Page 38 of Hellhounds Never Lie

“Hi again, honey.” She waved with one hand as she smoothed her hair into place with the other. Fixing her hair never worked. Her air magic always made her hair stand up and go all over the place; today was no different.

“Hi, Mom,” I said.

“Introduce me to your guy.”

I glanced at Dillon. I’d already introduced him at the pub as my boyfriend and he didn’t seem to mind, so I guess he wasmy guy. But having him meet my mother, even if it was just through video, was next level. He had no idea what was coming, but he was already reaching for the phone.

“Oh, you’re a big one, aren’t you?” She hummed appreciatively as soon as he swung the camera toward his face.

“Mom!”

“Well, he is, honey. Look at him. I mean, I knew you liked them big all over, but... He’s one big mountain of a man. And so good looking too.”

Did my mom just call me a size queen? I wanted to crawl under the sofa.

Dillon’s cheeks darkened. Aw… was he blushing? “Hello, Mrs. Avery. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Oh, and so polite. I like him.”

“He’s sitting right here, Mom. He can hear everything you’re saying.”

“Then he should know I’m recording this conversation and will be googling him as soon as I’m off the phone.”

Dillon laughed and glanced at me. “I like her too.”

My mom grinned.

“What would you like to know, ma’am?”

As his words—and the fact that he hadn’t run for the door—sank in, a warm fluttering feeling filled my chest. Chris would never have agreed to this. He’d never have encouraged her stalking tendencies. Of course, before Chris, she’d never been as insanely protective of me as she was now.

I sat on the edge of the sofa, poised to grab my phone as soon as my mother became too much for him to handle. She could be intense. I suspected even Van could learn a thing or two about interrogation from my mother. But as Dillon answered her many,manyquestions, he didn’t get annoyed or tense or short with her.

She posed serious questions and some off-the-wall ones too, and he answered everything without hesitation. He laughed. And she laughed. And, as the conversation continued, my tension eased.

Dillon pulled me close, wrapping his arm around me until I curled up with my head on his shoulder. I loved how his body heat wrapped around me. I almost didn’t need to wear sweaters when he was close.

“Aw… You two look so good together.” Mom had her hands clasped in front of her chest like she was looking at the most precious thing in the world. “I’m looking forward to meeting you soon, Dillon.”

“Me too, Mrs. Avery.”

“Oh, please call me Nerine.”

“Of course, Nerine,” he said.

“Excellent. Ash honey, I’ll call you in a couple of days.” And then she was gone.

Dillon put my phone on the side table.

“I’m sorry about that,” I said.

“About what?” He sounded confused.

“My mom. The interrogation. All of that.” I waved toward my phone.

Dillon brushed a kiss to the top of my head. “I like that she’s protective of you. I can see how it probably feels overwhelming for you, but I didn’t mind answering her questions and easing some of her worry. What happened in your past was probably hard on both of you. I’m angry it happened and that you both are so cautious now because of it, but if I can ease any of those worries, I’m happy to do it.”

“Thank you.” I turned my face up to his. “I know things weren’t easy for her or my brother after the attack. I was in the hospital for a long time and then in physio. My recovery was longer than anticipated because my magic was so damaged. But one of the reasons I moved to Willow Lake was because they kept coddling me. I needed to prove to them both—and myself, I guess—that I was still the same person I was before… or, well, not the same exactly, but that I didn’t have to be thrown in a room full of packing peanuts and just brought out on special occasions.”