Page 24 of The Shapeshifter’s Secretary (Charmed Away Temp Agency #3)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Zephyr understood better why Taron was so adamant when he finally saw Tony’s place. He looked around on his way up, and it wasn’t at all acceptable for someone with a disability. Even if Tony could function without severe pain, his room was too small for him to move freely, and he had no idea how the poor man managed to take a shower. There weren’t even any bars by the toilet if he needed them. Taron was right, this wasn’t the place for Tony. That didn’t mean he was going to just ignore the fact that Taron was swooping in to claim him without discussing it with Zephyr first. He didn’t just get to decide who Tony would live with. He wasn’t the only one interested in the man.

From the look Taron was giving him, he wouldn’t back down without a fight. The only reason he wasn’t throwing a fit was because Tony was with them and needed more comfort than dealing with the two of them arguing. Zephyr used it to his advantage, kissing Tony’s temple.

“We should go. My grandmother agreed to meet us at my family home.”

Since Tony wanted to get out of the conversation, he agreed readily and allowed Zephyr to help him stand. They had to exit the apartment one by one since it was so small. It was barely big enough for the three of them to be in there comfortably together. Luckily, that meant it would be quicker to pack Tony and move him out once he decided who he was going to stay with. Zephyr wouldn’t be a sore sport if Tony chose Taron’s place. It was a lot closer to his work. But he had to offer. Sleeping next to the man had been intoxicating. He curled so easily in Zephyr’s arms, and it didn’t bother him in the slightest if Zephyr’s magic swelled in his sleep. It only kept him comfortable and pain-free.

Taron used to kick him if he accidentally used his magic in his sleep.

Getting down the stairs was slow going, and Zephyr was concerned about how safe it was for Tony. If he slipped, he wouldn’t be able to catch himself. Not with his injuries. Living here was life threatening.

There was a car waiting for them out front. Taron was so rich and fancy now, he had his own driver even on weekends. The surly man from the night prior was replaced by a young medusa who hadn’t yet learned tact. She stared openly at Tony while he struggled to get into the seat, completely oblivious to his discomfort.

“Idria, you can wait in the driver’s seat. We’ve got this,” Taron snapped, his frown deep and pronounced. His ire startled the young woman, and she hurried to do as he asked. Zephyr knew why. Most people saw Taron as an easy-going guy. Only with Zephyr was he ever short tempered. But apparently, he was feeling protective of Tony and liked Idria’s staring as much as Zephyr did. If he didn’t feel such a strong pull towards the human, he’d back off. It was obvious Taron felt something for the man. But so did Zephyr. And Zephyr still hadn’t figured out how to bring up his original intention of joining the project they were working on together with Taron. He didn’t have high hopes with how combative Taron had been thus far, but he expected that. It would take longer than a week to broach the topic safely.

It was complicated and not something Zephyr wanted to dwell on right now. His focus was on getting Tony to his grandmother so they could ease his pain.

Like the night before, neither Taron nor Zephyr were willing to give up sitting next to Tony. He ended up squished between them in the back seat, but he seemed happy to be there. Zephyr put his arm over the backs of the seats, giving Tony room to get more comfortable, and settled his hand just above his injured knee so he could relieve some of the pain Tony had gained from going down those stairs.

“Don’t you get tired?” Tony asked, looking at him curiously. “You were doing that all night.”

Zephyr shook his head. “Not at this level, no. I need to release a certain amount of magic each day to not cause any accidents. This is actually beneficial for us both.”

That seemed to make Tony feel a lot better about it, and he relaxed against the seat, smiling at Taron when the shapeshifter laced their fingers together. It was obvious Tony was starved for affection and didn’t mind the pair of them smothering him with it. It was only when he started to feel like a burden that he began to protest.

Zephyr would need to figure out some way to convince him that it brought him joy to care for his partners. It wasn’t a burden to him. And despite his annoying nature, he knew it was the same for Taron. One of his better qualities was his generosity.

“So, where to, Mr. Cunningham?” Idria asked, pulling into traffic. The cities irritated Zephyr. He was glad he had a chance to shift while heading home to request help from his grandmother. He felt trapped in his own skin here. It was crowded and tight everywhere you went. The cars on the road, the buildings squished against each other, the people walking down the street. He didn’t understand the fascination of living in the city. There was no room to breathe.

“Portal station, please,” Taron said politely, though his focus was on Tony. He had a soft smile on his face, and his tender attention was making the man blush. It was cute to watch, and it surprised Zephyr that he wasn’t jealous. If he couldn’t get Taron’s affections back then he would probably want Tony to himself. But he didn’t want to take away any of the support Tony already had either. Sharing might end up being the best for now. It might actually help with his cause and with Tony tucked up against his side, he felt secure that he wasn’t forgotten. Especially when Tony’s free hand rested on top of his and squeezed, his smile grateful as his pain came down.

“Where are you going this morning?” Idria prompted again. She wasn’t used to her boss not chatting while they were driving, that much was obvious. She also seemed a little jealous, if her constantly checking the mirror was any indication. She was so focused on Taron that she didn’t notice the brake lights in front of her until it was too late.

“Look out!” Zephyr barked.

She slammed on the brake, but it didn’t stop them from hitting the car in front of them. Zephyr moved on instinct, banding his arm not only around Tony, but Taron as well. They were wearing seatbelts, but Zephyr’s interference kept them from being thrown forward too roughly. Still, Tony grunted and whimpered from the pain, curling in on himself a little.

For a moment, no one moved. Despite knowing they were both safe, Zephyr still held his breath when he lifted his head, checking both men over. Taron looked surprised, his gaze dropping to where Zephyr held him and flicking back up in confusion. Tony looked pained, and that face was what drew Zephyr away from the other man.

“Tony? Are you alright?”

He grimaced and nodded. “The seatbelt dug into my hip, is all. I’ll be okay.”

“Mr. Cunningham, I’m so sorry! I swear, drivers are getting so reckless nowadays,” Idria started, twisting in her seat to look at Taron.

Zephyr scowled at her. “Stop lying to him. You were too busy watching the back seat to pay attention to what was ahead of you. Tony was hurt because of your inattention.”

She protested, making up excuses about how the person in front of her slammed on their brakes before she could react. Zephyr knew better, but he doubted Taron would believe him. And it didn’t matter. Right now, he wanted Tony out of the car, where the hood was already billowing steam and smoke. Unclipping his belt and Tony’s, he was careful as he helped the man slide out of the car. Taron followed, making sure Tony was alright before checking on the other driver. It was a mess, and they’d be stuck here a while until the police were called and statements were taken. Zephyr looked around, spotting a cafe just across the street, and pointed at it when Taron looked their way again. Taron dipped his chin in agreement and focused on handling the situation quickly, while Zephyr urged Tony to the cafe.

“Let’s go sit down. The officers can meet us there to take our statement.”

“Oh, are you sure? Won’t we get into trouble?” Tony asked uncertainly.

“You’re injured, baby. They’ll understand. Besides, we won’t be going far, and Taron will let them know where we went.” He put his hand gently on Tony’s back, leading him across the street that was now at a standstill thanks to the medusa’s reckless driving. One driver in a car nearby opened their door, stepping out enough to speak to them.

“Is he okay? I’m a paramedic. I can check him over if he needs it.”

Zephyr studied the man who spoke. Fae, by the looks of him, though his eyes were two different colors. Fae were tricky creatures and didn't have a strong rapport with thunderbirds, so Zephyr didn’t argue when Tony was quick to dismiss the gesture.

“I’m okay. Thank you.”

The fae looked dubious but wasn’t in any position to argue, and Zephyr didn't want to stand around to ease the man’s worries. He had Tony to worry about. He left Tony’s side long enough to open the door, guiding him in and to the nearest empty table. It was right against the windows, so he could keep an eye on Taron as well. Not that he was worried about him. Shapeshifters were a lot stronger than they looked. But it would worry Tony if he got hurt.

Yeah. That was why.

“Is everything okay?” a young cyclops waiter asked, looking between them and the accident outside.

Zephyr nodded. “We’re okay. He just needs to sit while we wait for the police.”

The cyclops looked at Tony, noticing the cane, and grimaced. “How about a cup of coffee? Do we need to call an ambulance for him?”

“No, he’s alright. Coffee will be fine, thank you,” Zephyr assured him. From the panicked look Tony got, an ambulance was not something he’d agree to. Knowing what he knew about human healthcare, Zephyr wasn’t surprised. Just a ride to the hospital would cost a fortune. Instead, Zephyr settled beside him, running his hand over Tony’s hip and thigh while kicking up his magic a little. For a while, it felt like it was helping, but he noticed Tony turning red in the face, and he worried he was doing too much.

“What’s wrong? Am I hurting you?”

Tony shook his head quickly. “N-No…”

He tipped his head, studying the injured man. “Then why are you all red? Do you hurt anywhere else?”

“I, uh…” Tony stammered, looking anywhere but at Zephyr. It stunned him and concerned him, especially when Tony whimpered. It wasn’t until Taron came inside to update them that someone finally pointed it out.

“Okay, so the police are taking statements, they’ll be right in. Luckily there wasn’t a ton of damage, but–” He paused, assessing them sharply before he scowled at Zephyr. “Really? You think that is appropriate right now? I get that you want to one-up me, but you can’t do that. You’re embarrassing him.”

Stunned, he looked at Tony, who did look embarrassed, but he didn’t know why. He shot a look at Taron, who rolled his eyes, giving Tony’s lap a pointed look. Zephyr followed his gaze, doing a double take when he saw Tony’s erection straining in his jeans. He jerked away on instinct, his own cheeks going hot.

“Apologies. I was trying to help.”