Page 48 of Claiming a Demon

He barked out a laugh. “That’s sweet of him to say, but he learned a lot of it on his own. And, no, I never worked at a restaurant. I was a stay at home dad for years. I had to be with that many kids in the house. Before the integration, it was hard to feed your family. I supplemented what groceries we could get with a garden out back and did everything in my power to make thin meals elaborate and exciting. Something to take the edge off the fact that we weren’t getting everything we needed. Between the magic I needed for the garden and taking care of the kids, I didn’t have the energy to work. Leona did all the heavy lifting.” He flashed his wife a flirtatious grin and got an eye roll in return.

“Really, Andreas. You act as though your part wasn’t important.”

His grin turned wicked. “Yes, well. I did keep getting you pregnant so I could keep earning my place.”

That made Leona blush, and she swatted at her husband playfully. I loved watching them together. Their love for each other was apparent in every interaction. It took a few visits for Leona to stop running on anxiety and exhaustion, but she really was a kind and patient woman. She welcomed me with open arms and thanked me every time I visited for helping Mal come out of his shell. And after Andreas came home, the whole family seemed to relax. He was a good man, always smiling, and whenever he went for a walk with his physical therapist, he always came back with a bouquet of flowers for Leona.

“Mal said you were quiet like him. I keep waiting for that to happen,” I teased, smiling at the waiter, who popped up with a bottle of wine.

Andreas’s smile turned soft. “I was quiet with Mal. He needed a place of refuge and I was happy to provide that for him. But I didn’t survive seven children by being afraid to speak my mind. I knew how to pick my battles, is all.”

Dad shook his head in amazement. “Seven children. However did you manage? We could hardly handle one.”

“Hey!”

He chuckled at my outrage. “You have to admit, darling, it took a lot to keep up with you. You were a bottle of energy from the moment you were born.”

Papa nodded sagely. “It took both of us to keep up. We had a signal so we could tag out when necessary.”

The whole table laughed at my expense and I tried not to give in, but I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.

“Sounds like everyone is having fun.”

My heart soared at the sound of his voice, and I spun around in my chair instantly. My smile slipped, taking in Mal in his chef whites, and I let out a happy sigh.

“You need to take that outfit home at least once.”

He grinned and winked at me, taking the chair beside me. “Whatever you want, sweetheart.”

Dad wrinkled his nose. “There’s just some things a father doesn’t need to know.”

He could complain all he wanted. I wasn’t going to ever not show Mal the affection he deserved. Nor would I pretend he didn’t drive me wild with every growl and mischievous grin he sent my way.

Mal reached for me, lacing our fingers together, and I nuzzled against his shoulder for a second before introducing him officially to my dads. They’d met over video chat, but with the amount of time we were spending in the Other Realm, they hadn’t had the chance to meet in person yet.

Mal was still quiet, but he was more forthcoming than he used to be. He didn’t hide his expressions, and he added in his thoughts on the conversation a lot more often. And when he did sit back to listen, he was still present. I beamed at him, trying not to make sex noises at the delicious food that followed him out of the kitchen. He was an amazing chef, and I loved listening to him explain what things he cooked and put together and how he helped with the menu.

Our parents meeting wasn’t just to introduce them, though. Once everyone had cleared their plates and we were waiting on dessert, Mal cleared his throat.

“I have–” He paused. “Well, we have an announcement.”

Mal shot me an affectionate smile, sending my heart pitter pattering away. I slipped my hand into my pocket, sliding on the engagement ring I’d been hiding the entire night. Mal said demons claim their mates publicly, but he wasn’t interested in sharing our sex life. He decided instead to combine human and demon traditions by asking me to marry him. We’d have a big ceremony so he could tell the world I belonged to him and he belonged to me.

He lifted my hand, kissing my knuckles, putting the ring on display for the whole table. It was such a cute ring, with swirling design patterns etched into the surface. I cried when he asked me, and tears pricked my eyes again when our parents all gasped.

“I asked Zach to marry me. And he said yes.”

“I knew it!” Dad murmured, a huge grin on his face. Papa, unsurprisingly, started to cry. Mal’s parents both beamed, and we were tugged out of our seats for hugs and congratulations. We caught the attention of the entire restaurant, who all clapped for us. I blushed, my cheeks hurting from smiling so much, and when Mal tucked me against his side, I couldn’t help the tears that slipped out.

“I love you, sweetheart. A little more every day.”

My chin trembled, and I fought back another wave of emotion. “I love you too. Forever.”

EPILOGUE

MALAKAI

“Where are we going again?”