“Really?” Ares pipes up, stepping away from the truck. I look up at him, but he’s staring down at the big cat under my hands. Dante, in cat form, opens his mouth in a wide yawn. Four huge pointed teeth are on full display as he makes a final chuff noise and rolls away from me before standing on four paws again.
He pushes his side against Ares, it’s enough to make Ares takes a step back from the weight. Returning to me, he nuzzles his face against my ear. I giggle as his whiskers trail over my cheek, tickling me. “All right, you over-grown house cat, Laura still needs to eat, and I’m ready to get home. You going to meet us there?” Dante lifts his head, and I swear he gives Ares a nod before giving me a quick lick along my neck and the side of my face with his rough tongue, then bounding away in the next second.
Ares walks over and, placing his hand under my arm, he lifts me until I’m standing in the same spot, staring after Dante.
Back in the car I finally manage to say, “He’s a freaking tiger. A big ol’ sweetie tiger that likes tummy rubs.” I look over at Ares, still half in shock.
“I think you’d find there aren’t many of us who wouldn’t like a good tummy rub, as you call it.”
I snort, “That’s hardly the same. It’s not like I would reach over and start stroking your stomach.”
“Tell me, how is it different? That’s still my little brother under all the fur—the bastard. And just so we’re clear, you’re welcome to stroke any part of me you’d like.”
“Ares,” I admonish, but now I’m left wondering if it really is the same as me rubbing one of their stomachs.
“Just saying,” he responds, and I slap my hand over my forehead. Now my mind has gone to a completely different place.
Chapter 4
Dante is already at the house when we get there. “He went up to take a shower,” Milo informs us with a strange look on his face, like he’s trying to figure something out.
“The furry asshole needed to cool down, did he?” Ares asks.
Milo looks between us, brows furrowed. “Something like that, I guess. Everything go okay?”
“Why don’t you go check on how his shower’s going, and you can tell me,” Ares replies drolly.
“I think I’ll wait until later,” Milo tells him, fighting the grin on his face.
Ollie claps his hands together, getting our attention. “Children, let’s eat.” More than happy for the change of subject, I push past Ares, ready for dinner. I hope when Dante comes down, I can look at him without turning red. I think I have a pretty good idea of what Ares was alluding to.
At the kitchen island, we all dig into the dinner Gloria prepared. I’ve met her once or twice now, and she has always been nice. She reminds me of Maggie with her rounded tummy and softly lined face. Dante shuffles in, his hair still damp from the shower, his eyes seem to glow as he looks into the room from the doorway. It’s like he is waiting for something. My worries of feeling self-conscious disappear when he seems unsure.
Putting my fork down, I slide off the stool and approach him slowly. “Dante it’s so amazing that you can change like that. You were like a real tiger.” His head bobs up and he looks at me, examining my face.
“When I shift, I am a real tiger,” he tells me in that deep grumbly voice I’ve loved since the first time I heard him talk. I bounce on my toes, all my thoughts about his voice and his growl pull together to make a lot more sense. Staring into his golden eyes, I see the traits of his animal that I was completely oblivious to before.
“It’s amazing,” I say again, I can’t seem to help myself.
“Really?” he asks, his voice quiet, shy even.
I nod my head vigorously. “Seriously amazing.”
“Now I get it,” Milo says from behind me. “He’s a right bastard.” His words are harsh, but his tone is light.
“Quit making googly eyes at her and come eat, Tom.” Dante’s head snaps up in his brother's direction.
“I’ll show you a tomcat, you demon.” Dante chuckles in response. He walks past me, snagging my hand as he does and takes us both over to the island.
“Ah, but I’m only a demon to some,” Ares adds with a grin barely this side of sinister.
I stop in my tracks. “What?” The two brothers look at me. Crossing my arms over my chest I glare. “Who says you’re a demon?” I’m angry at the insinuation.
“You can calm down, Laura, no one really thinks he’s a demon. That’s just his moniker, a nickname to the people who don’t like him,” Ollie tells me while still shoveling bites of braised beef into his mouth.
I let my arms fall to my sides, but I still don’t like the thought of someone calling him that name. It makes me think they believe he’s evil, and Ares may be a lot of things, but evil isn’t one of them. “Well, I don’t like it. I better never hear someone say it.” Ares chuckles, but doesn’t respond.
Ares’s bedroom—I guess I could call it our bedroom now, since it’s been taken over by all of us—is filling up. The once open and severely minimalistic room has morphed into our hangout spot. The place we all relax and watch TV or play games. Occasionally, I’ll see reluctant acceptance on Ares's face when one of the guys brings something else to add to the room. Tonight is the first time he’s drawn a line. “No, absolutely not.” Ares is standing in front of the door, blocking Ollie’s entrance, with his arms folded over his chest and his chin held high.
“Come on, please? Dante is watching that stupid TV show he likes, and I’m bored. I want to play.”
“Oliver, we don’t need another television in here. One is more than I wanted, you aren’t getting two.” Ares is firm, he hates the TV. It’s obvious he’d rather not have anything but a bed in his room, like it was when we first slept here.
“Why do you even care? It’s just a TV—I’ll keep the sound muted,” he offers in compromise. Ares’s head falls back, and he lets out a heavy exhale, his whole body expanding with the movement.
“Fine, fine. You know what? Take the whole damn room.” Ares turns, angling his body toward mine. I haven’t gotten my jammies on yet, I’m waiting for my turn in the bathroom. At this rate, I really don’t know why we bothered coming over to the main house at all. We’d have more room in the apartment over the garage.
“Laura,” Ares barks my name, his voice full of frustration. I jump, not expecting him to address me.
“Yeah?” I stand up, waiting for his instructions. When he gets like this, it’s all I can do to not either yell back or salute him.
“Come on.” He beckons me, rolling his hand like I need to hurry.
My mouth falls open. “Where to, Mr. Costa?” I ask, already walking in his direction, even though he’s being a bossy Ares.
His nostrils flare, “I just want some sleep. I was up half the night and away from you the rest of the day.” The words are gritted out though his clenched teeth, but the sentiment is there. He’s crabby and tired. That I can relate to.
“Okay.” I soften my tone. Ares takes my hand, and his hold is gentle.