Jaded [The Moonlight Breed 9] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) Gabrielle Evans (the read aloud family TXT) 📖

he’d spoken the ancient language of his people, but if it could bring some common ground between them, he was more than happy to use it to his advantage.

“I do. Could you teach me?”

“I could certainly teach you.”

It was too much to ask that his reprieve from their arguing would last long. Zuriel sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and chewed it vigorously, probably searching for another excuse as to why he couldn’t allow Spiro into his life.

“I’m not lovely, though. If you knew the things I’ve done, you wouldn’t say that.”

Before he could ask what that meant, his cell phone began to ring again, vibrating against the gleaming wood of the dresser.

“You should answer that.” Zuriel nodded toward the phone. “I’m tired anyway.”

“It can wait.” Two seconds after his phone stopped vibrating, it started once again. “One minute.” The he snatched the phone up and answered the insistent ringing. “What?” he demanded.

“Spiro, it’s Rissian. You need to come home.”

Until recent weeks, Spiro hadn’t seen or spoken to his family since his departure from his home nearly a decade ago. The night before the full moon, however, Rissian had called him with news that had turned his world upside down. “He died.”

“Yes,” Rissian answered. “You know the rites. You have to come home.”

When his younger brother had first called him about their father’s illness, Spiro hadn’t been overly worried. As elves, they were immortal, unsusceptible to human diseases and sickness. When the calls became more frequent, however, he’d known this conversation was coming.

“I have time.” Spiro glanced toward Zuriel and winced. Gods, he was so royally fucked. “We’ll talk in the morning.”

His father was a cruel and sadistic asshole, and the only grief he felt over the man’s passing was for himself, because his life was about to change in ways he’d never wanted.

“You know what will happen if you don’t complete the rite.” There was an edge of panic in Rissian’s voice that hadn’t been there before. Though nearly two decades separated them in years, he’d always been closer to Rissian than any of his other siblings. Still, this wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have in front of Zuriel, especially since he hadn’t filled his mate in on the details yet.

“We’ll talk in the morning,” he repeated. Then he disconnected the call, interrupting his brother’s protest, and turned the phone off for good measure.

“I’m sorry,” Zuriel murmured. “Is it okay to ask who died?”

“My father.”

“You don’t sound upset. Were you not close?”

“Not particularly.” His father was an abusive, barbaric fucker, but Zuriel didn’t need to hear his sob story.

“Oh.” Lifting a hand to his mouth, Zuriel’s eyes watered, glistening in the low light with unshed tears. “Oh, my gods. Spiro, I’m so sorry.”

Had he remembered Zuriel’s ability to read his thoughts, he may have worked a little harder to shield them. “So now you know.” It still wasn’t nearly as bad as what his mate had lived through, and he didn’t need pity. “Zuriel, I don’t give a damn what happened in your past. Hell, I don’t care what happened five minutes ago. I’m living proof that the past does not define us. We can start right now, right from this very second, and none of the rest of it matters.”

To his credit, Zuriel actually appeared to be considering his offer for once. “I don’t know. Can I…Can I have time to think?”

It was the best answer he’d received yet and was a damn sight better than “no.” He had only one stipulation, however. “I’ll give you the time you need, but no copulating, kissing, groping, or flirting during that time. Can you at least give me that?”

The most breathtaking smile stretched across the shifter’s face, and he bobbed his head slowly. “I can give you that. I promise, but the same goes for you.”

Spiro hadn’t even thought about anyone else since he’d met Zuriel, but he offered his agreement anyway. “Take care, lirimaer.” Moving to the foot of the bed, he bent slowly and placed a brief, chaste kiss on Zuriel’s lips. “You know where to find me when you’re ready.” Then he turned and forced his legs to carry him to the door while his lion fought him every step of the way.

“Spiro?”

“Yes?” He paused near the door with his hand on the knob.

“How do you do it? How do you get over the hurt?”

It was a good question, but there was no easy answer. “One day at a time, Zuriel. Instead of letting my past cripple me, I used it to make a change. I refuse to be like my father, and I wanted to help others who have been hurt by people like him.”

“It gets easier?”

“It absolutely gets easier. I’ll help you anyway I can, but you have to want it.”

“I want it,” Zuriel whispered. “I want to be better.”

“Then we’ll take it one day at a time, just like I said.” He dipped his head in good-bye and pulled the door open as his heart soared with hope. “I hope you’ll find me soon.”

* * * *

Zuriel rarely left his room during the course of the next three days. He still couldn’t get over what he’d seen in Spiro’s thoughts, and he couldn’t fathom how parents could do something like that to their children. Spiro had said that he now knew his story, but Zuriel had the uneasy feeling that the public beatings were only the tip of the iceberg.

“Do you plan to shower any time soon?” Zavion asked after barging into the room without knocking. “I can smell you clear from the kitchen.”

“You cannot.” He’d just showered that morning, and his brother was being an ass. “What do you want?”

“I was just wondering if you wanted to talk.”

“No.”

“I had a feeling you’d say that.” He stuck his head back out the door and called down the hallway. “Hey, guys. I was right.”

“What are you doing?” This had all the markings of one of his twin’s insane intervention plans.

“We’re going