Page 14 of Beyond the Storm

“As in, mysister’schildren,” I specified, amused by his reaction. It wasn’t often I took him by surprise. “Though, we’d make some cute babies.”

“Hell yeah we would.” Castor pulled me closer. “Someday?”

“Someday,” I agreed. But not yet. I wanted him all to myself for a while longer.

“Do you think I’d be a good dad?” he then asked in a much quieter voice. Less like his playful self.

I lifted a hand to brush aside his red bangs. His face was full of piercings: one in his left eyebrow, another in his right nostril, one in his lip, and he’d recently gotten his septum pierced—which I fucking loved. Silver studs lined both ears.

“Want my honest opinion?”

Castor nodded.

“I think you’d be an amazing dad.” I cupped his cheek. “Just like yours was to you.”

His father had been a fallen angel who commanded warriors in Lucifer’s army and did unspeakably wicked things, but from the stories Castor told me of his childhood, Caim loved and doted on him. He taught Castor how to ride a horse, how to fish, and, when Castor was old enough, how to fly. Caim had a golden dagger specially made that matched the one in his son’s favorite bedtime story.

“Yeah?” Castor’s green eyes misted over. His bottom lip slightly trembled. “You don’t think I’d be a total fuckup and ruin their lives?”

“Not even a little bit.” I rose up on my toes to kiss him. “I think you’d be patient and loving. You’d read them bedtime stories and be one of those extra dads who acted out all the voices.” He smiled at that. “Our child would know love and happiness. And gods help us, they’d probably get your sense of humor.”

Castor breathed out a shaky laugh and slipped his arms around my waist. He rested his cheek on the side of my head. “Have I said I love you today?”

“Only about a hundred times.”

“Well, this makes a hundred and one. I love you so much, little dragon. This life we’re building together is more than I ever thought I’d have. It’s more than I feel I deserve.”

“You deserve the world,” I said, feeling his heart thud against mine as we stood chest to chest. “And that’s exactly what I plan to give you.”

“The whole world?” Castor pulled back and grinned at me. “I like the sound of that. But.” He palmed my cheek. “I already have the world. It’s—”

“If you say, ‘it’s right here in my hands,’ I will smack you.”

He barked out a husky laugh. “Why? You don’t want some cheese before your dinner? Afraid it will ruin your appetite?”

“You aren’t a flowery-words type of guy,” I said, unable to stop smiling. He was such a dork. “I’d rather you say something like, ‘I’m going to fuck you until you break,’ and then feed me. In that order.”

Castor grabbed me by the jaw and lowered his face to mine. “I’m going to ruin you.”

I shuddered. “Yeah. Like that.”

His answering laugh echoed down the corridor.

“But you know?” I slipped my hand into his. “I prefer you like this. Sarcastic, dorky, sexy as sin, and playful. I just want you to beyou. No one else.”

His expression softened. His thumb caressed my new bracelet. “You stole my heart the moment I saw you hop on your crotch rocket outside the antique shop and drive off.”

“I’ll count that as ‘I love you’number one hundred and two.”

“You caught me.” He rewarded me with a lopsided grin before bringing up our joined hands and kissing my knuckles. “What do you say we skip drinks with your brother and go fuck instead?”

I laughed. “Only if you feed me afterward.”

“Deal.” Castor ducked low and scooped me up. He then hauled me back to our room, carrying me over his shoulder.

I wouldn’t trade this life with him for anything.

The End