Page 30 of The Last Gargoyle’s Christmas Wish (An MM Monster Christmas #3)

CHAPTER 30

W ith his feet firmly on the ground, Grady let out a breath. He laughed. “I have to confess as amazing as that was, I’m glad to have my feet on the ground.” Reaching out, Grady slid his hand into Uzoth’s and tugged him. “Now let’s go up into the apartment.”

Despite that incredible flight over the city, he now needed to touch Uzoth and prove to himself the gargoyle hadn’t turned to stone, that he was fully flesh and blood. Grady’s gaze kept flicking over Uzoth before settling on his black eyes. Black eyes. Not grey stone. Uzoth’s eyes had returned to normal.

He is not a statue. He did not turn into one. He is alive. I have not lost him.

But Grady had a sense that Uzoth had come very close to turning into a gargoyle statue, never to wake again.

Grady glanced at the bakery window. He could see movement within. “But I have to do something first.” He strode forward, pulling Uzoth along.

He opened the bakery door. In the front area, customers lined up. Lacy and Trent served. Meanwhile, Wulfric, under Briar’s supervision, opened the oven door and slid a tray within. Cas picked up a basket of cookies to take out front.

“Cas,” Grady said.

Cas’s wings fluttered, his feet hovering above the floor as he turned to face Grady. He saw Uzoth. A smile lit up his face. He glanced at Uzoth and Grady’s entwined hands.

Pixie dust burst into the air. “Oh! I’m so happy. I worried about the two of you!”

“Well, you don’t have to worry anymore. I’ve realised I’ve been a dickhead and come to my senses.” Grady smiled at Uzoth.

Uzoth smiled back.

“Good!” Cas said. “I’m so glad.”

Grady took a deep breath and turned back to Cas. “I’m taking the rest of the day off.”

Cas laughed.

Grady lifted his brows, smiling wryly. “I’m not joking. I am taking the rest of the day off.”

Cas’s laughter died. “Really? But you never take any time off. Ever.”

“Well, I am today,” Grady said. “I’m going to spend it with Uzoth. Can you organise someone to cover for me? I know we aren’t open much longer here. But I was meant to close. And the markets are still going.” His heart raced as he tried to think through everything that needed to be taken care of. “Jasper, Leo, and Ordelia are there at the moment, but it’s the final day of the?—”

“We’ll be fine.” Cas flew towards him. He took a hand off the basket of cookies and placed it on Grady’s shoulder. He squeezed. “For the rest of the day, we can manage without you.”

Grady’s throat closed up. Without you. They could manage without him. It shouldn’t hurt. But it did. His siblings didn’t need him like they once had. He really did need to be needed by them.

“Good. That’s good.” Grady nodded. Because it was good, even if his feelings indicated otherwise. His siblings had grown up. That was right. And it meant he could be with Uzoth. “I’ll be in tomorrow for the Christmas morning rush.”

“We’ll be fine until then.” Cas glanced between them. “Enjoy your time off. I’m really happy for you both.”

They left the bakery. Grady closed the door and stared at his sigil carved into the wooden door.

He’d charged the protection charm earlier that day. “It always takes energy,” he murmured. “It doesn’t need to be charged all the time, but I charge it constantly. It makes me feel like my family is more protected even though that isn’t true. That’s not how the charms work.” He sighed. “It drains me. But still…” His fingers twitched.

Uzoth stood silently beside him, patiently waiting and supporting. He squeezed Grady’s palm as if lending him his strength.

The incantation rose to Grady’s lips. He wanted to press his hand to the wood. He wanted to charge the charm.

Holding Uzoth’s hand tightly, Grady strode away and led Uzoth to the stairs. Grady intentionally did not look back. They entered the apartment, and he slumped against the door. “Pissing potions,” he muttered.

“I’m proud of you,” Uzoth said.

“That was surprisingly fucking hard.” Grady shoved a hand through his hair as he walked to his room. He let out a shaky breath. “Who knew it would be so hard to take one afternoon and night off?”

Uzoth followed him into the room and shut the door. He placed his hands on Grady’s shoulders, rubbing gently. He stared down at Grady. “It is an adjustment for you.”

Grady nodded. “And I didn’t charge the charm.” His hand tingled, as if needing to go down and recharge it. “They probably only need to be charged once a week.” He paused. “I don’t think I can do that yet. I’ll start with charging it just once a day. Then I’ll try and work down until I’m only charging as needed.” He opened and closed his hand. “Fuck! Why is this so hard.”

“Change is hard.” Uzoth pulled him into his arms. “But you did well. You did very well.”

Grady relaxed into Uzoth’s strong embrace. “You give me the strength to change,” Grady murmured. “And I’m doing it for us.” He wrapped his arms around Uzoth’s waist. “I need you. I don’t want a life without you. My life has felt empty without you in it. So if I need to make changes to keep you in my life, then I will make changes.”

Uzoth pressed a kiss to Grady’s hair. “I have missed you these past days. Seeing you, watching you but not being able to touch or be near you, has hurt me more than I thought possible.”

“I’m sorry,” Grady whispered. “I’m so sorry for causing you pain.”

Uzoth smoothed his hair. “I think that is enough apologies for one day. I am happy knowing you love me and wish me to remain by your side. That is all I want to focus on at present.”

For several minutes, they stood holding each other.

Finally, Grady pulled back. “Let’s go to bed.”

“Are you tired?” Uzoth stroked his cheek.

“I probably should be. I’ve barely slept without you holding me. But I find I’m not tired at all. Not even a little bit.” Grady trailed a hand down Uzoth’s chest, fingering the edge of the loincloth. It hadn’t gone unnoticed by Grady that Uzoth hadn’t spent earlier. “I want you in me.”