Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Is everything okay?” I asked, stepping back to let Rion into the apartment.
He entered with a nod but said nothing, removing his hat once the door was safely closed behind him. His magnificent horns curved upward, catching the afternoon light streaming through my windows.
“I was just finishing up the brownies for tomorrow,” I said, trying to fill the sudden silence. “Want to taste the batter?”
“If you like,” he replied, following me to the kitchen.
His monosyllabic responses were setting off little warning bells in my head. This wasn’t just Rion being his usual reserved self; this was something different.
I dipped a clean spoon into the brownie batter and held it out to him. “It’s extra chocolatey.”
He accepted the spoon, his large fingers brushing mine in a way that usually sent a pleasant shiver through me. But now he seemed almost to be avoiding my gaze as he tasted the chocolate mixture.
“Good,” he said simply, setting the spoon in the sink.
I frowned slightly. “Just good? Not ‘exquisite’ or ‘delectable’ or whatever fancy word you usually use?”
A slight flicker of amusement crossed his features, but it was quickly replaced by that same neutral expression. “It’s very good, Clara.”
I poured the batter into the prepared pan, my mind whirling as I tried to identify what had changed in the last ten minutes. Everything had been fine—more than fine—in our texts earlier. I’d been excited about seeing him tomorrow, about spending the evening in his labyrinthine home.
And then he’d shown up unexpectedly, encountered Mark, and turned into… this. Silent, withdrawn Rion.
Oh.
The realization hit me with sudden clarity. He’s jealous.
The thought was so unexpected that I nearly laughed out loud. Rion—magnificent, intelligent, physically imposing Rion—was jealous of Mark? Ordinary, human Mark with his ordinary human charm?
But as I slid the brownies into the oven, I began to see it from his perspective.
He’d arrived to surprise me, only to find me chatting and laughing with an attractive neighbor—one who was completely normal, who could walk down the street without causing a stir, who didn’t have to hide his true nature from the world.
I turned to face him, wiping my hands on my apron. “So… that surprise visit. It was a nice thought.”
He leaned against my counter, careful as always not to put his full weight on my furniture. “It seemed like you were already entertaining.”
The slight edge to his voice confirmed my suspicion. Beneath his controlled exterior, something was simmering—not anger exactly, but definitely discontent.
“Mark’s just a neighbor,” I said carefully. “He needed a ladder. Ironic, right?”
He made a noncommittal sound, his dark eyes studying a point somewhere over my shoulder.
“He’s the one I was trying to text that day,” I continued. “When I accidentally texted you instead.”
“I gathered as much.” His voice had that low rumble again, like distant thunder. “You seemed… friendly.”
I raised an eyebrow. “We’re neighbors. Being friendly is kind of the default.”
He shifted slightly, his massive shoulders tensing further. “Of course.”
I set the timer for the brownies and wiped a smear of chocolate from the counter, trying to decide how to navigate this unexpected jealousy.
Part of me was undeniably flattered—the idea that someone as extraordinary as Rion could feel threatened by ordinary Mark was both surprising and oddly thrilling.
But another part of me felt a flicker of annoyance. Did he really think I’d be swooning over Mark after everything he and I had shared? After the way my entire world had expanded since meeting him?
“You know,” I said, keeping my tone light, “if I’d actually managed to text Mark that day instead of you, I’d probably still be using that rickety old ladder at the library. And we never would have met.”
“A fortunate typo,” he said, with just enough warmth returning to his voice to give me hope.
“Very fortunate,” I agreed, moving closer to him. “Life-changing, even.”
He met my eyes finally, and I could see the complex emotions swirling in their depths—uncertainty, possessiveness, and something deeper that made my heart beat faster.
“He seemed… interested in you,” he said carefully.
I shrugged. “Maybe. But I’m not interested in him.”
“No?” There was a vulnerability in the question that tugged at my heart.
“No,” I said firmly. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m kind of into minotaurs these days. Specifically, one minotaur. With amazing horns and a talent for baking biscuits.”
A ghost of a smile touched his lips, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “It would be easier,” he said quietly. “Someone like him.”
And there it was—the real issue beneath the jealousy. Not just that Mark was attractive or that we had been friendly, but that Mark represented a simpler path. A human man. A normal life.
“Easier isn’t better,” I told him, moving even closer. “Easier isn’t what I want.”
His eyes searched mine, looking for reassurance. “You could have a normal life with someone like him. No complications. No hiding.”
The timer on my phone chimed, reminding me to check the brownies. I silenced it without looking away from him.
“I don’t want normal,” I said softly. “I want you.”
Something in his expression shifted, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. He reached out tentatively, his large hand coming to rest lightly on my waist.
“I apologize,” he said, his voice rumbling in that way that sent pleasant vibrations through me. “I’m not accustomed to… this. To feeling…”
“Jealous?” I supplied, a small smile playing on my lips.
He looked uncomfortable with the word but nodded. “It’s not a pleasant sensation.”
“It’s pretty normal, actually,” I assured him. “Human or minotaur.”
He drew me closer, his warmth enveloping me. “There’s nothing comparable about us, Clara. His life would be so much simpler for you.”
I placed my hands on his chest, feeling the steady, powerful beat of his heart beneath my palms. “I told you. I don’t want something simple. I want real. I want this.”
His expression softened, the last of his guardedness melting away. “This is very real to me,” he admitted. “Perhaps too real. Too important.”
My heart skipped at the earnestness in his voice. “Too important for what?”
“For me to risk losing,” he said simply.
The raw honesty in those words took my breath away. I stood on tiptoe, bringing my face closer to his. “You’re not going to lose me to Mark or anyone else,” I whispered. “I’m exactly where I want to be.”
He bent down to meet me, his lips finding mine in a kiss that was both gentle and fiercely possessive. I melted against him, my arms sliding up to encircle his neck, my fingers finding purchase in the thick fur there.
When we finally broke apart, his eyes were warm again, the storm clouds cleared. “I should let you finish your baking,” he murmured.
“Probably,” I agreed, making no move to step away. “The brownies might burn.”
He chuckled, a deep, resonant sound that I felt as much as heard. “We wouldn’t want that. Especially since they’re for tomorrow night.”
“About that,” I said, tracing a pattern on his chest. “We’re still on, right? Dinner at your place?”
“Of course.” He looked surprised I would even question it. “I’ve already started planning the menu.”
“Good.” I reluctantly stepped back to check on the brownies, pulling them from the oven with a satisfied nod. “Perfect timing.”
As I set them on a rack to cool, Rion moved behind me, his presence large and comforting. “I should apologize again,” he said quietly. “For my behavior. It was… unbecoming.”
I turned to face him, leaning back against the counter. “It was human,” I told him with a small smile. “Or, well, you know what I mean. It was normal.”
“I’m not accustomed to feeling…” he hesitated, searching for the right word.
“Insecure?” I suggested gently.
He nodded, though I could tell the admission cost him. “I’m aware of my… differences. The complications they create.”
I reached up to touch his face, my fingers trailing along the strong line of his jaw. “Your differences are what make you extraordinary, Rion. They’re not something I endure—they’re something I treasure.”
He turned his face slightly to press a kiss to my palm, his eyes never leaving mine. “You are a remarkable woman, Clara Bellweather.”
“I’m a woman who knows what she wants,” I corrected him. “And it’s not Mark from 3A.”
A slow smile spread across his face, transforming his features with a warmth that made my heart swell. “I’m… glad to hear it.”
“You should be,” I teased, “since I’ve already made these brownies for you. It would be a shame to have to find another minotaur to share them with.”
He laughed then, a full, rich sound that filled my small kitchen. “I believe we’ve established that we’re rather rare.”
“One of a kind, as far as I’m concerned,” I said, rising on tiptoe to press another quick kiss to his lips.
The brownies cooled as we moved to my small living room, his large frame making my furniture look almost dollhouse-sized in comparison. But he’d grown more comfortable in my space over the weeks, finding ways to adapt without complaint.
We talked for hours, the earlier tension completely dissolved, replaced by the easy comfort that had been growing between us since that first text exchange. As evening fell, he reluctantly prepared to leave, helping me package the brownies for tomorrow’s dinner.
“I’ll bring these,” I promised, handing him the covered dish. “Seven o’clock, right?”
He nodded, donning his hat and coat for the journey back to his labyrinth. “I’ll be waiting.”
At the door, he paused, turning to me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. “Clara, I…” he began, then stopped, seeming to wrestle with himself.
“What is it?” I prompted gently.
He took a deep breath. “I want you to know that I understand if someday you decide that this—that I—am too complicated. Too difficult to integrate into your life.”
My heart clenched at the vulnerability in his voice. “Rion—”
He held up a hand to stop me. “Please, let me finish. I just want you to know that I would understand. Your happiness matters to me, even if… even if it’s not with me.”
I stepped closer, placing my hand on his chest. “I appreciate that. I do. But I need you to understand something too.” I looked up into his dark eyes, willing him to believe me.
“I’ve never felt more myself than I do with you.
More alive. More seen. Whatever complications come with loving a minotaur, they’re worth it to me. ”
His breath caught audibly at the word “loving,” his eyes widening slightly.
“Yes, I said it,” I continued, feeling suddenly bold. “I’m falling in love with you, Rion. Not in spite of what you are, but because of who you are. All of you.”
For a moment, he stood perfectly still, and I feared I’d gone too far, too fast. But then his arms were around me, lifting me effortlessly until we were face to face, his expression more open and vulnerable than I’d ever seen it.
“Clara,” he whispered, his voice rough with emotion.
“Too much?” I asked softly, suddenly uncertain.
He shook his head, a smile breaking across his face like sunrise. “Perfect,” he said simply. “You’re perfect.”
He kissed me then, a kiss that felt like a promise, like a beginning. When he finally set me down, we were both breathless.
“Tomorrow,” he said, his voice husky.
“Tomorrow,” I agreed, watching as he reluctantly stepped into the hallway.
I closed the door behind him, leaning against it with a smile I couldn’t have suppressed if I’d tried. The day had taken an unexpected turn—from brownies to jealousy to something that felt very much like a declaration of love.
And through it all, one thing had become crystal clear: my heart had chosen its path. It was a path that led through a labyrinth, guided by a minotaur whose gentle strength and quiet dignity had captured me completely.
Whatever challenges lay ahead—and I knew there would be many—I would face them with Rion by my side. Because easy wasn’t better. Normal wasn’t what I wanted.
What I wanted was him. All of him. Horns, fur, complications, and all.
Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.