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“That depends on what you want to ask me.” Orion sloshed a fry through the mound of ketchup he had on his plate. “If it’s too personal, you can forget it.”
“Are you always so closed-off?”
Orion sat forward and pursed his lips. “Hon, I really don’t know you and you’re trying to make me your forever guy. Any sane person would push the pause or even the stop button.”
“Fair enough.” Duncan nodded, knowing Orion was right. Even though his cheetah wanted to leap in paws first, Duncan himself wanted to examine this from every angle.
“So what did you want to ask me?” Orion sipped the Coke through a straw, his gaze focused on Duncan.
“How are you doing since your attack?” His mate’s mental health meant a lot to Duncan. Even though Orion seemed okay, that didn’t mean he wasn’t dealing with a lot of shit, including finding out he was the mate of two preternatural beings. Or one shifter and whatever category a reaper fell under.
Orion sat back, looking as if he was giving Duncan’s question some serious thought. “I find it hard to sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see Marvell’s malicious grin as his fists connect with my body.”
“I’m sorry you went through that.” If Duncan could reverse time, he would track Orion down and save him from that sadistic son of a bitch.
“Thanks.” His mate dredged another fry through some ketchup, but he didn’t eat it. “My mom is constantly trying to get me to stay home. She’s afraid I’ll be attacked again.”
“That’s a reasonable fear,” Duncan replied. “She’s only trying to look out for you.”
That only made Duncan think of his own mom and how much he missed her. There were times when he stood outside his parents’ bedroom door, his palm on the wood, too afraid to go inside because if he did, the pain of losing them would only become worse.
Orion reached across the table and placed his hand over Duncan’s. “You got that look.”
“What look?” Duncan liked his mate touching him. It settled his cheetah.
“Loss,” Orion replied. “Who’d you lose?”
Clearing his throat, Duncan pulled his hand away. “This isn’t the place to talk about it.”
Orion snorted. “But it’s the place to ask me a million questions?”
His mate had a point, but Duncan wasn’t opening up about his loss in public. Not when there was a chance he wouldn’t be able to contain his grief.
“I have to use the bathroom.” Orion scooted out of the booth then pointed to his plate. “Don’t let the server take my plate. I’m still working on it.”
Duncan watched Orion walk away, appreciating the view of his mate’s backside. His cheetah purred, which made Duncan roll his eyes. He had a feeling it would be a long moment before he was able to claim the human. Orion was too hesitant about the whole mating thing.
“So what happened when you were snatched away?” Hayden asked as he slid into the booth. “I didn’t get a chance to talk to you before you took off.”
“We ended up in some ancient forest.” Duncan looked toward the bathroom. “Orion pretty much told me he isn’t interested in being anyone’s mate.”
Hayden grinned. “Glad to know I’m not the only one who had to chase his mate down. You do recall when Bran slipped out my bathroom window and tried to make a run for it.”
Duncan grinned, recalling that night. He and Beckett had stopped Bran from leaving, and Hayden had threatened them if they didn’t back off. “How could I forget? I got to see Bran naked.”
“You’re a fucking asshole.” Hayden narrowed his eyes. “I was trying to be supportive, but you just killed those warm and fuzzy feelings.” Then he grinned. “How about I tell Orion that you’re sitting here reminiscing about Bran’s dick?”
Duncan snarled.
“Exactly,” Hayden said.
They talked for a long moment before his brother stood, slapping Duncan’s shoulder. “It’ll work out, but I see why Orion is freaking out. I would, too, if I found out I was mated to an asshole like you.”
Duncan chuckled as Hayden walked away, and then he frowned. Why was it taking Orion so long in the bathroom? Duncan got up and walked to the men’s room, heading inside. “Orion?”
He wasn’t trying to be nosy, but when he didn’t get a response, Duncan nudged both stall doors. They opened, showing Duncan that they were empty.
Where the fuck was Orion?
