Page 36 of April's Fool
I quickly caught Mori up on the situation and, without me having to tell him, he got just how much it meant to me that Parker had legally turned me into his big brother, since I was older than him by six years.
Mori wrapped his arms around me. “This calls for a celebration. Why don’t we head into Djalling? We can go out for dinner and perhaps stay overnight? I’m sure Keren wouldn’t mind a trip into the city.”
My heart tripped at the thought of having a night just with Mori. A real date, too. “I’d love that.”
His wide smile lit up his face. “Okay, I’ll go get it arranged. Pack a small bag.”
He left the room laughing to himself. I picked up my phone to tell Parker because he knew how frustrated I was getting at the cock-blocking Mori’s family had been doing. Then I’d have to go break the news to Cody, who hated me being out of his sight for long.
Parker’s reply made me grin. I knew that all the hurt over him disappearing was forgiven, if not completely forgotten. We would get past it.
Bro: Fucking Finally! Screw dinner, just screw him!
Damon: Saved you in my phone as bro. I don’t say it often enough, but I love you.
The words came much more easily as a text.
Bro: Love you too. ?
That was enough lovey-dovey stuff for the day. Well, unless Mori needed some extra sweet talk to get him into bed. I recalled the heat in his gaze when he suggested the night away and knew none of that was needed. Mori was mine for the night any way that I wanted him.
After throwing some things in a bag, clothes for me and Mori, I went downstairs to join him. I just followed the raised voices, and it led me to him.
In the living room, he was having a heated conversation with Keren over the old bodyguard’s opinion that Mori wasn’t ready to go places with just one guard. Quite frankly, it stung he forgot to include me. I’d protect Mori at any cost. It was my fault he’d gotten injured last time.
“Damon is trained. We’ll be fine, won’t we?” He held out a hand to me.
“We will,” I agreed before I turned to address Keren. “It isn’t fair for Mori to be punished for Gregoris leaving. Mori didn’t ask for that. He’d take Gregoris back in a heartbeat, wouldn’t you?” I glanced back at the demon gripping my hand. He needed this as badly as I did.
Mori nodded, his eyes gleaming as he watched Keren crumble.
“Come on now, Ker, the boys need a night of fun,” Dessi cajoled.
A victorious smile threatened to break free. With Dessi backing us, Keren had no choice but to relent. Mori’s parents, his mom especially, were so protective of him. If they saw no threat in the nearby city, then we were free to go.
“Fine,” Keren ground out.
Fantastic. Mori and I beamed at each other. We’d won that battle.
Cody rounded the corner, panic clear on his sweet face. “What’s this about going away? When are you coming back?”
Next round of the battle to fight.
Date Night
Damon
Getting out of Cody’sclutches was harder than I’d anticipated, mainly because Mori crumbled like a cookie whenever Cody set that anxious expression on his dad.
Turned out I had to be the strict parent. Fucking hell, he was my best friend and here I was thinking like a stepdad! Well, it looked like one of us would have to be tough on him and it certainly wasn’t going to be Mori.
Goddammit, I should have known that Mori meant something special to me when I was willing to spoil that stunning suit by getting to my knees for him when we both knew he wasn’t in any real danger. He could have held out for a healer. Mori had just made me feel powerful by giving that energy to him, letting me control the situation that had gotten so out of hand just moments before. I had this drive, this urge to protect him, care for him, drive him out of his mind with need.
Maybe our forced celibacy had been a good thing, though I’d never admit that to Cody.
“Sweetness, me and your dad need some time away,” I said, approaching my friend. Reaching out, I gripped his shoulder. I looked him directly in his eyes and continued. “You conned us into making some very restrictive promises, and I’m dying over here! Have you seen him?” I threw a thumb in Mori’s direction. He smirked, just making him hotter. Yeah, I was getting him under me as soon as possible.
Cody pulled away from me with a grimace. “Gag! That’s my dad, dude. I just… I’m worried something will happen.”
