Page 16 of Stolen by the Gargoyle (Gargoyles of the Underworld #1)

“So, is nobody gonna address the elephant in the room?” My sister leaned forward on her elbows, scrunching her face in a pointed manner that gestured in Nazzar’s direction.

I blew a breath over the rim of my own mug, and my eyes followed the direction of their stares.

Nazzar sat a few tables from ours, his massive body folded into a dainty chair that creaked under his weight.

His entire body was rigid, bulging arms crossed over his massive, bare chest. The wings at his back were pulled taut, and his tail was firm in his lap.

After he’d tasted the hot chocolate, he’d decided to sit back and give us privacy to chat.

Although, I suspected he sat a bit away so he could glare at anyone who stared at me for too long.

As it was, the entire time over breakfast, he’d glared at Alejandro sitting next to me as if he was personally offended by his presence.

I recalled back to the way Nazzar had growled the moment Alejandro’s lips touched my cheek. The sound couldn’t have been anything but jealousy, possessiveness, and it did nothing but endear me to him even more.

Who was I to tell him that Alejandro was gay and had no interest in me whatsoever? I’d tell him about the customary kiss on the cheek greeting later, though.

For now, I found a bit of humor in the way he shifted in the small seat that he barely fit on.

He was… trying. Trying so hard to fit into my world.

“Right, that…”

“You’ve been gone for days, Dolores,” my sister said. There was a tone of accusation in the words that made me sit my mug down.

I knew I was going to have to explain, I just hadn’t expected the moment to come so soon.

“I know, Yesenia.” My palms met my cheeks, feeling the warmth of embarrassment burning them up.

Yesenia was older than me, and my best friend.

I valued her wisdom and advice and always went to her when I had problems. Being the oldest, she always felt more like a mom than a sister, but somehow toed the line of both simultaneously.

I wanted to talk about what happened to me, but I was afraid of what she’d think.

“Dolores.” She touched my elbow in comfort. “You can tell me anything.”

I lowered my hands, gripping my mug tightly. “Well, it’s kind of a long story…”

And I told it, not bothering to leave out a single detail.

Not even the raunchy bits. I was comfortable enough with myself that I didn’t mind her or her friends knowing what I’d done or what he’d done to me.

We’d all traded stories over the years, though they’d always been sexcapades with other humans, maybe the occasional werewolf. Not gargoyles.

They listened with rapt attention, gasping and reaching for me when I detailed the more dangerous things that happened.

They leaned closer when I whispered about all the things Nazzar had done for me and let out soft sighs when I told them all the things he’d said, hoping he couldn’t hear from a few tables over.

Once I finished, my sister sat back. “Wow.” She tucked a box braid behind her ear, gaze going back to Nazzar, who was glaring at a passing group of guys. “Shit, that’s crazy. Juan and Andres are going to flip.”

My eyes narrowed. “Don’t tell them. They’ll try to kill him.”

My brothers were overprotective sometimes.

Yesenia waved my fears away. “I won’t say anything. But wow. So, what are you going to do?”

I blinked. “What do you mean?”

Her friend, Carmen, rolled her eyes. “Don’t act dumb, girl. She means about that hunky gargoyle guy.”

“Nazzar,” I corrected.

“Nazzar,” Carmen purred, twirling a strand of jet black hair around her finger. “What are you going to do about him?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, are you going to be his wiiiiife ?” She drew out the word, winking and teasing her hair.

I almost choked on my sip. “What are you even going on about?” I grabbed a napkin, tearing it to pieces. “I mean, that’s crazy. Like I said, I don’t know him. He’s practically a stranger–”

“A stranger who ate your kitty and made you purr.” Alejandro pointed his spoon in my direction, waving it around my face. “Don’t act like you didn’t like it. That monster is foine .”

He was. That was what drew me to him in the first place, besides the way he, you know, ate me out and all.

He looked like a warrior. Built completely of rock-hard muscle, he was perfect in his imperfection, with hard, square features and a severe expression.

But he was more than just his looks. He was also gentle and protective, and he listened and never told me to shut up.

I knew I talked a lot. Rambled, really. But he seemed to latch on every word, not appearing bothered when I couldn’t bring myself to bite my own tongue.

“Dolores.” My sister caught my attention. “Do you like this man–er–gargoyle?”

“Yes.”

The answer came easily enough. After a nice warm bath and slipping into warm clothes, without the threat of imminent death and demons looming over me, I could admit that much to myself at least.

“So, what’s holding you back?”

I was shocked she was asking me that. “Um, maybe because he kidnapped me?”

“Yeah, but that seems more like a miscommunication issue than anything else, honestly. You are from different worlds; there’s bound to be some hiccups, right? And in his world, taking a wife is normal. Respectful, even.”

Alejandro and Carmen nodded their agreement.

“Plus,” Carmen added, “I hear that monster dick is just so much better than human dick.” She stared over at Nazzar and winked.

I jerked around, seeing him staring at her with stoic horror.

I stifled my giggle and turned back to them.

“I don’t know, isn’t it weird to essentially marry someone you just met?” Doubt crept through me once again.

Yesenia shrugged. “People do it all the time in Vegas. Instalove exists, don’t let anyone tell you different.”

Instalove? Nobody said anything about that.

I sighed, reaching for my drink again. “There’s just the little thing about him living in the Underworld…

in a cave. I am not going back there.” Thinking about it made my skin crawl.

I wasn’t the outdoorsy type. I liked having my technology at the touch of my fingertips.

I liked my job and my comforts. Modern age had spoiled me, and I was fine with that.

I was not about to struggle if I didn’t have to.

“Well, you could always live here?” Alejandro suggested.

My brow raised. “They don’t make anything in his size.” Just thinking about the way he squeezed his tight ass into a pair of my brother’s jeans made me want to laugh. A button had popped and the seams ripped. “I don’t think he would be comfortable here.”

Yesenia’s eyes sparkled. “But if he gave you a proper home in the Underworld, would you think about it?”

“If it has electricity, plumbing, and is cozy, then why not.” My eyes narrowed. “Why are you being so insistent? Are you trying to run me off?”

My sister smiled softly at me then. “Of course not, hermanita. I just want to see you happy. Just promise you’ll think about it?

You’ll give him a chance if he makes you happy?

” She touched my elbow. “Some people only ever dream of finding someone who worships them like he does to you. If you gave him a chance, I’m sure he would take good care of you. ”

She was right. I knew she was. I knew it, somewhere deep in my soul, that he would be good for me. But I was being for real when I said I wouldn’t go back to the Underworld. Not in that cave. It was an infection waiting to happen.

Now, if he had a mansion…

I shook those thoughts away and clinked the edge of my mug to my sister’s.

“Now,” she whispered conspiratorially. “Tell me more about his tongue.”