Page 58 of Moody as a Minotaur

Sushi’s judgment was palpable.

“I know, I know. It’s no excuse. But I’m here now.” I scattered their food across the water. Filet shot through the water to catch a flake that was floating to the bottom of the tank. “Oh, good catch, Filet.” Then I praised each of the fish so the others wouldn’t feel left out. Everyone was healthy and accounted for. The pumps, lights, and filters were all doing their thing. I didn’t usually go over everything so thoroughly, but I was still feeling a little unsettled and couldn’t help but feel I was abandoning them. Logically I knew I wasn’t, but my guilt said otherwise. “Okay, guys,” I said when I couldn’t think of anything else to check. “I’m heading out, but don’t worry. I’ll be back to feed you tomorrow.”

No one shouted in protest, but then again, they were only fish.

I sighed.

I turned to go down the hall to my room to pack a bag and found Levi staring at me. I couldn’t read his gaze, but he was probably wondering why on earth I’d been trying to carry on a conversation with my fish. Of all the animals to choose as a pet, they were probably the least emotive. Or, well, spiders might be worse… but, yeah, I wouldn’t be adopting a tarantula any time soon to test that theory. Nope. No way.

“Um, I, uh, heard it’s good to talk to them.” I mumbled as heat blazed through my cheeks. “Like how talking to plants is supposed to help them grow better. I,uh, don’t expect them to talk back. Just in case you thought that… Um, you know what? Never mind.”

I fled to my room to change my clothes and throw some stuff into an overnight bag.

When I returned to the living room a few minutes later, I didn’t even glance at the fish tank until Levi had his back to me and was walking back down the steps. I silently told them to be good, and that I’d be back tomorrow to check on them. Then I scurried down the stairs after Levi, who, I’d just realized, hadn’t spoken a word the entire time.

He was a lot like my fish.

Rather than walking the few blocks to his place, we took my car again. The closer we got to his house, the crazier this plan sounded in my head. Who the hell did I think I was? I had invited myself to stay at Levi’s for the night. Without asking him. Levi. The guy who was uber private. The guy who never invited anyone into his space. The guy who never wanted to socialize outside of the Willow Lake Pub. That guy.

“Listen,” I said as I twisted my hands around my steering wheel. “If you don’t want me to stay with you tonight, that’s okay. I’m sure I can find some place to sleep at the inn. Or Carter might have room for another?—”

“You aren’t staying with Carter,” Levi grumbled.

“Okay… But I’m sure I could?—”

“Park in the driveway and get inside the house,” Levi muttered.

Well, not exactly a welcome wagon, but it didn’t sound like he wanted me to leave. I’d take that as a win.Before we exited the car, though, he put his hand on mine to stop me from getting out.

“The listening devices are still in there,” he said gruffly. “Watch what you say.”

“Right.” I nodded. I’d forgotten about that.

“Let’s go,” he said as he climbed out of the car and grabbed my overnight bag from the backseat.

“I can take…” My words died off when he ignored me and marched up to the door with my bag in his hand.

I quickly locked the car and hurried after him. Levi was already inside with his coat hung on a hook by the door by the time I caught up with him. He held my bag directly in front of him, so it didn’t knock against his shelves. I pulled the door closed, flicked the lock. I slipped off my jacket and hung it beside his, liking the way they looked together. It was deliciously domestic. Then I followed him through his maze of shelving units.

“It’s exciting, isn’t it?” I said, projecting my voice. “What do you think they’ll talk about at the meeting?”

“I doubt they’ve seen anything.” Honestly, I was a little surprised Levi decided to join my mini play.

“So, you don’t think they’ll show us any monsters?”

Levi grunted. “Their videos don’t show anything. I think it is all a hoax. Probably a scam.”

“Huh. I never thought of that.”

Levi kept walking. Our act had ended, I guessed.

We hadn’t gone this deep into his house last time, so I tried to keep up while looking at all of his creations along the way. It was fascinating. He turned left twice—or was it three times?—then right once, and the left again… I had no idea where we were. How did one house have so many twisting hallways? He’d said he had a bed and stuff, but I was beginning to doubt it. The whole place was just a bunch of shelves.

Then we came to another prominent display under its own spotlight and my breath caught.

“What?” Levi spun around, knocking my bag against one of the shelves. Then he saw what I was looking at. His feet shuffled. “Oh that.”

“These are all the things I’ve given you,” I said as I brushed my finger over one of the few bull figurines I’d given him. It was shiny and smooth, like he regularly dusted and polished it. My heart warmed at the idea that Levi would see them every time he came and went through this corridor. Did he think of me each time? The bull and minotaur mugs from Carter were on a lower shelf and not nearly as carefully displayed.