Page 12 of The Ruby Dragon’s Unconventional Mate (Oro Escondido #3)

Chapter

Eleven

B ryant woke up when someone climbed up on him and sat on his chest. He was on the sofa, the longer one, while Jake and Grant slept on the other one. Lach was upstairs with Ari and Mari.

Or at least he’d thought so. He’d thought they were upstairs, but that was a kid on his chest.

Grant stared down at him, huge eyes glimmering, little hands on his chest. “Who are you?”

“I am Bryant. My brother is the new guardian. The one with the wings.”

“I likes wings.”

“Me too. I made the pancakes earlier.”

“Yums. Hungwy.”

“Does your dad know you’re hungry?”

“He’s sweeping.”

“Is he? I bet he’s very tired.” Or a clean freak, Bryant wasn’t one hundred percent sure.

“Uh-huh. Cereal?”

“Sure, kiddo. I know there is some.” He rose, cradling Grant, who was a pretty big boy, but that was okay. He was strong. He could do this. “You like milk?”

“Uh-huh. And naners.”

“Hmmm. I’ll see if there are any of those.” He stepped over a wolf who was stretched out on the floor.

“Tha’s Bumper.”

“That’s a great name for a wolf. Does he live with you?” Lord, it was dark.

“Uh-huh. He’s Da’s.”

“That’s cool.”

“You got one?” Grant asked.

“A wolf? No.” He’d never had a companion as an adult. Not like Lachlan did.

“You got a fuzzy snake? Lars has a fuzzy snake.”

“A fuzzy… Oh! A ferret. Lars has a ferret.” Though a feathered serpent would be a super cool familiar…

“Fay-wet?”

He nodded to the little boy. “Yes. A ferret.”

Grant leaned down, forehead against his, eyes staring into his. “Hungwy.”

“Cereal and banana.”

Grant smiled. “Pwease. Pwease, Uncle.”

“You got it.” They headed to the kitchen, both of them humming. This little guy was a force of nature. He could tell.

Grant watched him carefully, gaze sharp as a knife as he made the little one a small bowl of cereal with bananas.

“Are you excited about the babies?”

“I like babies. I have sister.”

It was a little weird, honestly, having a conversation with a three-year-old. “You do. Sisters and brothers are fun. I have a brother.”

“Uh-huh.” Grant nodded at him, so serious. “My ammu likes babies.”

“Who?” He was so confused.

“My ammu.”

“Samuel is Grant’s ammu. Get it? Sam-u-el?” Lars appeared like a jack-in-the-box.

“Yes, I understand.” He nodded, feeling a little stupid. “Hi, Lars.”

“Hey.” Lars beamed at him, leaning down to help little Grant up to what was obviously the children’s table.

“Are the babies beautiful?” They couldn’t be as amazing as Lars, but they were his nephews.

“They are. Everyone’s sleeping. I had laid down for a few minutes, and then I heard the sweet, babbly thoughts of my happy little Grant.”

“That’s me.” Grant beamed at Lars.

Lars nodded, so easy with the little dragon. “It is you. You are my very favorite Grant.” Lars stole a piece of banana. “These are yummy.”

Grant scowled for a second, then he relaxed, the storm passing. “Yes, yummy. My naners are so yummy.”

“Well, thank you very much for letting me have one. I appreciate it.” Lars bowed dramatically, and the little boy cracked up.

He’s trying very hard to learn things, to be the eldest.

He’s the one whose mothers died?

He is. Lars sighed, nodding just barely. His uncle Jake inherited him, and then his uncle Samuel came to help out. And then they mated. Jake and Samuel, that is, not the baby.

Oh good. He rolled his eyes. That could have been awkward.

I know, right? So weird.

Bryant nodded. He felt as if maybe they had raised in esteem of the rest of the wing today by coming to help, which, weirdly enough, was not even his point. He wasn’t trying to get his place solidified. He was trying to help. He just wanted to help.

Don’t stress it, you did just fine. Everyone was glad for the assistance.

Good. I’m so glad to be able to be of assistance. It makes me feel useful. There’s only so much online wheeling and dealing a guy can do before he starts to feel adrift.

Lars winked. Logan says the same thing.

“You’s talking in your heads? Like Das?” Grant asked.

“Something like that,” Lars murmured.

“You want some cereal, Lars?” Bryant asked, changing the subject.

“No, thank you. I think I need a cup of coffee as big as my head and possibly a banana. How about you?” Lars offered him a smile. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“Oh, yes please.”

Lars started playing around with the incredibly fancy espresso machine, singing softly under his breath as he did.

As soon as Lars unpeeled the banana, the little ferret was right there making grabby hands. Lars handed his familiar, who had rethought staying home he figured, a good chunk of the banana. “Here you go, Slippy.”

Grant waved to the ferret, and to Bryant’s utter shock, the ferret just waved back.

Okay, that was new and different, but incredibly cool.

“Slippy likes kids,” Lars said. “I mean, I know you’ve met him a couple of times, but he really is very fond of children. So quick. So smart.”

“He has a very intelligent face,” Bryant admitted. “I mean, seriously, he’s kind of adorable.”

“Yes, he’s also kind of bitey if you make him mad. Fortunately, that doesn’t happen very often.”

“Noted.”

In moments, a perfectly pulled espresso was handed over to him with a wink. “This first, then lattes, all right?”

Bryant would bet that Lars drank shots, too.

That earned him a raised eyebrow and a wink, so obviously Lars heard him. Whoops.

A soft knock came to the back door, and Lars wandered over to answer it, peeking through. “Oh, Celeste, please come in.”

“Cesty!” Grant crowed, waving to her with his spoon.

“Hello, my dear, how are you? Hello, all. I brought pastries and enough for everyone. I know everyone must be starving.” Celeste smiled at Lars, the expression warm.

“Yes, I’m sure that Simon will be so pleased to have the help. He had a little bit of a long night helping out with everything.” Lars winked at her.

Bryant just stared. She was lovely with dark blue skin and huge eyes. She was utterly magical. “I’m Bryant, one of the new guardians. My twin, Lachlan, has the twins.”

Lars snorted. “The twin girls. We’re no longer going to be able to just call them the twins. Now we’re going to have to separate it out. These are the twin girls and the twin boys.”

Celeste chuckled, the sound kind of tinkling like bells. “Well. I’m glad to meet you finally. I’ve heard very much about you. I’m here to help, especially with this little one.” She stroked Grant’s cheek, and he just beamed at her.

“I have cereal.”

“Good. Would you like a doughnut as well?”

“Do-no! Do-no!” Grant cheered and popped right out of his high chair and ended up in Celeste’s arms.

Bryant’s mouth fell open.

“Oh, you didn’t know about that, did you?” Lars winked. “He’s special.”

“He’s amazing.”

“Da-maaaaaaaaaaaaaaz-balls.” Grant kissed Celeste’s cheek. “He’s nice.”

“That’s good. We like when we make new friends, hmm?”

“Grant?” Jake came tearing into the kitchen. “Oh. Oh, hey, Celeste.”

“Hello. I brought doughnuts and thought I could spell Simon a little if I need to.”

“Oh, I bet he would love that. He’s been in and out helping with Dakota. It was—” Lars looked at Grant. “Well, he could use the help.”

“Ah, I see.” Celeste smiled at Lars, her expression gentle. “Well, I will do my best.”

“Mmm. Donos.” Jake grabbed a doughnut out of the box, then gave Grant a bite.

Bryant pulled one out too. “What’s your favorite, Lars?”

“The strawberry ones.”

“Here you go.” He handed one over to Lars, watching him take a bite. Oh, that was so damn hot. His attention was caught, and he stood there, staring, doughnut in hand.

“Thank you,” Lars said around the doughnut. “So are we all hanging out here today? Even Slippy showed up.”

“Yeah. I’ll trade off with Bea,” Jake said. “I’ll do rounds while she comes by to hang.”

“Bea!” Grant popped out of Celeste’s arms and appeared in Jake’s. “Me wuvs.”

“I know, kiddo. You two are soul mates.”

“My Bea!” Grant opened his mouth, so Jake popped a doughnut piece into it.

“He adores her,” Lars stage-whispered to Bryant.

“Yeah. She’s a little scary.”

“Someone thought they heard doughnut,” Lachlan said, coming in, the twin girls clinging to him. “They would like doughnut in their mouths ah-ah.”

“Ah, hello, my loves,” Celeste said.

Grant blew out a sigh. “Babies.”

They all chuckled, and Bryant ate his doughnut finally. He was feeling…better about all this. The wing. Lars. Him fitting in.

Lachlan, who looked so damn happy. He hadn’t looked this good in years, even before the Incident, as Bryant thought of it.

No, he was having a ball with the kids and the other guardians and?—

Maybe he’d been too isolated for too long. Maybe instead of keeping Lachlan so protected, he should have let other people in…

Stop blaming yourself. It’s all about doing the best you can do. Lars bumped hips with him. It’s not your fault. You just need to remember that things happen like they do, and we just try our hardest.

Thank you, love. I appreciate it.

You’re very welcome. Lars leaned on him, and they watched the kids together, the doughnuts flowing freely. It was almost like Christmas, and he was glad to be a part of it.

Even if he was fairly sure that having kids was a bad idea if it almost lost someone their mate.