Chapter 30
CHAPTER 30
“ M erry Christmas! And next time you come in, let me know what you think of the snowflake sugar cookies.” Cas waved at the family of dwarves.
The kids waved back, smiling and giggling. The bell tinkled as they left. Cas ducked beneath the counter to tidy up the cookies so they’d be perfectly displayed behind the glass when the next customer entered.
The bell tinkled again. A smile stretched Cas’s cheeks as he rose and prepared to serve.
Cas sucked in a breath. The smile dropped from Cas’s face.
“Xavi?”
“Cas.” Xavi sauntered towards him, tail swaying behind him in time with the movement of his hips. “I was hoping you’d be working.”
Cas frowned, coming around the counter towards the incubus. He took in Xavi, dressed in a sleek black coat that showed off his trim, tall figure. Long jet-black hair with streaks of gold had been pulled back into a tight ponytail, showing off his impressive horns. His dark wings were tucked behind him.
“It’s good to see you, Cas.” Xavi placed a hand on Cas’s arm.
Cas stepped back, away from the touch. “What are you doing here?” Cas glanced from side to side, as if expecting an explanation lurking around.
“Cas, look at me,” Xavi said.
Cas looked at Xavi.
“I know you’re upset, which is entirely appropriate considering how things ended between us,” Xavi said, voice smooth. “But I’ve been doing some thinking, and I’ve come to realise that I was wrong for breaking off our relationship without considering all the variables.”
Xavi chuckled, shaking his head. “And you know I don’t admit I’m wrong often.” He gave an affectionate smile. “But I’ve missed you, Cas. I love you. And I want to be together. I’d like us to bond and be together forever.”
Cas tried and failed to comprehend what was going on and what Xavi was telling him.
Then, as if everything weren’t confusing enough, Xavi wrapped his arms around Cas’s, lowered his head, and kissed Cas.
Every cell of Cas’s body froze in shock.
Just a few weeks ago, Cas’s heart would have sung at Xavi’s return.
But now, with Xavi’s lips pressed against his, all Cas could think of was how wrong this all felt. Xavi smelled wrong. His arms felt too thin. His body wasn’t big enough. And Cas didn’t feel safe and protected in Xavi’s arms. After all, this incubus had betrayed him.
Cas didn’t want Xavi. He wanted Graal.
Recovering from the shock, Cas shoved Xavi away with all his pixie might. He wiped a hand across his lips. “No,” Cas whispered, shaking his head.
“What?” Xavi’s eyes narrowed.
“I don’t want you.” Cas straightened.
Xavi held out a placating hand. “Cas, I know you are upset. I know I hurt you. I know how things ended between us wasn’t ideal. But you need to calm down and think clearly.” Xavi smiled, and Cas could see the condescension dripping from it.
How did I not see it before? And how dare he tell me to calm down and think clearly?
“Fuck you, Xavi. Just fuck you and fuck off!” Cas’s voice echoed in the bakery.
Xavi’s eyes widened in shock. “Cas, keep your voice down and don’t use such vulgar language towards me.”
“Fuck you!” Cas yelled. “Don’t you dare tell me how to behave.”
Cas’s wings flapped rapidly, and he rose into the air. His aura glowed red around him. But with all his might, he stopped his harmful pixie dust from bursting forward. He had things he wanted to say to Xavi.
“You cheated on me.” Cas flew towards him. “And then, when I caught you in the process of dipping your dick into someone else, you broke up with me. You didn’t even bother to apologise or put on clothes. Then you made me feel like you betraying me and ending our relationship was my fault.” Cas’s voice cracked.
“Now you just waltz in, not even apologising for treating me like garbage, you tell me what to do, and you just expect me to take you back?” Cas sneered. “You really are an arrogant prick.” Cas looked Xavi up and down. “I don’t know what I ever saw in you.”
“Cas! What has gotten into you?” Xavi asked.
And Cas knew the answer. “I just met someone who treats me like I deserve. Someone wonderful. Someone perfect. Someone so much better than you.”
“You met someone?” Xavi asked, voice incredulous as if he’d imagined Cas would wait around for him forever.
“Yes. I met an orc named Graal.” And as Graal’s image came to mind, the truth hit Cas. He’d held back from that knowledge, thinking himself not over Xavi, thinking it all too soon, thinking himself not ready to risk his heart again. But deep down, it was all so clear to Cas. “And I am in love with him.”
Xavi’s nose wrinkled. “You’d choose an orc over me? Cas, have you lost your mind?”
“I think I just found it.” Cas’s shoulders straightened. “He is far better than you’ll ever be. And he and I have the best sex I’ve ever had.” It was the truth, but it would also be the biggest insult to an incubus.
Because although Xavi might be a sex demon, Graal was Cas’s sex god. “And did you know orc cum is an aphrodisiac? I am addicted to it.”
Xavi took a breath as if trying to collect himself. “You know what Cas, I think?—”
“I don’t care what you think,” Cas interrupted. “I don’t care what you think ever again. And I don’t care about you. Get out and don’t come back. We’re done. I’ve wasted enough of my life on you.”
Then Cas turned his back on Xavi. He flew behind the counter and began wiping it down, completely focused on work as he ignored Xavi.
Although, in reality, Cas was very aware of Xavi staring at him in shock. But after a second, from the corner of his eye, Cas saw Xavi turn and stride to the door. The bell tinkled as he left.
Cas let out a breath, sagging against the counter as he gave up any pretence of giving a shit about cleaning the counter.
Applause broke out from the back of the bakery.
Cas turned. Grady, Lacy, Ordelia, Briar, Trent, and Jack all clapped and whooped.
“Cas! You were incredible,” Ordelia said, bouncing Ruthie, her baby, in her arms.
“Bloody amazing!” Trent cheered.
Cas smiled and straightened. “I’m shaking with adrenaline.” He held out a trembling hand.
Grady came around from the back and clasped Cas on the shoulder. “You did good, little brother.” Then he frowned. “But I never realised he cheated on you. You never said. What an absolute twat!”
“I can’t believe—” Lacy began.
“I hate to interrupt after Cas’s amazing performance,” Jack said. “But Graal just left.”
“What?” Cas looked around as if expecting to see Graal.
“He came up into the apartment,” Jack explained. “He looked upset and said he was leaving the city to work at some mining village. I asked if you knew, and he said he’d write you a letter. Then he just took off. He looked pretty distressed.”
Cas frowned.
“I came down to talk to you because I could tell something was wrong and saw you yelling at Xavier. I assume Graal saw Xavier too and took off.” Jack pointed out back.
“What? Why would he run off?” Cas flew towards the back door.
“Maybe he saw Xavier kiss you,” Lacy said.
“I have to go after him.” Cas pulled the door open.
“Cas.” Briar followed him. “You should know something.”
Cas turned to Briar. “Briar, I don’t have time?—”
“Graal is your mate!” Briar proclaimed .
Cas’s wings stuttered, and he dropped to the floor. “What?”
“I was reading a book about mating, and it talked about how mating differs between races.” Briar pushed his glasses up his nose. “With orcs, they can tell who their mate is, as their scent and semen act like an aphrodisiac to them. That would make you Graal’s mate if what you said is true.”
“But that’s insane,” Cas whispered. And very weird.
“Pixies can tell who their mate is by?—”
“Briar, this is all very interesting, and I want to talk more about it later, but I need to go find Graal.” Cas lifted into the air.
“Oh. Of course,” Briar said as Cas flew out the door.