Page 72 of Galen

I scooped him up out of bed and threw him over my shoulder. His soft laughs as I carried him to the bathroom warmed me from the inside out.

We showered together before dressing for the day. By the time we were finished, it was almost eight o’clock. We rushed out the door, saying goodbye to a sleepy Gray on our way out. He stood in the doorway, rubbing his eyes as we hurried to the garage and got in my car.

“Sorry we didn’t have time for breakfast,” I said once we were on the road, heading toward his store. The sound of the windshield wipers filled the cab, as did heavy drops of rain hitting the roof.

“Worth it.” Simon smiled. “I had something a lot better.”

My cock twitched at the memory of his lips stretched around it, and I shifted in my seat. After we got to his store, I helped him open up the shop before walking to the café a block away and grabbing coffees to go and a breakfast croissant for him.

Kyo was there when I returned. In the beginning, I could tell he hadn’t trusted me as far as he could throw me. As the weeks passed, he’d eased up though. A little anyway.

“Morning,” Kyo said as I walked through the front door.

“Good morning.” I gave Simon the bag with the croissant and placed his coffee in front of him before handing a coffee to Kyo. “Got one for you too.”

“Damn, Si,” Kyo said, glancing at Simon before smiling at me. “I think your boyfriend is winning me over more and more each day.”

Guilt gripped my heart, but I faked a smile.

When the day came for Simon’s memory to be erased, Kyo’s would need to as well. All traces of me would be wiped from their lives.

I looked toward the door as soon as it opened. My senses picked up a hint of magic. Whoever entered the store wasn’t an ordinary human. She appeared to be in her late twenties with long blonde hair braided down one side and dressed in a colorful pullover, white shirt tucked into the front of her high-waisted skinny jeans, and Gladiator-style sandals.

A witch.

“Welcome to Timeless Antiques & Curiosities,” Simon greeted her. “Can I help you find anything this morning?”

“Yes, actually.” She approached him at the counter, and I stepped closer. Witches often worked with demons. Phoenix could’ve sent her to hurt Simon or put some type of tracing magic on him. “I’m Clara Locksley. My grandmother owned Ravenwood Mansion, and I was told that you received some of her belongings?”

She was connected to Ravenwood?

“Uh, yes.” Simon adjusted his glasses. “I bought some crates from the auction house. There were a few dolls, glass figurines, a typewriter, lamps, and some pictures.”

“What about a small wooden box?” she asked, then made a shape with her hands. “It was about this big and locked. Symbols were burned into the outside of it.”

I moved to Simon’s side. “Why do you ask?”

Simon peered up at me before looking at her.

Clara studied me with a narrowed brow. Could she sense that I wasn’t human? I felt the magic flowing through her veins. Her power was strong.

“A family heirloom,” she answered, distrust ringing in her tone.

Simon quietly coughed. I knew he must’ve been thinking about the night I broke into his storage room and gave the same excuse. In Clara’s case, it might’ve been true though.

“I hate to disappoint you, but the box was stolen,” Simon said. “I only had it for a day before someone broke in.”

“Shit,” Clara cursed under her breath. “This isn’t good.”

“Why?” I asked. I attempted to use my power on her to see if she had ill will toward us, but her magic blocked me. Typical witch.

“Because that box has been in my family for many years,” Clara responded. “Passed down from generation to generation.”

“If it’s so important, then why was it sold in the first place?” Kyo asked before taking a bite of Simon’s croissant.

“I’ve been living in London for the past year,” Clara answered. “When I learned of my grandmother’s passing, I came as soon as I could. By the time I arrived, my father had already sold a majority of her things despite her leaving the box to me in her will. I’ve spent the past few weeks tracking where everything was sold. This shop was my last hope.”

“You make it sound like life or death,” Kyo said.