Project Alaric: Book One ✔️

Chapter Nineteen

Alaric Benson

Emery was lying with his head in my lap, holding my Kindle in the air as he read one of my books. He wouldn't tell me which one, though. 

We were going to the haunted battleship tour in a few hours, but after all the exhaustion we all felt–I figured we needed a quiet moment. I only stroked my hand through his hair while he tried not to fall asleep. He wasn't doing such a great job at completing that task though. The Kindle would slip every so often before he shook his head and opened his eyes.

I adored how comfortable he felt right now. Especially after everything that happened last night.

Even thinking about it made me angry all over again. Not at him. But at the man who put Emery in fight or flight. My usually sweet, sunshine boy was in fight mode. He was ready to take him down. But it was when that older man tried hitting Emery for his sexuality that I lost all rational thought, and tore through the crowd like a rabid animal. I would have torn him apart if not for the distraction in the name of Emery Gray.

The Kindle falling onto the floor drew me out of my thoughts as a chuckle fell from my mouth. I glanced down at him. He was dead asleep. It was only early afternoon, so he had plenty of time to sleep. We didn't have to be at the battleship until six tonight. So, if he slept the entire day, then I would sit right here while he did. The more I looked at him, the deeper my feelings for him ran.

I'd never found myself wanting to protect someone so fiercely. Not someone who didn't need me to, anyway. My sisters were an entirely different story. I brushed my hand carefully through his hair, looking at how relaxed his face was. He was perfect. My heart squeezed. It didn't matter to me that he was upset that I jumped into his situation. It only mattered that I heard what he said when he was angry.

Emery was used to fighting those kinds of battles on his own, and I didn't want him to be alone in them anymore. Just because he can fight those battles by himself, doesn't mean he has to. Not anymore. I wanted to stand beside him and fight. I wanted to fight for him. And if that wasn't a scary enough train of thought, I didn't know what was.

When I put my hand over his cheek, he nuzzled into me. I couldn't help but smile. I knew I'd do anything to protect him, should he need it. And I'd always fight for him. With him and otherwise. I'd continue to get to know him. He was my future and I didn't give a shit how that made me sound.

The two demons I usually called my friends decided to creep out onto the porch, smiling like idiots when they caught me tending to Emery while he slept. But I didn't give a shit. And they knew I didn't care. I arched my brow and Axton shrugged.

"You can talk," I told them. "He sleeps through fucking hurricanes."

Apollo snorted. "Yeah, you're not wrong. How are you two doing?"

"Awful. Horrible. I can't even believe you're asking such a question. It's not like he's curled up in my lap, taking a nap. Nope." I gave him a flat look. "What the hell do you think?"

Axton snorted. "I don't think that was what he meant, asshole."

"We're fine. We talked last night. And that's all you need to know."

"Good." Apollo yawned. "So, you like boys too? I'm only moderately offended considering I thought I was alone. But now Axton is all alone in straight land."

Axton elbowed Apollo. "He was never in straight land. If I recall, he said something about not identifying with a sexuality. Yeah. Though, I was rather shocked when you two kissed in front of everyone. Ten outta ten." He grinned. "We're happy for you. You do know that, right?"