyes widened, and a huge Cheshire grin spread across his face. “Seriously? We didn’t even have to do any sleuthing.”
“Uh oh. I know that look,” Morgan said, narrowing his eyes on Kian. “Who are you planning to mess with now?”
