"You can call me Nicholas."
He knew full well it wasn't proper and her men were standing right there. Sure enough, six sets of warrior eyes widened by varying degrees.
Door kid wore the exact face of a boy watching a stranger ask his mom out. Confused as shit. Offended as hell. Her Beta's eyes were screaming 'YOU'RE NOT MY DAD' in middle of dinner at the restaurant. And the youngest one looked at Nicholas like he was meeting Mom's latest "friend" and deciding in real time that this fucker needed to go.
Guinevere meanwhile seemed unaware of this reaction.
Her face gave Nicholas nothing.
A scorned woman would've shoved his name back down his throat. He half expected it. Hell, he hoped for it. Her being mad at him beat the fuck out of this. He could work with anger.
She didn't.
Her eyes were kind.
"Nicholas, then. Thank you for coming up here. It's alright. I understand."
His blood ran cold like someone just dumped a bucket of ice water over his head.
