Page 105 of The Order of the Bitter Hunt

Jun doesn’t speak again until he’s finished his snacks, setting the empty wrappers off to the side.

“Thank you.” His voice is weak, so faint I hardly hear it, seconds from fading.

“Don’t thank me. It’s your food.”

“No. Not that.” He rolls onto his side, pressing behind me and draping an arm over me. At least he has enough strength to draw me in, so tight against his chest I can hardly breathe. My back presses to his chest, and I soak in his hellish warmth.

“Then what are you thanking me for?” I ask.

“For taking care of me,” he mutters. “I’ve never had someone—someone likeyou. Thank you.”

I don’t respond quickly enough. When I speak, he’s snoring gently in my ear. The sound would usually annoy me, but tonight, it may lull me to sleep.

“You’re welcome.” My eyes flicker shut.

Chapter Twenty-Four

She calls, she begs, and I fold. It’s impossible to ignore my mother.

Worrying about silly things, like Jun meeting my parents, feels inappropriate when people are dying… but I am. I’m worried. Lucky for me, Jun agrees to the dinner. I can avoid my mother whining for one more day.

Taking the man I once loathed to my parents’ house is strange enough, but doing it a few days after my father launched a consensual demon attack on us is appalling.

At least Jun is kind enough to drive. As we creep up the winding path to my family estate, I glance at him from the corner of my eye. He recovered overnight from the demon bite. Now, two days later, it’s as if nothing happened.

The lines between us are blurry. He’s agreeing to meet my parents, but I know it’s part of our ruse, not as my mate—or even my partner.

If he were my partner, I would keep him miles away from my parents. I’ve had several serious relationships, and I didn’t bringanyof them home. My parents are intense enough to scare anyone, human or otherwise.

At best, they’re embarrassing. At their worst…

Well, my father may be a killer—though it’s a strange thought to have. That speaks for itself. At least Jun understands that piece, but there’s nothing to prepare him for my mother.

“I don’t take responsibility for what happens in there,” I say as Jun parks in the driveway. “I warned you about my mother, and you still agreed to come.”

“She can’t possibly be worse than your dad.”

“You’re right. They’re equally terrible.”

Terribleisn’t the word I would use to describe them. Not really. I adore my parents. Even with the complicated feelings I harbor for my father, I love him. Still, they both have big personalities and daunting energy, and I need to warn people about them—especially my mother’s dramatics.

“Relax,” he says. “I got this. First, I’ve been handling you for years.”

“Excuse me?”

“And second… your father’s demons already attacked me. I’m still here. There’s no scaring me away.” He smirks—a smirk I’ve always hated.

Why does it make me swoon now?

Jun looks different tonight. He didn’t go so far as to cut his chin-length hair, but he styled it and tucked it behind his ears. A brown, chunky, ribbed sweater has replaced his usual leather jacket.

I touch the fabric, surprised at how soft it is.

“Where did you get this?” I lean closer, trying to look for a tag.

“Borrowed it from Caldwell,” he mumbles, his cheeks as red as the devil himself.

“Really?” I lift a brow, pulling on the fabric. “I’m surprised you two wear the same size.”