Claiming a Demon (Dallying with Demons Book 3)

Chapter 30

I pokedmy head out of the kitchen for the fifth time tonight. I finally got Zach and his family a reservation at the restaurant I worked at. I asked Mikhail about it and he reserved a round top for them as a thanks for years of hard work. I planned on staying back here long enough to cook their food, since Zach asked if I would, and then I’d join them. My parents were coming too, and I wasn’t going to leave Zach alone the first time our parents met.

My dad spent another few weeks in the facility before they finally released him. I spent a few weeks going back and forth a lot between realms to make him food, and he was gradually putting weight back on. He wasn’t back to full strength yet. He still couldn’t fly and he relied on a cane, but he was on the mend and improving every day. Instead of me coming to him this week, he decided he was strong enough to use the tunnel and come to me. He and Mom were going to stay in Zach’s apartment while we stayed at my place. I didn’t want them in a hotel while my dad was still recovering.

Blowing out a breath, I headed back into the kitchen. Zach said he’d text when they arrived, but I couldn’t help myself.

“Relax, boy. You look like you wanna crawl out of your own skin,” Mikhail commented. He was watching me with a smug grin on his face, taking enjoyment out of my anxiety. With Zach’s help, I was letting go of the mask to hide my feelings and Mikhail loved that he could tell what I was thinking. “What time are they supposed to arrive?”

“Seven,” I murmured, itching to peek out again. It was seven on the dot and I could see the reserved table from here. Zach picked up my parents though, and my dad was slow moving, so they could be late.

Giving in to the urge, I cracked the door again. I was both relieved and anxious to see them being seated. Zach’s dads, who I’d only met over the phone, hovered over Dad, helping him sit and get comfortable. It was easy to see where Zach got his caring nature from. One of his dads was a doctor for children, the other his assistant. Zach pulled out a chair for my mom, shaking his head at his dads’ antics. His smile was what relaxed me enough to return to the kitchen. He didn’t look stressed in the slightest. He laughed at something Dad said, that gorgeous smiling lighting up the room.

Letting out a breath, I headed back to my station. Fish today. Mikhail was doing the meat for my table as a favor to me.

“They here?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Just sat down. They look happy.”

It was the first time I ever invited anyone out to my restaurant. It always felt too awkward before. I cooked enough at home, my parents didn’t need to come to my workplace. And my friends weren’t interested in upscale dining.

Mikhail rubbed his hands together with a grin. “Excellent. I can’t wait to meet them.”

I groaned, dropping my chin to my chest. I forgot about that. Mikhail’s condition for getting the table was that he was allowed to meet everyone. He heard me talk a lot about my mate and ever since I told him my dad taught me how to cook, he’s been chomping at the bit to meet them both.

Mikhail cackled. “Should’ve thought twice about bringing them here. You knew this was gonna happen. You’re just lucky I don’t have a chef”s table back here.”

“Don’t you have work to do?” I scowled.

He snorted. “You’ve been so sassy lately. I’ve got your mate to thank for that, right? I think I should head out there now to meet him. Maybe make some suggestions on the menu. People love meeting the head chef, right?”

My mouth fell open. “Why are you so mean to me?”

He only cackled, disappearing into the dining room and leaving me alone to run the kitchen in his absence. I should have never started opening up more around him. He was worse than Felix sometimes.

I got lost in the work for a while, pushing the anxiety aside so I could get the orders out on time. I had plenty of back up, a full kitchen tonight, and there was already someone on fish to cover me once I left to join my family. When Mikhail came back way too long later, I shot him an irritated look.

“Took you long enough.”

He laughed. “Now, now. Be nice or I won’t let you help me with this.” He waved a ticket in the air, taunting me. Seriously. Way worse than Felix.

I put out my hand, raising my eyebrow when he didn’t immediately hand it over. He grinned.

“Say please.”

Rolling my eyes, I gritted out an irritated, “Please.”

Finally handing the ticket over to me, he waltzed past me with a smile. “I’ll get started on those meats. You call it out.”

Don’t argue with your boss, don’t argue with your boss. I ground my teeth, taking a few deep breaths to center myself before returning to my spot near the pass. But when I saw Mikhail’s grin, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Order up!”

* * *

ZACHARIAH

I couldn't tell who had been more nervous about today, Mal or my papa. He fretted the entire way here, about everything from us being late to meeting Mal’s parents. I was superbly glad that Mal was in the kitchen right now so I could settle his energy before Mal joined us.

“Papa, relax.”

He frowned at me. “But–”

Dad shook his head with a grin. “It’s fine, George. We’re not late just because it took a while to order. And it would’ve been rude to send the head chef away.”

Andreas chuckled, nodding his head in agreement. “Restaurants expect a certain amount of waiting before an order. No one will mind.”

To distract Papa from worrying too much, I turned my focus to Andreas and asked, “Did you work in a restaurant, too? Mal said he learned everything from you.”

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.”