And it had been one of the greatest privileges of his life.
Sammy’s laughter rang through the night. “Okay, yeah, I’m a little surprised, but not in a bad way. I bet you were an awesome dad.”
“I—” A knot formed in his throat, cutting off anything he might have said, even if he’d had the words.
It hadn’t been easy, and he’d made a lot of mistakes along the way, but he had never regretted his decision. He didn’t need validation, but he couldn’t deny it felt damn good to hear the words.
He cleared his throat and stared straight ahead, watching the flames as they licked toward the sky. “Thanks.”
“Can I ask you something kind of personal?”
Suspicious of the hesitation in his voice, Dominic turned back to his mate with an arched brow. “More personal than my dead parents?”
Sammy’s eyes went wide, and pink crept into his cheeks, but he didn’t look away. “Okay, fair.”
Dominic laughed and cuffed the side of his head. “You can ask me anything.”
“Why don’t you like changelings?”
He stilled, his mind scrambling for something to say that wouldn’t be either insulting or an outright lie. Meeting Sammy, caring about him, didn’t change the past or the anger that had been festering for centuries because of it.
“Who told you that?”
“No one.” Sammy shook his head quickly. “No offense, but it was kind of obvious when we first met.”
Dominic detected no judgment or accusation in his tone. Only curiosity.
“You don’t seem like an irrational man,” his mate continued. “If you don’t like changelings, I figure you have your reasons.”He sighed and glanced down at their joined hands. “It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me.”
The assessment gave him more credit than he deserved. “It’s nothing you did.”
“I know.” Lifting his head, Sammy gave him a shaky smile and shrugged. “I have it on good authority that you like me. At least a little.”
More than alittle, but he grinned at the playful reply. “Whose authority would that be?”
“Yours.”
He laughed again, the response as perfect as it had been unexpected. “Good answer.”
“So, will you tell me?”
Dominic wavered.
If they had any chance at a future together, he’d have to tell him eventually, but they were still feeling each other out, still learning to trust. He didn’t know if he was ready for the level of vulnerability the story exposed.
He could, however, give him the condensed version.
“I trusted a changeling once, a long time ago, and a lot of people were hurt because of it.”
Sammy waited, his expression open and patient. After a while, though, he seemed to realize that was where the story ended for now.
He didn’t sigh, or huff, or yell about fairness. Which he would have had every right to do since Dominic basically knew every rotten thing that had ever happened to him. He also didn’t demand more than Dominic was ready to give.
Instead, his mate squeezed his hand and nodded. “Thank you for telling me.”
One sentence. Five words. Yet it contained more kindness and empathy than most people ever achieved in their entire lives.
Overcome with both emotions and instincts he didn’t understand, Dominic palmed the back of Sammy’s and dragged him closer. Then he leaned in, bridging the distance until barely a breath separated their lips.