Page 21 of Vampire Lee

Two months later

Dillon inhaled the scent of the first sweet pea flower and smiled. The sun was shining, and he tilted his head toward it.

Life could be worse.

It had taken some time to get everything sorted with the freed fighters and those who’d run the fighting ring. Jala was in prison, as was Conan, the other bartender in The Rambling Rogue. They had a business deal with Aaron, allowing them to set up a small bar on fight night and sell drinks. Had it only been them selling alcohol, they most likely had been let out within days, but they’d helped kidnap Lee and Rei.

The Rambling Rogue had been closed for a couple of weeks, but then they’d opened again, and Lee worked every day. It would get better.

“There you are.”

Dillon turned toward the voice and watched Lee cross the lawn to get to him. “Hi.” He smiled and stole a chaste kiss when he reached him. “What are you doing home?”

He hadn’t been home this early in weeks, and now when Dillon looked at him, he noted the pale skin and the tense expression. Fuck. What had happened now?

“It’s done.”

Dillon frowned at him, his pulse quickening a fraction. “What is?”

“All the legal crap. You’re looking at the new owner of The Rambling Rogue.” Lee looked more terrified than pleased.

“I am?”

“Yup. Signed the papers a few minutes ago.”

Dillon gave him a naughty grin. “Is that so?”

Lee glanced at him and pulled in a deep breath. “I might puke.”

A laugh left Dillon, and he wrapped his arms around Lee. “You’ll do great, babe.”

“I know nothing about running a business.”

Dillon nuzzled his hair and kissed his temple. “You’ll figure it out, and if you don’t, there are people who can help.”

“Will you work with me?”

“What?” Dillon pulled away and looked into his eyes. “Work? At The Rambling Rogue?”

“Yeah, you can learn how to pour drinks. I’d feel better if you were there.”

Dillon shook his head. He and Devin had gone back to the garden center to buy plants for the garden, but he still rarely left the house. “I don’t know, Lee. I don’t do well around people.”

“Okay, so don’t work for me, but will you come sit by the bar?”

Dillon scrunched his nose, which had some of the color come back to Lee’s cheeks.

“People are hitting on me, Dillon. You should be there to scare them off.”

Dillon snorted. “I’d be the least scary person there.”

“Not at all. Angry humans are scary. Ask me, I know. My boyfriend is a prickly human, so I know what I’m talking about.” He gave Dillon an innocent look. “And I’d keep you at my side of the bar because if someone was hitting on you, I might become the scariest person there.”

Laughter bubbled out of him. He didn’t think Lee was serious, but he should be a good boyfriend and support his partner, right? “I’ll come, but if I get overwhelmed, I’m hiding in the office. You have an office, right?”

“Yes, and I’d want you in the office too, because I don’t know what to do with all the papers.”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll check out your office.”

“We can have sex on the desk, right?”

“Oh, kinky.” Dillon waggled his eyebrows. “What if the boss catches us?”

Lee gave him a grin showing a little bit of fang, and Dillon rolled his eyes. For the most part, Lee kept his teeth in check. He hadn’t fed from Dillon since the night they’d raided the warehouse, but Dillon didn’t doubt for a second that he wanted to. He might let him. Soon.

More than once he’d brought up Dillon drinking some of his blood, but eww. He’d asked Devin about it though, and Devin said he mixed some of Mars’s blood with wine, so maybe it was the way to approach things. The thought of drinking blood had his stomach threatening to turn, though.

“Can we go now?” Lee ran his thumb in circles on the back of Dillon’s hand.

“Now?” A wave of nerves washed over him.

“Yeah, I have all these papers I need to put somewhere, but I…I don’t know how to organize anything.”

He was back to looking petrified. “Okay, but I’ll only be in the office today. I don’t think I’m ready for drunk shifters.”

Lee pulled him in for a kiss. “Thank you. We’ll drive there and go in through the staff entrance. You won’t have to meet anyone other than maybe Ozzie and Bernadette. They’ve agreed to stay on. Sula hasn’t decided yet, and I have to check with Farkas and Due again. They’ve only given vague answers.”

Dillon recognized the names, but he didn’t know who they were or what they did. “It’ll be fine.”

“I need to hire a bartender or two.”

Nodding, Dillon pulled him toward the house. “You’ll sort it.”

“I love you.”

Dillon stopped and stared at him.

“I want you with me all the time. I need you. I can’t do this without you.” Lee was paling before his eyes.

“Jesus, take it easy. Deep breaths, babe.” Dillon pulled him into another hug. “Everything will be fine.”

Lee clung to him, and Dillon rubbed his back. “Relax. I’ll help you, but you won’t need it. You know the bar. You know what’s needed, how many you need to hire, what everyone should do, and all the other shit. You’ve got this.” He kissed Lee. “And I love you too.”

Lee took a shuddering breath. “Right. I knew that.” He tried for a cocky grin and failed, which had Dillon barking a laugh.

“Then why did you look so fucking scared?”

“Just wanted to make sure.”

“Uh-huh.” Dillon kissed him, possessively. “I love you. Now let’s go find a folder to put your papers in before you misplace them.”

THE END