“Where is he?” he demanded in the clipped Danish accent she’d once found so sexy. “Where is my son?”
“He’s—what—how-” She felt as unsteady as Griff, her legs threatening to give way with sheer shock. “Reiner, what are you doing here?”
“I was in London on business. I came as soon as I got your email.” Reiner took a step toward her, his fists clenching. Hayley couldn’t help shrinking back from the raw, animal power emanating from him. “Now, where is my son?”
“Don’t. Move.” Griff caught Reiner’s arm, jerking the other lion shifter back. Even though Griff could barely stand upright, his golden eyes still blazed with primal fury. “You aren’t going anywhere near him until Hayley says you can.”
“He is my son!” Reiner knocked Griff’s hand away. “Stand in my way again and I’ll rip out your throat.”
“No!” Hayley thrust herself between the two men as they started to snarl at each other again. “Reiner, it’s okay, he’s my…he’s a friend.”
Reiner’s nostrils flared. His withering amber gaze flicked down her body. “It would seem he’s rather more than that. Unless you routinely fuck your friends.”
Hayley’s cheeks heated in humiliation. “That is none of your business, Reiner!”
“He’s under the same roof as my son. That makes it my business.” His muscled chest pressed hard against her shoulder as he leaned forward, glaring across her at Griff. “This is my territory. Get out!”
“Mommy?” said a small, sleepy voice from the stairs. “Are Mr. Griff’s dragon friends still here?”
All three of them froze.
Danny caught sight of Reiner, and his light brown eyes widened. Hayley had never realized it before, but they were the exact same shade as his father’s.
“Oh,” Danny said, in a very small voice.
All of the aggression in Reiner’s stance instantly vanished, replaced by awestruck wonder. He took three swift steps to the bottom of the stairs. Hayley let him go, unable to stand in the way of such obvious pure, simple joy.
“My son,” Reiner said, his voice shaking. He held out his arms. “My son.”
“Daddy.” Danny practically fell down the stairs into Reiner’s embrace. He clung to him with every limb, burying his face in Reiner’s chest. His little shoulders shook in wracking sobs. “Daddy. Daddy. Daddy.”
Tears sprang into Hayley’s eyes. An unbearable, unnamable swirl of emotions choked her throat. She had to turn away before she broke down entirely—and found herself facing Griff. Sheer, overwhelming jealousy was written in every line of his face as he watched Reiner and Danny.
He caught her looking at him, and his expression instantly went blank. “I should go,” he said gruffly.
“Wait!” Hayley caught his sleeve as he turned for the door. “You’re in no state to go anywhere.” She lowered her voice, casting a quick glance over her shoulder at the still-oblivious Reiner. “You nearly died last night, Griff! Stay, let me take care of you. I don’t care how much Reiner growls about it-”
“I have to go,” he interrupted, not looking at her. His shoulders hunched. “I can’t stay here. Especially not now.”
Anger and upset churned in her stomach as she realized that he already had his jacket and shoes on. “You were just going to leave, weren’t you? If Reiner hadn’t arrived, you’d have been gone before I even woke up.”
“It would have been for the best,” he said, very quietly. He met her eyes at last, and the broken agony in his own shattered her heart. “Hayley. Last night…we can’t let that happen again. Not ever.”
Memories of his contorted, half-animal form flashed through her mind, red-hot and searing.
He nearly died because of me. How can I ask him to risk that again?
She made herself open her fingers, letting his wrist fall from her grip. Even though she knew it was the right thing to do, it felt wrong, deeply wrong, to let him go.
“Will you at least come back to see Danny?” she asked hopelessly, as he limped away.
“No.” Griff didn’t look back. “He doesn’t need me any more.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Danny
Danny scowled ferociously down at his drawing. It was so unfair! His daddy had finally, finally come to see him, and yet he’d still had to go to school. Danny didn’t see why he couldn’t have stayed home with Daddy, even if Mommy did have to go out to work. Maybe Mommy just didn’t want him and Daddy having fun together without her.