Chapter Two
Ridge was hopeful as he headed out to pick up Kael. The two of them were going to spend a few hours alone in the car, then the next few days together as they tried to convince the demons they were about to meet that it would be a good idea for them to open up their towns to humans.
Ridge couldn’t say he disagreed with that, but at the same time, he understood why demons would be wary.
They had their way of life, and they didn’t want that to change.
Unfortunately for them, it was what happened as time passed.
Things never stayed the same, no matter how much one tried to cling to them.
That was one of the reasons Ridge hoped things would change between him and Kael.
So far, Kael had been avoiding him, and Ridge hadn’t said anything.
He understood. Kael couldn’t know they were mates, not for sure, and he’d just left everything he’d ever known behind.
He’d fled the town where he’d been born and lived all his life and had been thrust into a place where he didn’t know anyone except a few people and where he was supposed to live for the rest of his life.
That would freak out anyone, let alone someone as sweet as Kael.
But maybe Ridge could help him. Maybe Kael would want help navigating the town or the people who lived there. Maybe once he felt like he’d settled down, he’d be ready to at least talk to Ridge.
Or maybe spending time with demons would show Kael that he’d made the wrong decision when he decided to move, and would push him to go back. Ridge had no way to know, but he was terrified.
He also didn’t know what they would do in the car during the drive.
It would take a few hours, and he wished Gregory had allowed them to shimmer.
Unfortunately, the demons wouldn’t open the shields for a random Nix, and it would be faster for Ridge and Kael to leave if they had a car.
They wouldn’t have to waste time calling a Nix and waiting for one to get there.
It was a smart move, but it also worried Ridge.
Everything depended on how his mate reacted when he climbed into the car, and Ridge was about to find out.
He parked the car in front of the building where Kael lived. Gregory had confirmed the address, so he knew where he was going. He still hesitated. Would Kael want him in his apartment? Or would he rather Ridge ring the doorbell and wait outside?
Every single one of Ridge’s instincts were telling him to go, find the right apartment, and help Kael carry his bag or something like that.
His caracal was pleased they were finally spending time with their mate, but less pleased that Ridge wasn’t planning on doing anything to convince Kael to give them a chance.
He wanted to give Kael time first. They barely knew each other, and demons didn’t have mates.
He didn’t want Kael to feel like he owed him something, because he didn’t.
If Kael wanted to walk away from all of this, Ridge wouldn’t try to stop him. It would be his choice, and after all, since he didn’t have a mate bond himself, he probably wouldn’t suffer much for it. He might feel like he was missing someone for a bit, but he’d get over it easily enough.
Ridge, on the other hand, wouldn’t.
But that wasn’t something he needed to worry about now. No, for now, he only needed to worry about getting out of his car and letting his mate know he was there. Once he did that, he could go back to worrying about Kael’s reaction and what would happen next.
They were being sent on a mission. They had a job to do, and in Ridge’s case, it was to protect Kael.
He would do that even if Kael wasn’t his mate, but the bond made it feel like there was a sense of urgency to the situation.
Ridge’s cat didn’t want his mate going anywhere because it was too dangerous, but Ridge’s human side knew there was no choice.
Hell, Kael had probably jumped at the chance.
After all, he’d agreed to this. He’d no doubt missed his world, and spending some time talking to demons would make him feel better.
Ridge was terrified that it would make him feel so much better that he’d decide to move back to Starhaven or maybe to this new town they were going to. If that was what happened, there would be nothing he could do.
Since he had Kael’s number—Gregory had made sure he did, though he’d already had it because Tex and Nymon had both texted it to him after Kael got a phone—he quickly texted Kael. He didn’t think Kael would want him to come upstairs, but he hoped that if he did, he would let him know.
Ridge didn’t have to wait long. A figure appeared at the door, carrying a bag that was almost bigger than him.
Ridge was out of the car in seconds, rushing toward his mate, ready to help.
He startled Kael, who jumped and took a step back, his eyes wide as he took in Ridge.
Ridge berated himself mentally. He needed to be more careful.
“Hi,” he said, smiling in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture. “Let me help you.”
“I don’t need you to.”
“I never said you did. I just offered my help. I’m sure you can get that bag to the car easily, but I can do it, too.”
Kael squinted as he stared at Ridge suspiciously. It was clear he didn’t know whether or not to trust him. Ridge didn’t tell him that he should trust him because they were mates. Instead, he kept the same smile plastered on his face and waited for an answer.
Kael dropped his bag from his shoulder and huffed. “Fine. If you really want to, you can help me.”
Ridge was quick to pick up the bag. “I do want to,” he said with what he hoped was a winning smile. He didn’t want the trip to continue the way it had started. Why were they already sniping at each other? Why did Kael look like he wanted to run?
Luckily, he didn’t. Instead, he climbed into the passenger seat of the car and waited for Ridge to put his bag in the trunk.
The bag was heavy, although nothing Kael couldn’t have managed himself, just as he’d said.
That wasn’t the point, though. The point was that Ridge wanted to do things for his mate, and his cat agreed.
Ridge made quick work of it, then climbed into the driver’s seat and turned to smile at Kael, who was very obviously avoiding looking at him.
“Ready to go?” Ridge asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Kael muttered.
Ridge knew he’d inherited a challenge there, and he was curious, but he didn’t dare ask. He knew how careful he should be when it came to Kael.
Kael hadn’t had a life that Ridge would call normal, although then, neither had Ridge.
Kael had been incredibly isolated, yet at the same time, he’d been surrounded by demons.
That was all he knew, though. He had no idea how to deal with humans, and since he hadn’t asked Ridge, he couldn’t be sure they were mates.
He was probably telling himself that he was wrong, which made sense.
Demons, like humans, didn’t have mates, so he’d probably never thought about having one.
But he did have one. He and Ridge were going to spend a lot of time in the car over the next few days, which would hopefully help them finally communicate.
Ridge was ready to give Kael all the time and space he needed, but he was starting to feel the need to tell Kael about their bond more strongly than he had before.
It wasn’t like he was running out of time, but it sure felt like it when Kael wouldn’t even look at him.
Ridge sighed. This was going to be a long day.
* * * *
KAEL HAD NO IDEA WHAT to say or even what to do. The only thing he could do was sit there, staring out the window, wondering what came next.
He half expected Ridge to get straight to the point.
Hell, he’d expected Ridge to do that ever since they’d both arrived in town from Starhaven.
Maybe he’d been wrong, though. Maybe there was nothing between them, even though he couldn’t stop thinking about Ridge.
Maybe he’d been imagining the pull and hoping for a bond that wasn’t there.
Except that he didn’t know if he was hoping for one. What was he supposed to do with a mate? He’d never thought about having one because he was a demon and hadn’t been allowed to leave Starhaven until recently.
Well, he hadn’t been allowed to leave Starhaven at all. He’d left, though, and now that he had, he wasn’t quite sure what to do with his life.
That included a potential mate.
Did Kael have one? He supposed there was always a possibility that he did. There was even a possibility that his mate was Ridge. So why hadn’t Ridge talked to him, if that was the case?
Well, that was easy to answer. Kael had been avoiding him, which wasn’t easy since their friends were together.
He couldn’t remember how many times he’d told Nymon he couldn’t come to dinner because he’d known that Ridge would be there.
Nymon had never called him out on it, even though he had to know.
He’d been giving Kael space, and Kael was grateful for that, but now he didn’t have space anymore.
Gregory had made sure of that.
So here Kael was, locked in a car with who could possibly be his mate, and he didn’t know how to ask. What if he asked and Ridge started laughing because they weren’t? What if Kael made a fool of himself?
And what if Ridge confirmed Kael’s suspicions? If he said that yes, he was his mate, and it was about time they talked about it?
He wouldn’t be wrong. It was about time they talked about it. Kael just wasn’t sure what they were supposed to say.
Ridge had probably imagined this moment for years.
He was a shifter, after all. Kael, on the other hand, had never thought he would have a mate, just as he’d never thought he would leave Starhaven.
He’d always known that if he found someone, it would be a demon.
He would stay in Starhaven, they would move in together, and maybe spend the rest of their lives together.
That plan had gone right out the window.