Page 29 of Little Bite of Bliss

9 / WELL, THIS IS AWKWARD

Archer

Well, this was fucking awkward.

My father stood in the doorway. His hair was cut short, his crimson skin peeking out from under a nice button-down shirt. His onyx eyes were wide with shock, but only for a moment, and then he was glowering. “Oh good. You’re alive.”

What in the hell is happening?

“Wh-what the fuck are you doing here?” I demanded.

This was not the time to be interrupted by a family member. This was literally a nightmare.

Leni’s claw scratched over my shoulder, and the pain pulled me back from my impending panic.

“We need to talk,” my father growled, crossing his arms.

Leni said nothing as she unclipped my collar, her glare pinned to my incubus dad who waited on the doorstep impatiently.

I felt like I was going to die right here and now.

“You cannot be mated to my child,” he scoffed. “Maybe the Barista made a mistake. He’s been a little off lately.”

“Archer is my mate, Dante. You can fuck right off with that nonsense.”

He bared his sharp teeth, and it made me realize—there was definitely something wrong here. Oh gods, did they dislike each other? Hadn’t Leni mentioned something about him?

Before the two of them could start arguing, I raised my hands. “Okay, okay. Please don’t argue.” I turned to Leni. “I’m going to go talk to him, and then I’ll be back inside. Okay?”

Leni growled, he growled back, but neither said a word. Anger rolled through me as I took a sip of water, inhaled deeply, then stepped out the front door.

“Let me know if you’d like me to toss him into a portal.”

“As if you could⁠—”

“Stop it,” I hissed at him, shutting the door behind me.

My father scowled. His tail flicked behind him angrily, his onyx eyes still on the door, heat radiating off him in waves.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I asked.

That got his attention. “Why have you not answered us? We’ve been messaging you and you didn’t respond. I thought you were in danger.”

I scoffed as I trudged down the path, leading him away from the little house so that if we got into it, Leni didn’t overhear. I couldn’t fucking believe he’d shown up here in the middle of nowhere. This was too far.

“Why would the Barista match me with someone who might harm me?” I asked, spinning to look at him.

He winced. “I just⁠—”

“You’re being overbearing,” I growled. “Again.”

“We hadn’t heard from you!” he exclaimed.

“I’m an adult!” I yelled.

“You’re still my child.”

I rolled my eyes and continued down the path until we made it to the beach.